Yesterday, I was chatting with a few VPs of Sales who asked if we could help them with something: Outsourced Role-Play Interviews. Every single company forces candidates to do a Mock / Role Play step before receiving an offer. But the process is pretty repetitive, it takes a lot of time (for both the candidate + the internal team who judges / gives feedback) and is an expensive step for the employer. Instead, what if we outsourced it to you all? So for example, let's say you're interviewing at Google and are at the Role Play / Mock step. Rather than doing it in-house, Google contracts one of you to be the interviewer. Here's how it works: You: Get paid $500 for your time, get to put on your resume that you're a trained "Sales Expert". New side hustle! Employer: Saves a lot of money / time. Just gets a summary of the results and the recording. Candidate: Gets to keep a copy of the recording, can rewatch it to practice and learn. There's also one other potential benefit: other companies who are hiring could ask for a copy of the recording, so they can see the candidate pitch "live". If they like what they see, they could fast-track their own process? Anyway, I didn't know how to prioritize this idea so I need your help, War Room Savages. HALP. PS - If you're interested in being part of this idea, please vote in the poll. PPS - If you're REALLY feeling helpful, share what your company's mock interview process looks like so we can use it for inspo. PPPS - And if you're just a straight up G, tell me all the reasons why this won't work / why your company wouldn't use it.

Why would it be cheaper to outsource rather than do internally? I don't think this part of the interview process is as cumbersome as you're making it out to be.

As a hiring manager I've conducted probably close to 1,000 interviews over the course of my career. I can tell you with full sincerity that I could almost care less about how well you recite your pitch of my product or service.

I personally think this would really turn me off as a candidate if before I even work there, they're already trying to push me off to someone else. Unless I truly loved the company Id have serious second thoughts about this. This is worse than the one way video interviews in my mind.

My team has eliminated the mock role play/pitch from our interview process because it doesnt seem to actually show how a candidate performs in a real life scenario. We instead focus on their known process, ability to think on their feet, gritiness, and ability to diagnose their own strengths and weaknesses.

"When hiring, look for 3 things: Brains, Energy, and Integrity. If they are missing the third, the first two will kill you." Warren Buffett

I think you're missing the purpose of the mock proposal. It's essentially a Kobayashi Maru. You were never meant to pass the exercise but rather see how you handle pressure, the room, present with short notice, and pivot on the spot.

Would love to do this. I genuinely feel like being pitched to often would greatly expand my knowledge when it comes to hiring, spotting talent, and knowing what does and doesn’t work in interviews.

I agree with the comments saying that it might be best to keep the hiring process internal. However, what about offering ourselves for roleplays and training? If there's anything an SDR needs (especially a new one who's still afraid of cold calling), it's practice and repetition.

This can be a huge Yay and Nay. In my experience, outsourcing comes handy when you don't have (a.) expertise, (b.) a well-defined process, or (c.) bandwidth. Why not do it internally? I believe you answered Paddy already. If you're hiring that means you're growing to some degree - which can lead to point c. - I see opportunity when it comes to creating value for the recruiting team itself, but not to leave the "problem" of hiring to a 3rd party (IMO).

I like the idea but I want every person who is going to interview to be scrutinized just as much as the candidate and for the love of all that is holy have like to like. B2B SAAS interview B2B SAAS no random insurance sales conducting the mock interview.

curlyfries99

VP Engineering

Opinionated

Executive

Valued Contributor

Potential New Way to Make Money in War Room - need your help!

Yesterday, I was chatting with a few VPs of Sales who asked if we could help them with something: Outsourced Role-Play Interviews.

Every single company forces candidates to do a Mock / Role Play step before receiving an offer. But the process is pretty repetitive, it takes a lot of time (for both the candidate + the internal team who judges / gives feedback) and is an expensive step for the employer.

Instead, what if we outsourced it to you all? So for example, let's say you're interviewing at Google and are at the Role Play / Mock step. Rather than doing it in-house, Google contracts one of you to be the interviewer. Here's how it works:

You: Get paid $500 for your time, get to put on your resume that you're a trained "Sales Expert". New side hustle!
Employer: Saves a lot of money / time. Just gets a summary of the results and the recording.
Candidate: Gets to keep a copy of the recording, can rewatch it to practice and learn.

There's also one other potential benefit: other companies who are hiring could ask for a copy of the recording, so they can see the candidate pitch "live". If they like what they see, they could fast-track their own process?

Anyway, I didn't know how to prioritize this idea so I need your help, War Room Savages.

HALP.

PS - If you're interested in being part of this idea, please vote in the poll.

PPS - If you're REALLY feeling helpful, share what your company's mock interview process looks like so we can use it for inspo.

PPPS - And if you're just a straight up G, tell me all the reasons why this won't work / why your company wouldn't use it.

Should we build this feature for the War Room?

Attached poll

Yes - and I'd want to use this to hire sales reps for our company (Managers+ only) Yes - and I want to get my side hustle on as an Interviewer Yes - and I'd like to learn from watching my recording as a candidate No - I don't think this will work (+Imma explain why in the comments)

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

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curlyfries99

Potential New Way to Make Money in War Room - need your help!

Should we build this feature for the War Room?

43 comments

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