title: Brokering moves description: The concerns that recur in GTM hires and the specific move that resolves each one, plus how to grow the library over time.
Brokering moves
A brokering move names a specific piece of evidence and a specific person to deliver it. "Reassure the panel about their leadership" is not a move. It is a wish. "Ask the candidate to walk the VP through the team restructure they ran in their last role, which they did not mention on Tuesday" is a move.
Four kinds of move exist. Pick the lightest one that will actually settle the concern.
- Unused evidence. The candidate has the proof and did not show it. Tell the candidate which topic to go deeper on next round, without quoting the interviewer.
- Targeted reference question. The concern is about behaviour over time, which an interview cannot show. Write one reference question aimed at exactly that concern.
- Short work sample. The concern is about a skill. Ask for a small, paid or time-boxed task that tests only that skill. Never a free strategy project.
- Direct question. The concern is about intent, motive or a fact. Ask the candidate plainly.
Recurring GTM concerns
| Concern | Usually solvable? | Best move |
|---|---|---|
| "Numbers were vague" | Yes, if the numbers exist | Direct question: attainment by year, deal size, cycle length, and how much was self-sourced |
| "All their deals were inbound" | Sometimes | Unused evidence: ask for their best outbound-sourced deal, start to finish |
| "Only sold to one segment" | Sometimes | Work sample: a short account plan for a target in your segment |
| "Short tenures" | Usually | Direct question, then a reference aimed at why they left |
| "Great talker, not sure they'd grind" | Sometimes | Reference: "How did their activity compare to the team in a slow quarter?" |
| "Managed before but not at this size" | Sometimes | Unused evidence: the hardest people call they made, in detail |
| "Not sure they want this role or just a job" | Yes | Direct question: "Why this role, over the others you're in?" |
| "Package expectation might be high" | Yes | Direct question before the next round. Never at offer. |
| "Panel member thinks they were rude" | Rarely | Reference aimed at how they treat peers and support staff. If confirmed, it is a no. |
Growing the library
The first debriefs for a new role are slow because every concern feels new. They are not. Every time a concern is resolved, log three things: the concern in the words it was raised, the move used, and whether it settled the question. Within a handful of hires most concerns match an existing pattern and inherit a move that already worked. Concerns that no move settles are worth studying. They usually point at a gap in the role brief, not the candidate.