<ul data-eligibleForWebStory="true">When a CEO interviews an AE, they should focus on culture fit, drive, and understanding of the product's value.CEOs can assess if the AE understands the product and market by asking them to pitch the product's value back.It's important to evaluate if the AE is solutions-oriented by discussing how they handled a lost deal and if they learned from it.Assess the AE's resilience and positive attitude by inquiring about how they dealt with rejection or failure in the past.CEOs should check if the AE aligns with the company's culture to determine if they'll fit into the team.Ask the candidate about their plan for the first 30 days to evaluate their preparedness and approach to ramping up sales.Evaluate the AE's ability to handle feedback by asking how they have dealt with constructive criticism in the past.Assess if you would buy from the candidate to gauge their confidence, credibility, and likability, especially for early sales hires.Conduct a conversational yet focused interview to ensure the candidate can represent the company well to customers.It's better to wait for the right hire than to settle and hire someone who doesn't impress during the interview.