Compare sales experience by the buying motion the candidate personally handled. Similar titles or customer logos can conceal very different work.
The useful question is which responsibilities transfer to your role and which would require learning or support.
Map the motion
| Dimension | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Opportunity creation | Inbound, outbound, partners, founder access, or existing accounts |
| Buyer structure | Individual decision or a group with different responsibilities |
| Evaluation | Simple purchase, technical trial, or operational review |
| Commercial work | Standard terms or substantial negotiation and approval |
| Delivery | Immediate use or a complex implementation |
| Support | Specialists and resources available to the seller |
| Ownership | What the candidate personally did |
Ask for a generalized deal walkthrough without private customer names or terms.
Separate scale from complexity
A large contract value does not by itself establish difficult selling. A smaller opportunity can involve complex technical or organizational work.
Likewise, experience in a large sales organization may include extensive support that your startup cannot provide. Clarify what changes when that support is absent.
Test the transfer
Give a fictional opportunity aligned with your actual motion. Ask the candidate what they would do first, which assumptions they would verify, and where their past approach might not apply.
A strong candidate can identify differences rather than insist that their previous method works everywhere.
Inspect self-awareness
Ask which part of the role would be least familiar and how they would learn it. Look for a realistic support request and a plan to gather evidence.
Do not treat every gap as disqualifying. Decide which capabilities are essential on entry and which the team can develop.
Write a specific conclusion
Record the matching responsibilities, the untested areas, and the support required. “Enterprise background” or “startup seller” is too broad to explain the hiring decision.
If the role combines several motions, prioritize them. A candidate cannot be assessed meaningfully against an undefined mix.
Use the enterprise buyer fluency guide, self-generated pipeline assessment, and territory exercise. Discuss a GTM search with Refery.