How do I screen Account Executive candidates before interviewing?

Send every applicant one link that carries 4 skills tests (B2B Sales Account Executive, Sales Aptitude, Communication, Salesforce CRM), 2 personality inventories and 5 one-way video questions. springhire scores everything automatically and ranks the candidates, so you interview the top few. The free plan covers 10 candidates a month.

How long does the Account Executive screening take a candidate?

About 38 minutes for the tests, plus 10 to 15 minutes for the video questions. Candidates complete it on their own time, on any device.

What should a Account Executive job description include?

A short brief, three to five key responsibilities, a fuller list of duties, must-have and nice-to-have skills, and the requirements. The template on this page has all of it, ready to copy.

Which interview questions work best for a Account Executive?

Questions that ask for a specific past example and a walkthrough of how the candidate thinks. This page lists 8 with sample answers, and the full bank has more.

Yes. The free plan includes every screening tool with 10 candidate credits a month and no card. Paid plans start at $39 a month.

Sales

How to hire a Account Executive

What the role does, the job description, the interview questions, and the 38-minute screening pack that tells you who can do the job before you book a single interview.

Screen Account Executive candidates free See the pack

The role

What a Account Executive does

An Account Executive is a full-cycle sales professional who owns qualified opportunities from discovery through close, acting as the primary point of contact for prospective customers.

Own the sales cycle for qualified opportunities through to close
Run consultative discovery and demos that tie value to business outcomes
Manage an accurate pipeline and forecast against quota

Screen before you interview

The Account Executive screening pack

Closing skill, sales instinct, clear communication and CRM fluency are the four things an AE is paid for. Every applicant gets one link. You get one ranked report.

Skills tests · 38 minutes total

SalesB2B Sales Account Executive Test10 min · 20 questions · IntermediateThe B2B Sales Account Executive Test helps hiring teams assess whether candidates can qualify deals, build support across stakeholders and negotiate effectively. It is suited to intermediate sales hires where discovery, account navigation and commercial judgment matter.SalesSales Aptitude Test10 min · 20 questions · IntermediateThe Sales Aptitude Test shows you how a candidate actually sells before you put them in front of customers. Through 20 realistic B2B and B2C scenarios, it scores relationship building, sales techniques and strategy, objection handling, and adaptability, so you can hire on demonstrated judgment instead of interview confidence.CommunicationCommunication Test8 min · 20 questions · Entry levelThe Communication Test shows you how a candidate actually communicates at work: how clearly they write, how carefully they listen, how reliably they confirm understanding, and how considerately they handle tone and timing. Through 20 realistic entry-level scenarios, it scores four dimensions so you can hire people who keep customers and colleagues on the same page.SalesSalesforce CRM Test10 min · 20 questions · IntermediateThe Salesforce CRM Test helps hiring teams assess whether candidates can work accurately in Salesforce day to day. It is suited to intermediate users in sales, account management and sales operations roles who need to manage records, maintain clean data, and trust the reports they use.

Personality inventories

DISC Personality TestThe DISC Personality Test helps hiring teams understand how candidates tend to communicate, respond to change and work with others. It is useful for entry level hiring when role success depends on pace, collaboration, follow-through and comfort with structure.Work Motivation TestThe Work Motivation Test helps hiring teams assess how entry level candidates are likely to stay interested, respond to purpose and keep going through routine or setbacks. It is useful for roles where steady effort, day to day engagement and follow through matter.

One-way video questions · answered on camera, scored by AI

1
Walk us through the last deal you closed. Where did it nearly fall apart?
2
A prospect says your price is 30% higher than a competitor. What do you say next?
3
How do you decide which accounts in your pipeline get your time this week?
4
Describe a quarter you missed target. What changed afterwards?
5
Sell us the product you know best in 60 seconds.

Send this pack to your applicantsFree plan, 10 candidates a month, no card.

Job description

Account Executive job description

We are seeking an Account Executive to own opportunities from first discovery call to signed deal. You will run tailored demos, navigate multi-stakeholder buying groups, and guide prospects to a confident yes while keeping your forecast honest. This is a great fit for a consultative closer who can hold a complex deal together and genuinely enjoys solving a customer's problem.

Responsibilities

Run discovery calls to uncover pain, goals, and buying criteria
Deliver customized demos that connect features to business outcomes
Map stakeholders and build champions inside multi-threaded deals
Develop mutual action plans that keep deals moving to a close date
Negotiate pricing, terms, and contract details with procurement and legal
Maintain an accurate pipeline and forecast weekly in the CRM

Requirements

3 or more years of full-cycle closing experience, preferably in B2B SaaS
A consistent record of hitting or beating annual quota
Experience managing multi-stakeholder deals and structured sales processes
Proficiency with a CRM and modern sales tooling
Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional selling experience

Full job description template

Interview questions

Account Executive interview questions

For the candidates who pass the pack. Each comes with a sample answer on the full page.

01
What attracted you to the account executive role specifically?
02
Tell me about the type of deals and buyers you have handled.
03
How do you measure success in your role beyond hitting quota?
04
What kind of sales environment helps you perform at your best?
05
How do you run discovery to uncover a prospect's real pain?
06
How do you manage a complex deal with multiple stakeholders?
07
How do you build and present a business case or ROI?
08
How do you handle negotiation and closing?

All Account Executive interview questions with answers

Frequently asked questions

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