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Round Three: Dare to Outshine SalesGPT Beta Yet Again?

Sales Savages,

Round two of "Can You Answer What SalesGPT Beta Can’t?" was a tour de force! It called upon your strategic acumen, and you delivered in spades. Our War Room members dissected the complex dilemma of offering a paid or free trial to a juggernaut like Slack.

@Filth 's take was noteworthy, emphasizing the importance of letting the customer fall in love with the product before making a purchase.

@Chep 's contribution also shone, quick to recognize that Slack, being under Salesforce's wing, might lean towards a paid trial.

However, the crown belongs to @Justatitle. Their answer, a beautifully reasoned blend of context, insightful questions, and an adaptable solution, truly stood out. They proposed a paid trial deducted from a full-scale project for a company like Slack, which we really liked.

Kudos to you, @Justatitle, for your winning response and 100 Commission point prize! Check out Title's masterstroke here.

The third round is upon us with a question that left SalesGPT Beta scratching its digital head. Here's your new challenge:

“Should you disclose that you were on a PIP when interviewing for a new job?"

You've got 48 hours to offer your well-crafted wisdom in the comments. The most compelling answer will earn another 100 Commission points.

Remember, your knowledge is your superpower.

Let’s go!

-G

⚙️ SalesGPT

30

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Diablo

Politicker

4

Sr. AE

You shouldn't talk about the PIP upfront unless you want to be rejected. If you have 10 good things to speak about vs 1 bad, take the control seat so the conversation remains only about good things.

4

Vice President of Sales and Account Management

During the interview process, less is more! I would not disclose being on a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) to a potential hiring managers unless you as asked directly.
It is a good idea to have a response ready if they do ask the direct question.
As a hiring manager I listen very carefully to confirm the candidate is actually answering the question I asked. Too often I find candidates really want to share something with me about their experience and they try to weave it into another response. I strongly recommend you answer questions directly and with brevity. I would also recommend you have a few well formulated questions for your interviewer (not ones about corrective action plans--that speaks volumes).

Justatitle

Big Shot

2

Account Executive

Never. Hard Stop. When the employer you are currently with reaches out for verification they are not allowed to disclose the reason for termination. That said, you shouldn't lie about numbers and metrics, the last thing you want is to set false expectations for when you start a job. With all the layoffs and RIFs in the current market, it's pretty easy to say that there is a RIF/layoff and you're not seeing a light at the end of the tunnel so you are looking for better opportunities. I'd also recommend sharing your motivation for being in sales so you can put to bed any concerns about work ethic in the role.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

2

Sales Rep

Never lie to a hiring manager, however I would NEVER bring that up on your own. Its important to control the narrative especially when the market is not the best.

When they ask why are you looking for new opportunities. Tell them why it makes sense to work there. List a company value, something you found online about the company you found interesting or a friend told you its a great place.

If they ask about your success mention the highs. Maybe you had a great quarter, talk about that.

If your % quota is never that high, always mention rank then. I was 2/6 reps for revenue, is better than saying I am at 75% with no context.

Filth

Politicker

2

Live Filthy or Die Clean

Nope.

2

Enterprise Account Representative

Never. Especially if this is not a topic during the interview. Stick to metrics, pipeline, and closed win business. Allow your name and references to speak for you. Employers can’t disclose why you were terminated or reveal that you were on a PIP. Turn your interview into having the employer tell you why you should work for them. See if they will disclose reps % to goals, etc.

2

There is no legal obligation to disclose a PIP during an interview unless specifically asked about it. Also, if the circumstances leading to the PIP and the skills or behaviors evaluated are unrelated to the job you're pursuing, it may not be necessary to disclose it.
Be aware that if you choose not to disclose the PIP during the interview but it comes up during a reference check or background investigation, it may raise concerns about your honesty and integrity. Consider the potential consequences of not disclosing the information earlier.

The decision to disclose being on a PIP during a job interview is a personal one. Carefully weigh the factors and consider seeking advice from a career counselor or mentor who can provide guidance based on the individual's specific situation.

2

Chief Revenue Officer

No - don't bring it up. If you're directly asked this (which would be weird), then you are straight and share.

fastgrowth

2

Vice President Sales

Never bring the PIP up on your own. If you are asked if you have ever been on a PIP, do not lie. Tell them how you developed a new prospecting, demo, and follow-up strategy that led you off the PIP to become one of the top sales stars (if this is also true). The other option is if you were on a PIP and then let go, and the product was crap, no support, etc., let them know. Hopefully, you were already in career-hunting mode before the PIP was dished out.

