As a sales recruitment agency with 15+ years of experience we know interviewing salespeople is unique. As sales professionals, their job is to sell and job interviews are very much an exercise in individuals trying to sell themselves as the best candidate for the job. So, interviewers are faced with the challenging task of figuring out if a person is a legitimately good candidate or if they just have a really good sales pitch. Salespeople are very good persuaders. Our sales recruiters know this is a challenge. So, we’ve put together a list below outlining ways to identify between a sales pitch and a good producer. 

How to cut through the sales pitch and find the good producers

Is your sales pitch radar going off? It should be if you notice the following about a sales job candidate during an interview:

1. They seem too good to be true

We all want to find the perfect candidate, but this can be like chasing a unicorn. If a candidate seems to be too good to be true, they probably are just this. A big red flag is if they are telling you everything they think you want to hear. 

2. They lack detail and depth and don’t refer to their track record of success

We all know sales candidates will talk a good game. But they can back it up that will show their true colours. Good producers can speak to you in-depth about their accomplishments. They will have stats and facts to back up their performance claims. They may even bring in examples of past performance to prove their case. Poor performers will lack detail and depth in their interview responses. 

3. They focus on themselves

All top sales performers understand the importance of putting the needs of their customers first. In the case of a job interview, this means focusing on your company’s needs and then identifying their skills, experience, and abilities that can help you be successful. Top performers will position themselves as the ideal solution (candidate) for the role you are filling. 

Pretenders tend to focus more on themselves. They overstate their skills and abilities. They focus too much on why they are great and fail to focus on your company and how they can help you. 

At Salesforce Search, we cut thru the sales pitch to find out who are the good producers. We have years of experience recruiting in the sales industry and can quickly identify the pretenders from the real sales talent. If you are struggling to hire top sales talent, connect with our recruiters today. 

More Sales Recruiting Advice From Our Experts

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You May Be Overlooking 1 In 3 Candidates – Here’s How To Identify Untapped Sales Talent

Sales Recruitment: 4 Reasons Why Reinventing Your Recruiting Process Is Vital

SalesForce Search is a sales recruitment agency that specializes in hiring sales rockstars. Hiring top salespeople is tough. Only 55% meet their quota. Our proactive approach recruits talented salespeople before they hit the market. As North America’s leading sales headhunter we recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. To find your next sales rockstar, start your search here.