10 Sales Recruiting Tips

CNI Recruiting understands that recruiting and hiring the right Sales Reps is time consuming and difficult for most organizations.  The wrong hire can result in lost revenue as well as significant re-hiring and re-training expense. The following are 10 tips from CNI Recruiting to help recruit the right Sales Reps for your company:

1. Job Descriptions should include job requirements that have been demonstrated to correlate with success for the job and your organization, rather than based on anecdotal information. Don’t forget to add the positive aspects of your company and location, i.e. advantages over the competition, benefits, culture, values, awards, great schools, etc.

2. Carefully screen resumes and applications for products/services sold, vertical markets and job tenure.  Don’t be tempted to overlook a spotty job tenure record even if other criteria indicate that a candidate is a top performer.

3. Perform multiple interviews.  Confirm information included in resumes and ask open ended questions during interviews. Discuss at least the last three jobs. Ask what the candidates liked about the jobs and what they didn’t like. Ask about their relationships with their supervisors and others. Talk about achievements and failures. Ask what motivated and frustrated them. Discuss job tenures and reasons for leaving.

Prepare a list of open ended questions relating to each job requirement. Ask follow-up questions, which can be as simple as “why” or  “tell me more”. Prepare a score card that includes the questions and a column for numerical scores, i.e. 1 – 5 to help compare candidates. Don’t lead candidates.  For example, if interviewing Sales Reps, ask how they pursue an opportunity, rather than asking which sales process they use.

4. Test candidates.  Ask them to “sell” you their current solution. Ask questions and raise objections. Grade candidates on a scale of 1-5 for communication, engagement, trust, obtaining requirements, solution knowledge, subject matter expertise, overcoming objections, confidence, and competence.

5. Be candid.  Describe the job and your organization candidly, including the challenges as well as the rewards. Doing so may result in some candidates withdrawing, but these are candidates who probably would not be a fit.

6. Confirm compensation.  Obtain copies of W-2’s or other documents that will confirm compensation.

7. References matter.  Carefully check references, ask probing questions and read between the lines. Of course candidates will select their best references. However, asking the right questions and listening carefully to the answers can help confirm whether or not there is a fit.

9. Offer. Present a written offer as soon as possible after you have selected  a candidate.  The offer should include an expiration date and a start date. In the event the candidate has other offers or a counter offer from a current employer, be prepared to demonstrate why your offer is superior.

10. Stay in touch. Maintain contact with the selected candidate from the time an offer is made until it is accepted and continue to stay in contact until the start date. Congratulate the candidate when the offer is accepted and reiterate why he or she will want to join your team.

CNI Recruiting recruits professionals at all levels for Business and Healthcare Clients throughout the U.S.  Our referral fee is only 15% of candidate first year base salary.  We provide World Class Client Service including a market leading guarantee. Please contact us today to discuss how CNI Recruiting can help you achieve your recruiting goals.   Just use the contact form below or call (908) 874-6148.