Using the Sandler System in Interviews with John O'Brien

Mark McGraw talks with John O’Brien, Founder of Sales Talent Group and a legend in the world of recruiting top-tier salespeople. They dive into what it really means to qualify hiring opportunities—for both candidates and hiring managers. John shares insights on how to run interviews like a pro, avoid expensive hiring mistakes, and design roles that attract the right people.

To find our handout for this episode, click here.

Join us to hear what most hiring managers get wrong, how top candidates quietly stand out, and why better preparation leads to better hires.

• John starts by explaining why hiring salespeople should feel like closing a million-dollar deal because, in many ways, it is.
• According to John, if you’re not treating hiring like a sales process, you’re flying blind. You could have the ability to hire the best salesperson. But having a process ensures you hire the right salesperson.
• John reveals the most important part of an interview that most hiring managers skip: Qualifying for pain, budget, and decision-making.
• Mark and John agree that there isn’t enough time in a sixty-minute interview to fully interview your candidates—unless you follow a clear process and set expectations upfront.
• Great candidates don’t list achievements—they tell stories that sell. John breaks down the STAR method of storytelling and how the best salespeople use it to tell compelling stories.
• Mark and John agree that hiring gets messy when candidates, recruiters, and hiring managers aren’t aligned.
• For John, hiring managers who try too hard to sell the job end up pushing away the top talents.
• Mark explains how to create interest in your candidates without overdoing the pitch.
• Top candidates don’t just answer questions, they run their own sales process in the interview. Mark shares what to look for when a candidate subtly qualifies you right back.
• John and Mark discuss why candidates should think like entrepreneurs and what that means for hiring.
• Mark highlights why hiring the wrong person is costly and reflects poorly on everyone involved. He unpacks how to manage hiring risk so you’re not cleaning up a mess months later.
• John explains why hiring for sales ability beats experience every time.
• According to John, job descriptions describe the role, but job design defines success. He shares how hiring managers can reverse engineer what success looks like and hire for that.
• As a sales professional, you need to understand the compensation plan during the interview. But there is a catch: talking about money too early is a red flag for most recruiters. But waiting too long is a waste of time. John walks through ways to get the timing right when discussing compensation.
• Hiring with a tight budget isn’t a dealbreaker—it just means you need a smarter plan. John shares how to attract and grow talent when you can’t afford top dollar.
• Mark explains how the best salespeople qualify the hiring company and why that’s a positive sign.
• Mark and John agree that saying no to the wrong job or hire is just as important as saying yes to the right one.
• John explains how the candidate’s decision isn’t just about the job—it’s about their whole life. He explains how factoring in personal circumstances like family and relocation helps avoid last-minute drop-offs.
• John highlights the true cost of one bad hire and why it’s worth investing more time and thought upfront to avoid costly turnover.
• For John, sales candidates shouldn’t tell you they’re good—they should show you. Mark and John reveal what structured, thoughtful interviewing really looks like from someone who knows how to sell.

Mentioned in This Episode:

BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/follow

Sandler.com

BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/sandler

The Startup of You: Adapt, Take Risks, Grow Your Network, and Transform Your Career by Reid Hoffman

John O'Brien on LinkedIn

SalesTalentGroup.com

BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/17