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The Most Painfully Obvious Mistakes in Interviewing for Sales Jobs (That Still Happen Every Week)
December 2025
Joey Brodsky
December 08, 2025
Hello and welcome to The Modern GTM Executive by Lunar Executive Search - read by 2,000+ leading Sales, Marketing, and Executive Leaders within Growth-Stage Technology businesses. We’re here to help people redefine their perspective on modern revenue acquisition models, understand what talent & skills are necessary to do so, and how to find the to 10% of GTM Leaders to execute.
| Sales Hiring Market – Current LinkedIn Job Postings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Within Software Industry – Posted Last 7 Days | ||
| VP of Sales Jobs | 316 | +19% |
| Enterprise AE Jobs | 589 | +53% |
| BDR Jobs | 280 | +9% |
To help readers stay grounded in the reality of today’s GTM hiring landscape, I’ll be sharing a weekly snapshot of active sales roles on LinkedIn. These metrics offer a simple but powerful pulse check: where demand is rising, where it’s cooling, and how the broader software market is shifting beneath the surface.
This Week's Signal The Top 3 News Stories for Your GTM Career Curated headlines that actually matter for GTM leaders and job seekers. |
1 · Sales Tech & Forecasting After what many saw as aggressive AI sales ambitions, some enterprise buyers are hesitating — a reminder that even in a “AI everywhere” market, revenue teams need to stay tightly aligned to value, and not assume AI tools alone will close deals. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} |
2 · GTM & SaaS Market Dynamics Even as companies chase growth and AI adoption, the broader tech industry is still undergoing a painful reset — which means supply of experienced GTM talent remains high, and smart hiring or job-seeking moves could yield strong opportunity for those with relevant chops. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} |
3 · AI & Revenue-Tech Innovation As data platforms fold in native AI agent capabilities to help enterprises handle complex analytics and GTM workflows, sales and revenue teams will increasingly compete on how well they integrate AI into their process — not just on traditional sales execution. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4} |
To help you stay sharper and more informed, I’m adding this new weekly snapshot of the three GTM stories that matter most. No fluff - just the signals every sales leader should track.
This Week’s Topic: The Most Painfully Obvious Mistakes in Interviewing for Sales Jobs
Every week I watch strong sales candidates knock themselves out of process for reasons that have nothing to do with skill — and everything to do with professionalism.
Here are the mistakes that should be easy wins… but keep happening.
Professionalism Errors
Being late
The interview is over before it starts. Sales = reliability.
Casual environments (car, gym, walking)
Signals the role isn’t a priority. Treat interviews like customer meetings.
Unprofessional attire
You don’t need a suit — but you do need to look like someone the CRO can trust in front of a major account.
Presentation & Setup Issues
Poor lighting
If they can’t see you, they can’t connect with you.
Bad camera resolution
Grainy video = poor preparation.
Distracting background/noise
Your environment communicates your standards.
Preparation Misses
No research on the company or product
You don’t need mastery — just effort. Know the ICP, the product category, and why the space matters.
Talking in generalities instead of metrics
“Crushed quota” means nothing. Be ready with attainment, ACV, sales cycles, and deal examples.
Communication Red Flags
Blaming everything on previous employers
One issue is normal. A list is a warning sign.
Overly casual tone
Professional ≠ stiff. Professional = prepared and clear.
Process Mistakes
Not asking strong questions
Your questions show how you evaluate opportunity. Ask about quota, attainment, pipeline, onboarding, win/loss patterns.
Not sending follow-up notes
The easiest way to reinforce fit — and a massive differentiator that 70% of candidates skip.
Final Thought
None of these require talent — just discipline. Avoid them, and you instantly separate yourself from most of the candidate pool.
We've got a number of active opportunities across our portfolio of software clients at Lunar Executive Search currently.
A few select openings:
VP of Sales – VC Backed – Enterprise SaaS
Enterprise Account Executive - VC Backed - Enterprise SaaS (NY, NJ, TX)
Enterprise Account Executive - VC Backed - Cyber
Enterprise Account Executive - VC Backed - IT SaaS (NYC Hybrid)
(New) Enterprise Account Manager - Private - IT Services (US Remote)
Account Executive - PE Backed - HealthTech
I'm also always look to great candidates for future roles:
Chief Revenue Officer - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
Chief Marketing Officer - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
VP of Product Marketing - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
VP of Partnerships - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
Highlights from The GTM Kickback! Podcast
We've had a number of excellent interviews recently on The GTM Kickback!, with many more already booked and recorded on the way.
Want to be a guest? Ping me on LinkedIn! 😎
We're looking for: High-performance GTM Operators, VC/PE Investors in SaaS, and Leading GTM Consultants for early stage technology businesses
New to "The GTM Kickback!"? Subscribe to the podcast!
This newsletter is powered by Lunar Executive Search - Finding Premier GTM Talent for Growth Stage Tech Businesses.
We help disruptive technology companies grow. For venture-funded start-ups and PE-backed enterprise software firms, we have a track record in finding the Top 10% of Sales and Marketing Leadership Talent, and doing so swiftly.
Reach out to me here: [email protected]
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Till next time,
Joey