The GIVE™ Framework for Hiring A+ Sales Talent

‍

Hiring elite sales talent is one of the hardest things a leader can do.

We've all been there. You get dazzled in an interview by a great talker with a perfect resume. They're confident, they're personable, and they say all the right things. You make the hire, feeling like you've found a star.

Then, ninety days later, their pipeline is empty, and you're back at square one.

The problem isn't you. It's the traditional interview script. Relying on resumes, "good vibes," or vague hypothetical questions is a recipe for disaster. It tests for performance in an interview, not performance in the role.

That's why we built the GIVE™ Framework.

It's a proprietary, behavior-based interview framework that works hand-in-hand with our Five Angles™ methodology to identify top 5% sales talent. No fluff. No guesswork. Just proof.

Now, for the first time, we’re sharing the core framework with the world.

The 4 Pillars of A+ Sales Talent: G.I.V.E.

GIVE™ is a system for uncovering the four non-negotiable traits that every elite salesperson possesses. Here’s how to screen for each one.

G is for Grit

Grit isn’t just about working hard. It’s about resilience. It’s the ability to push through adversity when a deal goes sideways, a prospect goes dark, or a quarter starts badly. Drive is great, but grit is what gets results when things get hard.

What to look for: A history of resilience after failure, ownership of tough outcomes, and a clear story of recovery from adversity.

Sample Interview Question:

“Tell me about the hardest deal you ever worked on and what you did when it started falling apart.”

What a weak answer sounds like: They blame others. "My SDRs weren't getting me good leads, the market was tough, and my manager wasn't supportive." They speak in generalities and take no ownership.

What a strong answer sounds like: They own the situation. "We were in the final stages with a major logo, but a key decision-maker left the company. I immediately re-engaged my champion, mapped out the new reporting structure, and built a new business case tailored to the incoming leader's priorities. It pushed the deal back a month, but we got it done." They show resourceful, specific action under pressure. (You'll notice that A-players often naturally answer in this way, following the evidence-based STAR method to structure their response).

I is for Intellect

Intellect isn’t about IQ. It’s about practical, on-the-feet problem-solving. Can the candidate diagnose a problem, think strategically, and connect their actions to a larger business outcome?

What to look for: Evidence of pattern recognition, strong business acumen, and strategic thinking in complex environments.

Sample Interview Question:

“Walk me through how you diagnosed and fixed a pipeline or quota problem.”

What a weak answer sounds like: "I just worked harder. I made more dials and sent more emails until the numbers went up." This shows effort, but not intellect.

What a strong answer sounds like: They use data. "In Q2, I saw my conversion rate from Stage 2 to Stage 3 was dropping. I analyzed my deals and realized I wasn't effectively getting to the economic buyer early enough. I changed my discovery process to include a direct question about budget authority in the first call. This increased my qualification rigor upfront but boosted my pipeline's conversion rate by 15% the next quarter." They diagnose, isolate a variable, and describe a systematic solution.

V is for Value Creation

Average salespeople sell products. A-players create value. They act as strategic partners who make the buyer’s life easier and their business better. They don't just take orders; they serve the customer's deeper needs.

What to look for: Genuine empathy with customers, long-term thinking, and the ability to proactively solve problems.

Sample Interview Question:

“Give me an example of a time you created unexpected value for a customer.”

What a weak answer sounds like: "I have great relationships with my clients. I'm a real people person and provide excellent customer service." It's a vague claim with no proof.

What a strong answer sounds like: They tell a specific story. "A client mentioned offhand they were struggling with user adoption reports for their leadership. It wasn't related to our product, but I knew another one of my clients had a great template. I asked for permission to share it, connected the two of them, and my client was able to solve their reporting problem in a week. It built a huge amount of trust and led to an upsell two months later." They saw a problem before the customer did and proactively solved it.

E is for Execution

At the end of the day, can they do the job? Talk is cheap. A-players have a system. They operate with a level of precision and intentionality that B-players simply can't replicate.

What to look for: Precision in their answers, a history of follow-through, and evidence of a systematic, consistent effort.

Sample Interview Question:

“Describe your sales process from first contact to closed deal.”

What a weak answer sounds like: "It depends, every deal is different. I build rapport, get a feel for their needs, and then present our solution. I'm good at reading the room." They are "winging it."

What a strong answer sounds like: They lay out a clear, multi-stage process. "My process has five stages: Qualification, Discovery, tailored Demo, Proposal/Negotiation, and Close. I use a specific checklist of questions for discovery, I never do a demo without understanding their top 3 priorities first, and I have a mutual action plan for every deal in my pipeline..." They describe a system they own and execute repeatedly.

Why GIVE™ Works

This framework isn’t theoretical. It’s grounded in real-world sales performance. By asking behavioral questions mapped to these four pillars, you force candidates to stop talking about what they could do and start providing proof of what they have done.

GIVE™ surfaces evidence, not potential. And with that evidence, you’ll know whether they’ve done the work before and can do it again for you.

Start Using the GIVE™ Framework

If you're tired of guessing in interviews and want a proven framework to identify A-players, steal this. Adapt these questions for your own process.

And if you want help building your entire interview and hiring system around the GIVE™ framework, we coach our clients through it every day. Let's talk.

By Travis Janko, CEO of GSD Coach & Recruiting, helping SaaS founders build the top 5% of talent, FAST!