John Melia, Vice President of Breakwater Asset Management–-an investment advisory firm for the every day investor–spoke with me recently about his experience as a sales leader, and how he evaluates sales candidates when making a decision to hire. John was also kind enough to share with me about how he successfully crossed the chasm from individual contributor to sales leader early in his career, and how others can do the same.

What will you learn from this interview?

• The criteria to look for in a company if you’re looking for career advancement, and how to differentiate yourself once you’ve been hired
• The common mistake he sees on sales resumes
• 3 core competencies he looks for in every candidate
• The kinds of questions he will ask to gauge someone’s decision making and intelligence
• How sales candidates should differentiate themselves from other sales candidates
• What approach should sales candidates take when closing an interview with him

The answers to these questions and many more can be heard in this video. I’m confident that you’ll find the insight that John shares to be useful and actionable the next time you’re preparing for an interview. We look forward to your comments.