Not sure how to hire great salespeople? Well, remember, curiosity doesn’t always kill the cat.
One of my favorite interview techniques when hiring great salespeople is to focus on their curiosity. Curiosity is a hallmark of a great sales professional. So, I ask questions that reveal just how curious they are. I will ask, “What’s the last book you read?” or more importantly, “Why should I read the last book you read?”
I look for candidates who demonstrate a genuine interest in the world around them. This curiosity translates into better relationships with clients, as they are more likely to ask insightful questions and seek deeper understanding. It also means they’re more likely to stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices, which is key for long-term success.
You can tell a lot about a candidate’s curiosity before you ask a single question. Watch how they show up.
Do they reference something specific about your company, your market, or a deal type you work? Did they look up your recent wins, your product, your customers? Or did they walk in cold?
A genuinely curious candidate treats the interview the same way they’d treat a first call with a prospect: they did their homework, they have a point of view, and they’re ready to engage on your terms, not just pitch themselves.
That behavior – preparation, interest, informed questions – is exactly what you want them bringing to your buyers. If they can’t muster it for a job they want, they won’t muster it for a deal.
The curiosity test isn’t just a pleasant interview moment. It’s a proxy for several things that actually drive quota attainment.
Curious reps ask better discovery questions. They don’t stop at surface-level answers because they genuinely want to understand the buyer’s situation. That depth of discovery is what separates a rep who pitches and hopes from one who owns the deal from the first call forward.
Curious reps also adapt faster. Sales environments change! Messaging shifts, competitors move, buyer priorities evolve. Reps who stay curious stay current. Reps who stop learning get left behind.
When you’re figuring out how to hire great salespeople, curiosity is one of the few traits that’s difficult to fake over the course of a real conversation and even harder to install after the fact. Skill gaps can be closed. Curiosity gaps rarely are.
The “Why should I read the last book you read?” question is useful precisely because there’s no objectively correct answer. What you’re evaluating is how they make a case.
A strong answer sounds like recommendation with reasoning: they name a specific idea from the book, explain why it changed how they think, and connect it to something real. They’re selling you on reading it, which means they’re demonstrating, in real time, the same skill they’ll need to sell your product.
A weak answer sounds like a book title and a summary. They read it, they liked it, they’d recommend it. They don’t offer any further insight – no connection to an outcome, no attempt to move you towards action. That my friends is not a Closer. That’s someone who completed a task.
The same framework applies to the work curiosity question: you’re not looking for a feel-good story, you’re looking for someone who can isolate a specific problem, describe how their curiosity drove them toward a non-obvious solution, and explain what changed as a result. Specificity is the signal.
When hiring great salespeople, it’s important to assess their level of curiosity. This trait is a strong indicator of a Closer’s potential to succeed and thrive in a dynamic sales environment. By asking the right questions, you can identify candidates who have the curiosity and drive to excel.