9 years ago
January 5, 2015

Recruitment for Sales is Different

Recruitment for sales is different. Good sales people are more difficult to find than almost any other position.

Rhys Metler

Sales Person Holding MoneyYour company is only as strong as your sales team, and if you’re not finding the right candidates for the job, your whole company may suffer as a result. Did you know that while there are 22 million sales professionals in North America, just 10% of them will actually provide your company with a quantifiable ROI?

While most positions can be filled using the typical job listing process, sales is an entirely different area that requires not only specialization and skill, but also natural talent. Using sales recruiters to help fill an open position can make the hiring process go much smoother for a variety of reasons.

The right candidate for a sales position is going to have a mix of abilities that make them uniquely qualified for the job, and it may not always be easy to find that perfect person. Let’s take a look at just a few of the qualities that a strong sales team member will possess and how sales recruiters can make this process much easier for your company.

Relationship Building Skills

Relationship building is a vital part of any sales process. Truly talented sales people have an innate skill that allows them to build a rapport with their lead quickly and transform the lead into a prospect. Without these specific skills and abilities, untrained staff may make a few sales, but they will not have the same potential as those who are gifted in the craft of selling. While it may seem as though the sales process is a simple Point A to Point B equation, nothing could be further from the truth. Grooming leads, handling prospects and creating long-lasting relationships with clients is the main key to success as a sales professional. Typically, sales recruiters have a database full of sales people with this innate abilities.

Overcoming Objections

Nearly every sales lead is going to have at least one objection. It may be based on price, perceived value, or need, but they will have an objection. A skilled salesperson has the necessary training that is needed to overcome these objections and turn any potential negative points into positive points. An employee with no former sales skills simply will not have these same abilities as employees you can find with sales recruiters. While it is entirely possible for them to learn these skills, it takes time, training and experience to master the art of sales effectively.

Personality Plus

Have you ever noticed the difference between a new sales team member and someone who has been in the field for years? It’s not just the experience they’ve gained, it’s their personalities that differ the most. A natural sales person has a confident demeanor that may be confused with being a “smooth talker.” It’s not that they are smooth, it’s just that they happen to have the right personality for sales. Sales recruiters are ideal for finding this exact type of person.

This is not a job that is for everyone — plain and simple. You are either naturally talented at sales, or you’re not. This is a fact that many companies find out the hard way. Typically, a hiring mistake on a sales team translates into costing approximately six to ten times that candidate’s salary. Finding that right personality is a very important step in staffing a sales position, and is the number one reason why using sales recruiters is so important.

Currently, the turnover rate for sales positions is around 40% — it’s simply a matter of math that most of the candidates who feel they are right for a sales position don’t have what it takes to stay the course.

If you have an open sales position, you have the option of posting your listing and sifting through the results, or you can have sales recruiters do the work for you.

Rhys Metler

Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.

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