When it comes to sales recruitment, it’s obvious – you need to hire people who can hit the numbers. But for me, a veteran in sales recruitment, it’s not just about finding someone to hit the numbers, its about what truly makes a deal maker and how they make the deal.
But finding great sales people is hard, so I wanted to share what I look for when hiring the best sales people for my clients.
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💼 Defining Sales Recruitment: No Cutting Corners
I help my clients recruit great sales people.
These people span the entire sales career ladder, from those making the initial calls to the leaders setting the strategy. I place strategic roles such as Sales Managers, Head of Sales, Sales Directors, as well as crucial tactical jobs that feed pipelines such as Sales Support, Lead Generation (e.g., BDRs and SDRs) – the tenacious individuals who lift the phone and get the appointments for your business to shine.
I have a genuine passion for finding great sales people for my clients. Being able to impact your business’ growth gives me a real buzz, but this doesn’t come from simply hitting the numbers – I’m also looking for a sales professional who is:
- Loyal.
- Committed.
- Driven.
- And won’t cut corners.
During my screening and interviews I’m listening out for tenacity and skills which enable business growth, and these don’t often come across in a job application or CV.
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✨ The Intangibles: Sales Skills That Go Beyond the CV
While hitting targets is essential, I think that that the most valuable sales professionals possess intangible attributes that go far beyond a number on a spreadsheet. These are the qualities that make a salesperson truly great and, critically, a great fit for your team and business.
1. Genuine Rapport and Trust Building
For me, the number one key attribute is the ability to build genuine rapport and trust.
The ability to build rapport and trust, and genuine and personal interest, that is absolutely paramount.
A salesperson should demonstrate genuine interest in others, whether it’s checking in on their network or taking the time to understand a client’s needs on a human level. This isn’t just a soft skill; it’s the foundation for long-term relationships and sustainable success. You need your sales people to have a lasting and positive impression, otherwise relationships are transactional and territories are burned in favour of the sale.
📌Rapport drives repeat business.
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2. I’m Listening Out for the “I”
When I’m interviewing sales people, I’m looking to hear about “I” not “we”.
You need self starters and people who jump out of bed to hit target. It’s not about the team and what a sales person contributed to them – it’s about how they personally and individually contributed to the sales pipeline and grew a business, and that they did it independently.
Hence, I listen out for sales people who need “teeing up” by others. They are unlikely to hit the ground running and help you grow.
📌You need someone who is clearly an individual contributor (IC).
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3. A Growth Mindset in Sales
When I look at a sales person’s career history, I’m not just looking for tenure; I’m looking for consistency and a clear growth trajectory.
- 👍Positive Signal: Someone who has been with a company for five years and had two promotions. This shows they are high-performing, valued, and ambitious, perhaps looking to move because they’ve hit a glass ceiling and want to “evolve their career somewhere else.”
- 👎Warning Sign: Someone in sales who has been with a company for five to ten years without a promotion. This might signal a lack of ambition or growth, suggesting they could be “a bit stale.”
📌You need consistency in performance, demonstrated by steady promotions. This indicates a sales professional who is continuously challenging themselves and delivering results.
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4. Personal and Personable Skills – It’s Not a Cliché in Sales
Ultimately, it’s the personality and the personable skills that make the difference.
It’s not a cliché to say that sales is a people business. We’ve all been sold to by someone who doesn’t listen or know how to build rapport. Our experience of them stays with us well beyond the “no thanks”.
While tenacity is necessary, the best professionals know how to achieve their goals without rubbing people up the wrong way.
📌The combination of hitting metrics and being a genuinely engaging, trustworthy individual is what makes a candidate my clients want to meet.
Rapport, Individual, Growth – Not Cliché
In a nutshell: While sales success is measured by KPIs and metrics, the people who consistently deliver and are highly sought after by my clients are those who master the art of genuine connection, consistent growth, and personal integrity.
I’m keen to chat with business leaders who want to drive growth and need great people in sales, whether they are strategic managers and sales leaders, or sales support and lead generation.
Contact me for a chat about how we can help you find the best sales people and grow your business.