wardoggus

2

Area VP of Sales

I would never recommend proactively bringing up being on a PIP during an interview. I also never recommend lying during an interview process.
There are two big reasons for this:
1.) There are many different reasons why somebody goes on a PIP. In the instances of it being strictly performance-related, not everything you do as an AE is strictly tied to the performance outcomes. Macro events, product issues, etc. can all affect outcomes as well. So the PIP may not necessarily be reflective of your individual work inputs and skillset. Be honest with yourself on this and if it is input/skillset issues, begin working on your own professional development plan to uplevel your skills. Investing in your skills always has a positive ROI for your career in the long run.
2.) When presenting yourself in an interview process, you want to be focused on what you can bring to the company and the results you can deliver in the FUTURE. Just like in a sales process, you want to paint the vision for the prospective employer. You should be highlighting your strengths, tying those to the needs of the future employer and role. And not only how you can meet those needs but also what your experience level brings that can take that team to the next level beyond that.
However, please be prepared in the event a hiring manager asks about performance issues/PIP. Do not have it be your first time trying to answer that question aloud in an interview. Practice your responses in a mirror. You'll be very surprised how things sound out loud vs just in your head.

Chep

WR Officer

1

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

You should avoid mentioning the PIP if possible. If you know the company you are interviewing for will reach out to your past employer and actively asks if you were on a PIP that is the only situation in which I could see disclosing you were on a PIP makes sense. Otherwise I would not mention it and focus more on why this new company excites you and mention that at your least company you appreciated the opportunity but it wasn't a culture fit

Sunbunny31

Politicker

1

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Try to remain positive during your interviews. Focus on the reason why you want to join the new company rather than why you left the previous company. If you were successful before the PIP, bring up the attainment, particularly if it was outstanding, and your position relative to other reps, especially if you were top of the leaderboard. During reference calls, in the U.S., HR will only state that you worked for a company, not why you left or were let go; it's also unlikely that a manager or VP at the company will disclose the reason you were let go. Not being a fit and looking for something better is a good way to communicate why you no longer work there, if it comes up.

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

1

Account Executive

Short answer no. You should not be actively bringing up a PIP, but if asked by the hiring manager, you should share that information to avoid actively lying. During the interview process, you can share that your current role is not a great fit and you are not passionate about the product, but saying "I have been placed on a PIP" is a surefire way to derail a conversation.

Pachacuti

Politicker

1

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

No.

1

Expert Business Development Agent

I would focus on positive results and achievements. If you've had a few sales jobs over time, you may have experienced this due to market conditions, company products that are out of date, micromangement boss requiring exorbitant time spent on reports and CRM updates, your chances for this grow. Example, when I was selling electronics via ECommerce in Silicon Valley when the dot com bubble burst!

1

Director of Security Solution Sales

Never. If I were to discover that the candidate has received a PIP, that fact would not work in their favor, whether consciously or unconsciously. So the hiring manager is also a human being and is likely to view this information unfavorably.
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1

Account Manager

Never - Stick to accomplishments and your positive traits!

AG23

Executive

1

Strategic Account Exec

Disclosing information about performance in previous roles is always a tricky situation, very much dependent on the context. There are some common scenarios where this may come up
- Employer is seeing how you deal with tough questions (in this case, self-disclosing a potential "weakness") and if you're able to describe the situation in a way where the performance was a contributor in your past role (without mentioning PIP) and draw on any learnings or external influences that led to that - it will be beneficial for both you and the employer to see as it will allow them to understand the kind of environment that works best for you and you'll see their reaction in kind.
- Employer is doing a background check to ensure you don't fail too early on - this is pre-emptive and a way to see this is simply your tenure in your last firm. If you were below a year, they will certainly ask to see if it was you as an individual contributor or generally low quota attainment as a firm. In this case, its better to be honest and let them know before you get to this point
- Employer is ensuring you can hit your targets and wants affirmation. In this case, you shouldn't mention it but focus on how you're able to overcome and persevere. Many Sales people go through PIPs in their careers, but you don't need to mention it - instead just talk about overall quota attainment and handling it with a sense of calmness and maturity will display confidence in your ability to overcome the situations

charlescarmichael

Good Citizen

1

Senior Sales Engineer

Deciding whether to disclose being on a performance improvement plan (PIP) during a job interview can be challenging. Generally, it's advisable to focus on your strengths and qualifications rather than discussing any negative aspects. Unless explicitly asked about it or if it directly impacts your ability to perform the job, it may be more beneficial to highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and accomplishments. Remember, the interview is an opportunity to showcase your potential as a candidate.

If you have been on a PIP before and recovered, that, in my opinion, could be a stellar example of resilience, perserverance, grit, and overcoming. It can show you’re a fighter. Every hiring manager knows you’re going to have ups and downs and mentioning the PIP can give you a unique edge on other candidates.

Sales people are the hardest roles to fill because they are amazing at selling… including themselves. Sharing an imperfection and how you overcame it could be a breath of fresh air for the hiring manager.

Filth

Politicker

1

Live Filthy or Die Clean

If the winner and answer to feed the machine from this one isn't just the response, "No" then you are doing too much work FYI.

FinanceEngineer

Politicker

0

Sr Director, sales and partnerships

You should never over share when it doesn’t benefit your situation. If you are asked, don’t lie, but offer context. It is always beneficial to be honest, and to frame a response in the best light possible.

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