How we assess salespeople.
The four that predict.
The behaviours that show up in every high performer we have ever placed. Click any to read in depth.
The behaviours are universal. The skills aren't.
An SDR isn't an AE isn't a VP. On top of the four behaviours, we assess the specific skills that matter for the role you're hiring.
For SDRs / BDRs.
- Outbound cadence
- Cold-call presence
- Discovery questioning
- CRM hygiene
- Objection handling
For Account Executives.
- Multi-threading
- Forecast accuracy
- Commercial framing
- MEDDIC / qualification
- Stakeholder mapping
For Sales Leaders.
- Pipeline coaching
- Forecast rigour
- Hiring & ramping
- Operating cadence
- Cross-functional alignment
Behind the four behaviours.
The four behaviours are the spine. The system around them is how the assessment runs, how candidates prepare, and how the model gets sharper every quarter.
Archetypes.
Every role maps to one of a small set of sales archetypes - Hunter, Closer, Builder, Steward. The archetype sets the bar for what good looks like before the assessment runs.
Binary gate.
A pass/fail filter on the basics: minimum video clarity, English fluency, role-context fit. Cuts the queue before anyone spends time on a CV.
23-question scenario.
A fixed-format role-play. Twenty-three structured prompts covering discovery, pricing, objection handling, multi-thread and forecast. Same scenario, every candidate, comparable side by side.
Video + voice.
Some prompts demand presence on camera. Others demand quick thinking on a call. We capture both, scored against the methodology in parallel.
Prep docs.
Every candidate gets a written brief before they start. The role, the scenario, what we score, and how to prepare. No traps. The assessment tests practice, not memory.
Skills-gap identification.
On top of the four behaviours, we score role-specific skills (cold-call presence, MEDDIC fluency, forecast rigour, etc.) and surface where a candidate is short. Useful at hire, essential at coaching.
Learning paths.
Weak signals trigger coaching, automatically. A candidate who scored low on Communication gets a learning path built around it. Free, always, before they apply again.
Feedback loops.
Every hire on meritt becomes training signal. We learn which behaviour and skill scores predict top performance per archetype, and tune the next shortlist to match. The methodology gets sharper every quarter.
A CV tells you where someone has been. The methodology tells you whether they can sell, before you ever pay them to find out.
Frequently asked.
What is the meritt methodology?
A way to assess whether someone can sell, built over twenty years of sales hiring. Every person is read against four behaviours plus the specific skills the role needs, from one short spoken assessment, and every judgment is backed by a citation.
What are the four behaviours?
Curiosity, coachability, communication and grit. They show up in every high performer meritt has placed, and they are assessed on every candidate alongside the skills that matter for the role.
How does meritt assess salespeople?
Each person takes a fixed 23-question spoken scenario, the same for every candidate. meritt scores video and voice in parallel against the behaviours and the role-specific skills, so candidates are comparable side by side.
Does meritt give a score?
Each behaviour and skill is marked strong, some or none, each backed by the exact moment that proves it. The read is a development tool, not just a number.
Does the methodology work for any sales role?
The four behaviours are universal. On top of them, meritt assesses the specific skills the role needs, so an SDR, an AE and a CSM are each held to the right bar.
The methodology, in practice.
Field notes on the behaviours, the skills, and how to hire for them.
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Why Grit Will Get You Into Sales (Even Without Experience).
Intellectual Curiosity in Tech Sales Interviews: How to Stand Out.
Your Best Candidate Just Got Another Offer. Here Is What To Do Next..
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The methodology, delivered. £7-10k flat fee. Done-with-you sales hires, backed by the meritt Methodology.
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