How to source and shortlist {role_name}

Where can you find qualified {role_name}?

1. Professional Networks

  • LinkedIn (linkedin.com) – Search using job titles like Assistant Sales Manager, Sales Team Leader, Sales Manager.
  • Xing (xing.com) – Popular in Europe for mid-management roles.
  • Glassdoor (glassdoor.com) – Candidates with sales performance insights.

2. Educational Institutions

  • Business schools (e.g., Kellogg School of Management, IIMs, INSEAD) – campus placements for fresh talent
  • Vocational sales training centers – offer candidates with structured sales and CRM training.

3. Company Career Pages

  • Direct applications from your own careers portal.
  • Competitor company career sites – useful for passive sourcing.

4. Role-Specific Job Boards

  • SalesGravy (salesgravy.com) – exclusively for sales professionals.
  • Rainmakers (rainmakers.co) – connects sales talent with companies.

5. Geography-Specific Job Boards

  • United States:
    • Indeed US
    • ZipRecruiter
    • SalesHeads
  • India:
    • Naukri
    • Shine
    • Monster India
  • UAE & KSA:
    • Bayt
    • GulfTalent
    • Naukrigulf
  • Remote Sales Jobs:
    • We Work Remotely
    • FlexJobs
    • Remote.co

What are the best practices for headhunting {role_name}?

  • Use Boolean search strings on LinkedIn (e.g., "Assistant Sales Manager" AND CRM AND Retail).
  • Target competitor companies hiring similar roles.
  • Approach candidates with personalized messages highlighting growth opportunities.
  • Use employee referrals — especially from current sales staff.

"Find Talent Quickly" – Leverage Headhunting and Referrals

How to shortlist candidates?

Once you have started to get applications from applicants, a thorough screening process and shortlisting of prospects will help you make the most of your time spent with the most qualified ones. 

Automated shortlisting tools :

Automated screening quickly filters out unqualified candidates, saving time for manual review. This allows the manual process to focus on the most promising candidates, ensuring the best ones are considered for further evaluation.

Screening questions to auto-shortlist based on predefined criteria

like qualifications, location, experience, and skills. Either use job board or use an ATS such as whitecarrot. Here are some questions for {role_name}

  • “How many years of experience do you have in sales team management?”
    • Auto-reject if <2 years.
  • “How many years have you worked with CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce, Zoho)?”
    • Auto-reject if <1 year.
  • “Are you currently located in [specific city/region] or willing to relocate?”
    • Auto-reject if unwilling and location-bound.
  • “Do you hold a degree in Business, Marketing, or related field?”
    • Auto-reject if no relevant qualification.

Skill based question to auto shortlist candidate

Analyze the skill test data to automatically shortlist top-performing applicants. (recommended screening test time - 15 minutes). Here are some skill test questions for {role_name}

CRM Software

Ability to use CRM for tracking sales and customer interactions.

  1. What is the primary purpose of a CRM system?
    • A) Payroll management
    • B) Lead and customer management ✔
    • C) Employee attendance
    • D) Inventory control
  2. In Salesforce, what does an “Opportunity” represent?
    • A) A closed sale
    • B) A potential revenue deal ✔
    • C) A lost customer
    • D) A client complaint
  3. Which report would best show monthly revenue trends?
    • A) Forecast Report ✔
    • B) Activity Log
    • C) User Access Report
    • D) Contact Summary

Sales Strategies

Understanding of effective sales planning and closing techniques.

  1. What does “upselling” mean?
    • A) Selling to a new customer
    • B) Offering a more expensive product ✔
    • C) Adding unrelated services
    • D) Negotiating discounts
  2. Which of the following is a common step in the sales funnel?
    • A) Awareness ✔
    • B) Exit Interview
    • C) Onboarding
    • D) Compensation
  3. What is the “80/20 rule” in sales?
    • A) 80% of sales come from 20% of customers ✔
    • B) 20% of sales team delivers 80% of reports
    • C) 20% of products create 80% of complaints
    • D) 80% of budget is for 20% of staff

Team Coordination

Ability to manage and motivate sales teams effectively.

  1. What’s the best way to address underperformance in a sales team?
    • A) Ignore it
    • B) Publicly criticize
    • C) Provide feedback and coaching ✔
    • D) Replace the member immediately
  2. A daily sales stand-up meeting should last:
    • A) 60 minutes
    • B) 30 minutes
    • C) 10–15 minutes ✔
    • D) 2 hours
  3. Which is a sign of poor team coordination?
    • A) Duplicate outreach to the same client ✔
    • B) Regular reporting
    • C) Shared goals and KPIs
    • D) Weekly updates

Note - Auto reject candidates if scores less than 70% in this section

One way video interview

Recruitment Bullet

Use tools like hirevue, whitecarrot.io to ask candidates pre-recorded questions about their experience and skills.

Recruitment Bullet

Use sample question given in scorecard.

Collect other information 

Recruitment Bullet

Collect data from shortlisted candidates, such as salary expectations and visa status.

"Shortlist in Seconds" – Use our CV scoring feature to get top candidate recommendation

Manual candidate profile shortlisting:

Recruitment Bullet

Thoroughly review the CVs of the top scoring candidates from the automated process

Recruitment Bullet

Look for evidence of the required skills, experience, and achievements

Recruitment Bullet

Review the candidate’s portfolio or GitHub repositories to see examples of their work.

Schedule recruiter calls with the candidate

Recruitment Bullet

Use a tool like calendly or whitecarrot to allow candidates to self-schedule calls based on your availability

Recruitment Bullet

Confirm the call details (date, time, dial-in info) with the candidate via email

What questions to ask in the recruiter phone screen?

Recruitment Bullet

 Use scorecard for rating candidates for recruiter

Recruitment Bullet

Sample scorecard : 

Criteria Sample Question Rating (1–5) Comments
Communication “How would you handle an unhappy client?”
Sales Knowledge “Explain the difference between upselling and cross-selling.”
CRM Proficiency “Which CRM tools have you used, and how?”
Leadership “How have you motivated a team to achieve targets?”
Cultural Fit “Describe your preferred work style in a sales team.”
Recruitment Bullet

Check for consistency in responses from the candidates.

Recruitment Bullet

Record such scorecards in an ATS like whitecarrot or use google doc

Frequently Asked Questions?

What are the most common skills to look for in an Assistant Sales Manager?

Strong CRM knowledge, sales strategy expertise, team coordination ability, and soft skills such as communication and relationship building.

How do I keep Assistant Sales Manager candidates engaged during sourcing and shortlisting?

Personalize outreach messages, share details about growth opportunities, and maintain regular updates on the hiring process. Candidates value transparency.

How can I assess cultural fit during shortlisting?

Use behavioral interview questions in video assessments (e.g., “How do you handle conflict within your team?”). Review alignment with company values such as teamwork, adaptability, and customer-first mindset.