Insight
Jan 07 2025
There is always a moment in a sales interview when the hiring manager says, “Any questions for me?”
Most Account Executives use that time to ask questions like:
“What is the OTE?”
“What is the commission rate?”
“What is the quota?”
These are not bad questions, but they also do not tell you whether you can realistically earn well at the company, or whether the plan is designed for top performers to win.
If you want to evaluate true earning potential, and signal that you are a savvy candidate who plans to become a top earner, here are five better questions to ask.
This tells you the real ceiling of the comp plan and whether elite performance is actually rewarded.
It also opens the door to learn what success looks like in that environment.
Follow-up: ✅ “How long had that person been in the role?” That helps you understand whether top earnings are achievable quickly or only after years of territory and relationship building.
This is one of the most revealing questions you can ask.
If quota attainment is consistently low, that is usually a sign of:
quotas that are too aggressive
weak product market fit
poor lead flow
a comp plan that looks strong on paper but under-delivers in practice
Tip: Make sure quota attainment includes adjustments for new hires and ramp periods. Otherwise, the number can be misleading.
If you are inheriting a mature book of business or joining a team quota, a ramp might not matter as much.
But if you are stepping into a greenfield territory, a proper ramp is critical because pipeline does not appear overnight.
Ask whether the company offers:
Ramped quota (lower quota for a set period)
Draw (temporary guaranteed payout while you build pipeline)
If a draw is offered, ask how it is calculated. A clean approach looks like:
(Full quota – ramped quota) × base commission rate = draw amount
The goal is simple: your compensation should reflect the reality of how long it takes to build revenue.
This is where many AEs get surprised after joining.
Some companies give quota credit at signing, but delay payment until:
invoicing
revenue recognition
or cash collection
That can create a major lag between performance and income, especially if customers take 60 to 90 days to pay.
Follow-up: ✅ “What is the average time from signature to invoice payment?” This helps you understand your real cashflow timeline.
Strong sales organizations often create additional upside through:
SPIFs
multi-year deal incentives
services attach bonuses
contests
Follow-up: ✅ “Roughly how much did top performers earn from SPIFs last year?” That gives you a realistic view of what overachievement looks like financially.
If you are leaving a good job for a “better” one, the goal is not just higher OTE. The goal is a higher likelihood of actually earning it.
These questions help you compare offers with clarity, avoid comp plan surprises, and position yourself as someone who is not just looking for a job, but planning to become a top performer.
Most Account Executives use that time to ask questions like:
These are not bad questions, but they also do not tell you whether you can realistically earn well at the company, or whether the plan is designed for top performers to win.
If you want to evaluate true earning potential, and signal that you are a savvy candidate who plans to become a top earner, here are five better questions to ask.
This tells you the real ceiling of the comp plan and whether elite performance is actually rewarded.
It also opens the door to learn what success looks like in that environment.
Follow-up: ✅ “How long had that person been in the role?” That helps you understand whether top earnings are achievable quickly or only after years of territory and relationship building.
This is one of the most revealing questions you can ask.
If quota attainment is consistently low, that is usually a sign of:
Tip: Make sure quota attainment includes adjustments for new hires and ramp periods. Otherwise, the number can be misleading.
If you are inheriting a mature book of business or joining a team quota, a ramp might not matter as much.
But if you are stepping into a greenfield territory, a proper ramp is critical because pipeline does not appear overnight.
Ask whether the company offers:
If a draw is offered, ask how it is calculated. A clean approach looks like:
(Full quota – ramped quota) × base commission rate = draw amount
The goal is simple: your compensation should reflect the reality of how long it takes to build revenue.
This is where many AEs get surprised after joining.
Some companies give quota credit at signing, but delay payment until:
That can create a major lag between performance and income, especially if customers take 60 to 90 days to pay.
Follow-up: ✅ “What is the average time from signature to invoice payment?” This helps you understand your real cashflow timeline.
Strong sales organizations often create additional upside through:
Follow-up: ✅ “Roughly how much did top performers earn from SPIFs last year?” That gives you a realistic view of what overachievement looks like financially.
If you are leaving a good job for a “better” one, the goal is not just higher OTE. The goal is a higher likelihood of actually earning it.
These questions help you compare offers with clarity, avoid comp plan surprises, and position yourself as someone who is not just looking for a job, but planning to become a top performer.
Gabe Salzer
Revenue Operations
Strategy - HIGHTOUCH
EasyComp is so intuitive that our sales team needed almost no training to get started. Now, our account executives have real-time payout visibility, with clear explanations that eliminate back-and-forth with operations, allowing them to stay focused on closing deals.
EasyComp's complete sales performance management platform streamlines compensation management for maximized revenue impact.
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