Interview Experience for Senior Corporate Solution Sales Manager at GitHub

I recently interviewed for the Senior Corporate Solution Sales Manager position at GitHub and would like to share a comprehensive account of the interview process. This position is designed for professionals who will drive sales of GitHub’s solutions to large enterprises, focusing on the value proposition of GitHub Enterprise and other key products. The role requires a strong combination of sales expertise, technical understanding, and the ability to manage long sales cycles while working closely with multiple teams within the organization.

Below, I’ll break down the interview process, the questions I encountered, and provide some tips for those looking to apply.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process for the Senior Corporate Solution Sales Manager at GitHub was structured and comprehensive, with multiple stages designed to assess my sales experience, product knowledge, leadership abilities, and how I align with GitHub’s culture. The process involved:

• Initial Screening with Recruiter
• First Round: Sales Experience and Product Knowledge
• Second Round: Behavioral and Leadership Interview
• Final Round: Case Study, Role Play, and Senior Leadership Interview

Each stage tested specific aspects of my sales skills, strategic thinking, and my ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver on GitHub’s business goals.

1. Initial Screening with Recruiter

The first stage of the process was an initial phone screening with a recruiter. This call was used to gather basic information about my background and determine whether my experience aligned with the job requirements. The recruiter also provided details about the role and what GitHub was looking for in a Senior Corporate Solution Sales Manager.

Key topics discussed:

• My background in enterprise sales, particularly in SaaS or developer tools.
• Experience working with large, complex enterprise accounts and handling long sales cycles.
• The recruiter’s explanation of GitHub’s sales culture and expectations from this role.

Key questions from the recruiter:

• “Tell me about your experience working with enterprise customers in the tech space.”
• “What strategies have you used to close large enterprise deals?”
• “How familiar are you with GitHub Enterprise and how would you position it to a large organization?”

The recruiter emphasized the importance of strategic account management and ensuring that GitHub’s products solve real business problems for enterprise clients. This call set the stage for the technical and behavioral interviews that followed.

2. First Round: Sales Experience and Product Knowledge

The next interview round was with a Sales Manager. This interview was focused on sales experience and product knowledge, as GitHub wanted to evaluate how well I could sell GitHub’s developer tools to large organizations.

Key areas covered:

• Enterprise Sales Process: I was asked to walk through my experience selling GitHub Enterprise or similar SaaS solutions to large clients. The interviewer wanted to understand my sales methodology, how I approach long sales cycles, and my ability to manage key relationships.

Example Question:

• “Tell me about a time when you worked with an enterprise client who was initially resistant to adopting a new solution. How did you manage to change their mind, and what was the outcome?”

• Solution Selling: The interviewer wanted to understand how I would approach solution selling. I was asked to describe how I would position GitHub’s products (GitHub Enterprise, GitHub Actions, etc.) to meet specific customer needs in large organizations.

Example Question:

• “How would you position GitHub Enterprise to a CTO in a large financial organization? What specific features would you highlight to make the product attractive?”

• Overcoming Objections: The interviewer also wanted to test my ability to handle objections. I was asked to provide examples of times when I faced resistance during sales processes and how I addressed those concerns to move the deal forward.

Example Question:

• “A potential customer has concerns about data security and compliance when adopting GitHub Enterprise. How would you address their objections and reassure them?”

The interview was highly focused on real-world sales scenarios and how I would position GitHub’s enterprise solutions against competitors, address potential pain points, and close deals with large customers.

3. Second Round: Behavioral and Leadership Interview

The second round was a behavioral interview combined with leadership questions. This interview assessed my leadership qualities, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and how well I would fit into GitHub’s sales culture.

Key areas covered:

• Leadership and Collaboration: GitHub places a high value on collaboration across teams. I was asked to describe my experience working with product teams, customer success, and sales engineers to close large accounts.

Example Question:

• “Describe a situation where you had to collaborate closely with product managers and sales engineers to customize a solution for an enterprise client. How did you ensure alignment across teams?”

