Initial Situation

CadWorks, a Finnish technology and software company, identified a need to enhance the efficiency and consistency of its recruitment process for expert sales professionals. As the company continued to grow and expand its customer portfolio, attracting and selecting top-tier sales talent became increasingly crucial for business success.

Recruiting for expert sales positions required a combination of strong commercial skills, deep technical understanding, and the ability to connect with customers’ specific needs. However, assessing candidates’ true sales competence and cultural fit proved challenging through traditional interviews and assessments alone.

To overcome this, CadWorks sought an innovative and interactive way to evaluate real sales capabilities in a setting that closely mirrors actual customer interactions.

Solution

In partnership with LessonLab, CadWorks introduced an AI-powered competence assessment simulation designed specifically for their expert sales recruitment.

The simulation replicated a real-life CadWorks sales meeting, built around an authentic customer case, the company’s sales materials, and its competency framework. Candidates first reviewed customer case materials and then engaged in a simulated sales meeting with the customer (represented by an AI agent), with the goal of advancing the deal.

The simulation allowed CadWorks to observe candidates’ key behaviors in action, such as balancing technical expertise with sales drive, handling objections, and demonstrating customer empathy.

The main objective was to provide a reliable and valid assessment of each candidate’s practical real-life sales skills and cultural alignment, going beyond what can be learned from interviews or CVs.

Results

Candidate feedback was overwhelmingly positive, they appreciated the realism of the exercise and valued the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a practical setting.

The simulation led to:

• More consistent and confident (= better) hiring decisions
• Improved candidate experience and employer branding
• A shared understanding of the core competencies required for expert sales roles at CadWorks
• Stronger alignment between leadership and HR in candidate evaluation

Post-simulation debrief sessions also provided valuable insights, helping refine CadWorks’ overall recruitment and onboarding processes for commercial roles.

The recruitment simulation created with LessonLab was an eye-opening and practical experience for our management team.

It provided a clear and structured way to evaluate how we identify, assess, and select expert sales talent.

The simulation helped us align our expectations and strengthen collaboration across the hiring process.

Esko Simpanen, CEO, CadWorks Oy

Conclusion

The collaboration between CadWorks and LessonLab resulted in a more structured, data-driven, and experience- and evidence-based recruitment process for expert sales positions.

By simulating real sales situations, CadWorks not only enhanced decision-making consistency and quality but also strengthened its employer brand and candidate experience, building a solid foundation for sustainable commercial growth.