7 Moves That Put You in the Top 1% of Sales Candidates

The job market is no joke right now.

If you are interviewing for an SDR role, AE role, or even a leadership role in tech, just know this: you are competing against a stacked bench of very qualified sellers. Layoffs created a deep talent pool and every open role is getting flooded with applicants.

That means “pretty good” is not good enough. You need to stand out. Intentionally.

This week I want to share a handful of tactical moves that I originally posted inside the Sales Players Slack community.

These are the same moves I coach reps on when the goal is simple: be the top candidate.

Let’s get into it.

Send a thank you note after every single round

This sounds basic, but most candidates still do it poorly or skip it entirely.

After every interview round, send a thoughtful thank you note. Reference something specific from the conversation. Reinforce your interest. Reiterate why you are a fit.

If you can figure out how to send a handwritten note, even better. It is harder now with distributed teams, but if you can pull it off you will absolutely stand out.

Bonus move: attach your 90 day action plan.

If you are serious about a role, you should have a clear plan for your first 90 days:

What you would learn
Who you would meet with
How you would ramp
Where you would focus

Turn that plan into a clean PDF and send it as part of your follow up.

Why this works: hiring managers forward it internally. You are selling yourself even when you are not in the room. You are showing your work, not just talking about it.

Backchannel the company through peers

Never rely solely on what the hiring manager or VP of Sales tells you.

They have a hiring number to hit.

Instead, backchannel the role through one to three peers on the team. I usually do this via LinkedIn.

Send a short, respectful message like this:

“Hey, I’m interviewing at your company and trying to make sure it’s the right fit. Would you be open to a 10–15 minute chat?”

You are looking to validate a few things:

Are reps actually closing deals?
Is leadership supportive?
Are expectations reasonable?
Would they take the role again if given the choice?

This protects you and makes you a more informed candidate.

Follow the company on LinkedIn and YouTube

This is an easy one that most people overlook.

Follow the company on LinkedIn. Subscribe to their YouTube channel. Watch a few videos. Pay attention to:

How they talk about the product
The words they use
The problems they emphasize
The culture they project

This does two things:

It helps you speak their language in interviews
It increases familiarity with your name

Small edge. Still an edge.

Create something between interview rounds

Most interview cycles have dead time. A week here. Ten days there. Instead of disappearing, stay top of mind.

Create something useful and send it over.

Examples:

A simple capacity plan showing how you would hit your number
Competitive research on a major rival
Light account research on a target customer

Keep it concise. Frame it as helpful, not showy.

This mirrors what great sellers do in real deals. They nurture. They add value. They stay engaged between meetings.

You are demonstrating the job while interviewing for the job.

Read 2 to 3 customer success stories

Before your interviews, read a few customer case studies on the company’s website.

Then use them.

Work them naturally into conversation:

“While researching the company, I read the XYZ customer story and found it interesting how you solved…”

This signals preparation, curiosity, and genuine interest. It also gives you real-world context for how the product is sold and used.

Close every interview

At the end of every interview, ask this question:

“Based on our conversation today, do you have any hesitation about moving me forward to the next round?”

Then stop talking.

This is a sales role. You should be closing. Hiring managers want to see that instinct. You will either get reassurance or feedback you can address. Both are wins.

Don’t let rejection crush your momentum

You are going to get rejected. A lot.

The market is competitive and there are more candidates than open roles right now. That is reality.

But zoom out. There are tens of thousands of venture-backed software companies in the world. The numbers are still in your favor if you stay consistent.

Keep applying. Keep following up. Keep doing the things above. If you do, you will separate yourself from the stack of resumes and put yourself in the top tier of candidates.

If you want help building a 90 day plan, tightening your interview strategy, or navigating a tough job search, my one-on-one coaching might be a great fit.

👉 Book a 15-minute intro call

You’ve got this!
-Jesse

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