Nailing your sales screening call: Six recruiter-approved tips

Today, we have access to more information than ever when searching for jobs. Have you ever found your dream role advertised online, only to feel disheartened when you see that daunting statistic under the post “300+ have already applied”? 

The average job post in 2025 receives 240+ applications, while only 1% of candidates ever reach the interview stage. On top of that, companies now interview around 40% more candidates per hire than in 2021, which means every conversation is scrutinized more closely than ever.

Your first real touchpoint is usually a Talent Acquisition (TA) screening call. From this single interaction, they must decide whether to move you forward to the hiring team. 

At Ideals, this is the first step in a process you can explore on our How we hire page.

Here is what Ideals’ recruiters say really makes the difference in that first conversation, and how you can use these sales interview tips in any hiring process.

1. Do your homework – then go deeper

Most candidates read the website, but the strongest ones treat interview preparation like it’s with a Tier-1 prospect who has finally agreed to a call.

Basic research is the starting point, but not the goal. Recruiters expect you to know what the company does, who it sells to, and how it is positioned in the market. What moves you into the “strong” bucket is going beyond typical SaaS sales interview questions and showing an understanding of the business context. Build an understanding of the company’s value proposition and the problems that it solves, and be able to articulate this in your own words.

To keep it simple, focus on a few basics:

• Explore the product, its use cases, and target customers.
• Use your network to connect with people in the same space.
• Check the profiles of recruiters and hiring managers for helpful insights.
• Look up RepVue to see how sellers rate quota, leadership, and culture.

Pro tip: Look Ideals up on RepVue to see how other sellers rate us.

You want to join the call with a grounded view on the business, not just phrases from the homepage.

2. Know your “why” and make it real

A SaaS sales career can be highly rewarding, but it’s not without difficulties. Rejection, pressure, and more complex buying cycles than ever can make it feel like an uphill battle.  

That’s why you should be honest about what drives you. It might be financial freedom, career progression, or a genuine obsession with the problem the company is solving. The recruiters want to see the “WHY” behind the resume: 

3. Know your numbers

Both recruiters and hiring managers are skeptical of resumes that list responsibilities instead of results. Vague responses around your targets won’t make you stand out.

Interesting fact: Only about a quarter of salespeople exceed their yearly quota, making a clear record of your achievements a powerful advantage in interviews.

Your numbers tell a story, even if it’s not always a happy one. Recruiters don’t expect that you’ve never missed a target, but they do want to see how your misses have shaped your experience. 

Make some notes before your interview on:

• Annual quota vs. actual attainment
• Average Deal Size (ACV)
• Sales cycle length
• Lead source split (Inbound vs. Outbound vs. Partner)
• Your reflections on under- and over-performance

4. Tell a compelling sales story

Recruiters are already imagining you representing their company from your first interaction. When you talk about a deal, they hear how you sell: how you listen, how you structure a conversation, and how you handle risk. They pay attention to the way you explain your product’s value and how you bring the customer’s problem into that story.

Quick tip: prepare one or two stories in advance. Choose examples that match the type of work you want to do next. For each one, think through three simple points and walk the recruiter through that path step by step:

• What does the customer need?
• What did you do?
• What happened in the end? 

If you are early in your career, you can still show the same mindset. Use other experiences where you took initiative, influenced people, or owned a result.

5. Build rapport and show curiosity

How many times have you heard, “people buy from people”? Recruiters pay attention to whether you connect with them, listen, and show genuine interest in how the role works day to day.

Bring a few sharp questions, for example, about how quota is set, how success in the first year is measured, how the team sells today, and what top reps do differently. Interviews should be a mutual qualification, use the opportunity to dig deeper.

Then link those questions to your own background so they can picture you in the role.

6. Be professionally present, even on video

Gone are the days of sneaking out of the office for an in-person interview, as most first interviews now happen online. That makes life easier in some ways, but it also means the recruiter sees you only through a screen. 

Small details matter. Pick a calm environment and present yourself as if you’re going to a client meeting. However, the TA team at Ideals is always happy to see your pet, who didn’t get the memo that you were interviewing, hop in the frame!

What you do after the call matters too. A brief follow-up note in your own words can help you stand out. Thank the recruiter for their time, highlight one or two points from the conversation, and confirm the next steps.

A specific note on AI: Tools like ChatGPT are incredibly efficient for preparation. However, it’s obvious when candidates are reading AI-generated answers off a screen during the call. It kills the human connection instantly.

Join our growing sales team

Great interviews don’t happen by accident. Preparation, clarity on your “why,” and treating each conversation as a problem-solving opportunity set you up for success.

Ideals VDR and Board are scaling globally. Apply now at ideals. jobs and accelerate your SaaS sales career in a supportive environment.