How do you decide whether a deal belongs in your forecast this quarter, and what evidence do you need?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests deal qualification & forecasting. Uses a clear framework and concrete evidence such as a confirmed decision process and timeline to decide what is in the forecast.
• Strong answers: Concrete criteria such as confirmed pain, decision maker, process, timeline and paper process, with honest risk calls.
• Likely follow-up: Tell me about a deal you forecast that slipped. What did you miss?

Another way it may be asked: Your manager asks which deals will close this quarter. How do you decide what to tell them?

A structure to follow: Answer, explain, example, limits

1. Step 1

   Answer

   Give your direct answer in the first sentence so the interviewer knows where you are going.

2. Step 2

   Explain

   Say how it works or why you would do it that way, in plain words before jargon.

3. Step 3

   Example

   Anchor it in something you have actually done or seen, with the detail that shows hands-on experience.

4. Step 4

   Limits

   Say when your approach would not be the right one. It shows judgement.

This is guidance on shape, not a script. Use your own real experience and facts; never invent details to fill a gap. See the STAR guide and answer frameworks.

Common slips

• Reciting a definition without showing you have applied it.
• Using terms you cannot explain if asked a level deeper.
• Claiming experience beyond what you can discuss in detail.

How to practise it

Say the answer in 90 seconds, then answer the follow-up as if it were a new question.

Related questions

• Tell me about a time you chose to walk away from or deprioritize a large deal. How did you make that call?
• If you had a thirty minute first call with a prospect, what would you want to learn and how would you open?
• How would you present a product to a buyer so it feels about their problems rather than a feature tour?
• Tell me about a time you had to really listen to someone to understand what they needed before you could help them.
• A buyer asks for a twenty percent discount at the last minute to sign. How do you respond?

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