Half of sales hires fail. We don't believe that's a talent problem.

Most hiring tools score candidates against a generic model. Prelude interviews you first, then screens every candidate against how selling actually works in your business.

See how it works Talk to us

Why we exist

The problem isn't your gut. It's that your gut never got written down.

You know what success looks like on your team. Prelude turns that knowledge into a clear hiring bar, then holds every candidate to it.

How it works

Three steps. One custom bar.

1

Prelude interviews you

About 25 minutes, out loud. It asks how deals get done, what the last person got wrong, and what you won't compromise on. The result is your hiring profile.

2

Candidates talk, not type

Every applicant gets a real voice interview, with follow-ups two and three levels deep. Thirty apply, thirty get interviewed.

3

You get the read

Each candidate is scored against your profile, reasoning shown. Prelude ranks. You decide who to meet.

Watch it work

It doesn't accept the first answer.

A real interviewer follows up. So does Prelude.

PreludeYou mentioned you beat quota last year. Walk me through the deal you're proudest of.
CandidateA manufacturer we closed in the fall. They'd been with a competitor for years.
PreludeWhat made them willing to switch?
CandidateHonestly, the first meeting almost ended it. They didn't see a reason to change.
PreludeWhat did you do after that meeting?
CandidateI went back to their operations manager and asked what the current system cost them in hours every week.
PreludeSo the number came from their team, not your pitch. Who else did you have to win over before the decision?

Condensed from a sample Prelude interview.

A sales leader talking to Prelude on his phone

What it listens for

Eight competencies. You pick the five that gate the hire.

Built with people who've spent their careers hiring salespeople. You pick five, rank them, and name the one dealbreaker.

Grit and the will to succeed Coachability Rejection resilience Curiosity Empathy for the buyer Judgment under ambiguity Self-starter and ownership Business acumen

Hiring a sales leader? The list grows to include developing people, because a manager who can't coach costs you every hire that follows.

How we built it

The best minds in sales hiring just joined your hiring committee.

Prelude encodes the judgment of veteran sales leaders, trainers, and hiring experts into every question it asks. Not a personality test. Not a keyword scan.

Fair by design

Judged on what they've done. Nothing else.

Scoring never reasons from age, sex, race, or any protected characteristic. Every conclusion cites the candidate's own words. A person makes every hiring decision.

Fast to value

You could have your hiring profile today.

The leader interview takes about 25 minutes. Candidates interview on their own time, from any device, speaking naturally. No scheduling, no software to install.

Get started

Tell us about the role you're hiring for.

We'll be in touch. No spam, and no hard sell. Just a reply from a real person.

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