AMA: LinkedIn Vice President of Global Sales Operations, SaaS, Akira Mamizuka on Revenue Ops Interviews

September 10 @ 10:00AM PT

How do I transition from a Sales Compensation Plan Design role into a Sales Strategy role?

I have over 10 years of experience in Sales Compensation, progressing from an operational role to a Plan Design lead. Throughout my career, I've collaborated closely with GTM teams, and I believe plan design aligns closely with GTM strategy since it involves analyzing performance, identifying gaps, and implementing strategies that drive the desired behavior in salespeople. I'm passionate about the sector and would like to transition into a GTM role. What skills should I focus on acquiring, and what is the best approach for making this transition?

Akira Mamizuka

LinkedIn Vice President of Technology and Product Operations • 1y

Your experience in Sales Comp Design is definitely relevant for a Sales Strategy role. You have an understanding of the GTM model and roles, the Sales Org structure, and some aspects of the sales operation (e.g. quotas, rules of engagement). You have the opportunity to build on top of your current experience, by preparing for an interview process for a Sales Strategy role. Here are some ideas (based on a similar question I've answered): Find someone who went through a similar transition (from Sa ...Read More

1,308 Views

1 request
What are the key questions you like to ask and why? How would the proper answers to your questions look like?

Akira Mamizuka

LinkedIn Vice President of Technology and Product Operations • 1y

In RevOps, we are looking for people who are both a "scientist" and a "business leader". A "scientist" in the sense of being data-driven, strong problem solver and seeker of the truth. A "business leader" in the sense of challenging the status quo, who can operate under healthy tension, and who's always willing to do what is right for the company. I always start by asking for the candidate's elevator pitch. Can they articulate their story (experience and objectives) in a crisp and compelling way ...Read More

1,181 Views

3 requests
For revenue operations interviews, what are helpful resources you'd recommend and types of questions to prepare for from both hiring managers and cross-functional partners?

Akira Mamizuka

LinkedIn Vice President of Technology and Product Operations • 1y

Networking is key. Finding someone who works in RevOps for the same company and asking them for help with common interview questions can provide serious competitive advantage. If this is not possible, I'd find someone who works in RevOps for a company of the same profile (e.g. medium sized SaaS). LinkedIn is a powerful tool to help jobseekers connect with insiders. In addition to the above: Get a referral. LinkedIn data shows that candidates with an internal referral have much higher odds to lan ...Read More

725 Views

2 requests
Hiring someone with experience is easier often as they have something relevant to talk about. I am hiring a junior / near fresher. So, no revenue operations experience is expected. What things do I look out for? What questions do I ask? Any assignment that you can suggest?

Akira Mamizuka

LinkedIn Vice President of Technology and Product Operations • 1y

When hiring for individual contributor roles, I personally encourage my teams to hire a healthy mix between seasoned and unexperienced individuals. Although a seasoned individual will ramp much faster and work more independently, a recent college grad often brings fresh energy and curiosity to the team. When interviewing individuals with limited work experience, I focus mainly on: Raw horsepower: strong quantitative and problem-solving skills. Applying a case study is a must - does not need to b ...Read More

590 Views

1 request
Do you generally recommend that candidates go 'above and beyond' in preparing for interviews by, for example, putting together 30-60-90 day plans or a report on the company/product and strengths/weaknesses/opportunities to give the interviewer a glimpse into how they think? In which situations do you recommend this approach or not?

Akira Mamizuka

LinkedIn Vice President of Technology and Product Operations • 1y

I prefer to keep questions such as 30-60-90-day plan and SWOT analysis for internal applicants only. In my experience, external candidates lack depth in this type of question, and they will always be in disadvantage against internal candidates who have the benefit of being insiders. For internal candidates, this type of approach can be helpful to learn a few things about them: Have they done proper research and due diligence on the role? What is their real level of interest? Do they understand s ...Read More

627 Views

1 request

AMA: LinkedIn Vice President of Global Sales Operations, SaaS, Akira Mamizuka on Revenue Ops Interviews

View AMA Answers

How do I transition from a Sales Compensation Plan Design role into a Sales Strategy role?

What are the key questions you like to ask and why? How would the proper answers to your questions look like?

For revenue operations interviews, what are helpful resources you'd recommend and types of questions to prepare for from both hiring managers and cross-functional partners?

Hiring someone with experience is easier often as they have something relevant to talk about. I am hiring a junior / near fresher. So, no revenue operations experience is expected. What things do I look out for? What questions do I ask? Any assignment that you can suggest?