Interviewing for Alliance Roles: What You Should Really Be Asking

When interviewing for previous alliance positions, I would almost always, without a doubt, be asked about my network within the selected partner. Often, this felt like a deal-breaking question. It left me wondering if it was the right approach, as it seemed like a rush to results, assuming that knowing key individuals would provide quick wins.

Instead of directly answering, I positioned the following questions back:

• 🚀 What is the GTM (Go-to-Market strategy)?
• 🚀 What is the overall strategy?
• 🚀 What type of results are you trying to achieve?
• 🚀 What is the current state of the partnership?

Once I had this picture, we could begin to identify the key stakeholders the business should start collaborating with. Within this framework, we would explore the priority order for introductions and discussions. After all, we don’t need to meet everyone at once and waste their time.

Knowing the GM, the Head of SMB, and the Director of Partnerships sounds advantageous. However, cloud hyperscales have 100k+ employees, each with specific roles and protocols for different partners. What’s key to one partner may not be key to another.

If you’re hiring or interviewing for alliance roles, consider focusing on understanding or answering these crucial aspects instead:

• 🌟 How do you strategically navigate large vendor organisations to achieve specific goals?
• 🌟 What strategies do you employ to establish a strong reputation with new stakeholders?
• 🌟 How do you effectively connect with and influence senior leadership within a large vendor organisation?
• 🌟 What tactics do you use to enhance brand visibility and awareness in a competitive and saturated market?

The tech industry is fast-paced, and within vendors, colleagues are often promoted, switch specialities, or leave every couple of years. Building a high-performing team requires passion and talent. Relationships can be developed over time.

By asking the right questions, you can identify candidates with the skills and strategies necessary to navigate and thrive in this dynamic environment.