• Driving Business Growth: GitHub is looking for candidates who can drive long-term business growth. I was asked how I would contribute to expanding GitHub’s enterprise customer base and how I would develop a sales pipeline in the enterprise market.

Example Question:

• “What would be your strategy for expanding GitHub’s presence within large organizations? How would you identify key verticals and manage your sales funnel?”

• Cultural Fit and Resilience: GitHub is known for its open and transparent culture. The interviewers wanted to assess how well I would fit into this environment and how I manage the ups and downs of the sales cycle.

Example Question:

• “GitHub values transparency and feedback. Can you share an example of a time when you received constructive criticism on a sales strategy? How did you incorporate that feedback into your approach?“

4. Final Round: Case Study, Role Play, and Senior Leadership Interview

The final round of the interview process included a case study, a role-play exercise, and a leadership interview with senior leaders from GitHub’s sales team. This round was designed to test both my strategic thinking and my sales acumen in a real-world context.

• Case Study: I was given a hypothetical enterprise client scenario where the customer was considering migrating to GitHub from a competing version control system. I had to outline my approach for evaluating the customer’s needs, positioning GitHub’s solutions, and ultimately closing the deal.

Example Scenario:

• “You are tasked with selling GitHub Enterprise to a large retail company that currently uses Bitbucket. The customer is hesitant to switch due to integration concerns and existing contracts. How would you approach this situation?”

• Role Play: In the role-play exercise, I was asked to handle a sales call where the client had concerns about product fit and costs. This was designed to test my ability to handle objections and drive a conversation toward a successful close.

• Senior Leadership Interview: This was a conversation with GitHub’s VP of Sales and other senior leaders. The interview focused on long-term sales strategy, growth opportunities, and how I would contribute to GitHub’s enterprise sales initiatives.

Key areas covered:

• Sales Strategy: The leadership team wanted to understand how I would align my sales efforts with GitHub’s strategic goals and contribute to overall revenue growth.

Example Question:

• “How would you develop and implement a strategy for selling GitHub’s enterprise solutions to Fortune 500 companies? What are the key metrics you would use to measure success?”

• Team Leadership and Development: GitHub also wanted to understand how I would work within a collaborative team and help mentor junior sales staff.

Example Question:

• “How do you coach junior salespeople and help them develop their own enterprise sales skills?“

5. Decision and Offer

After completing the final round, I received feedback within a few days, and an offer was extended within a week. The offer included detailed compensation information, equity options, benefits, and performance expectations.

Key Skills Tested

• Enterprise Sales Strategy: The interview process focused on my ability to develop and execute a sales strategy for large, complex accounts, particularly in SaaS and developer tools.
• Product Knowledge: A deep understanding of GitHub Enterprise, GitHub Actions, and related products was essential. I was tested on my ability to position these products effectively in front of enterprise decision-makers.
• Sales Process and Negotiation: I was assessed on my approach to managing the sales cycle, handling objections, and using negotiation tactics to close enterprise deals.
• Collaboration: GitHub values teamwork, so the interview tested how well I would collaborate with cross-functional teams like product management, customer success, and sales engineers.
• Leadership and Cultural Fit: As a senior sales role, leadership and alignment with GitHub’s collaborative, transparent culture were key areas of focus.

Preparation Tips

• Study GitHub’s Enterprise Products: Familiarize yourself with GitHub Enterprise, GitHub Actions, and GitHub Advanced Security. Understand the value proposition for large organizations and how GitHub solves real business problems.
• Know the Enterprise Sales Process: Be prepared to discuss long sales cycles, relationship-building, and complex negotiations. Practice handling objections and positioning solutions to meet customer needs.
• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Think about how you would approach enterprise growth and develop a sales pipeline for GitHub’s enterprise solutions. Practice creating a strategic sales plan.
• Collaborate Across Teams: Be ready to discuss your experience working with cross-functional teams and how you ensure alignment on business goals.
• Practice Handling Role-Play Scenarios: Be ready to handle difficult sales scenarios, manage objections, and navigate challenging customer conversations.