Sales is often referred to as a numbers game. This can also be applicable when recruiting for open sales roles. The size of your sales candidate pool can affect your ability to find qualified candidates.  

According to the State of Sales Hiring Research by Sciolytix, it takes about 100 applicants just to fill three sales roles. Having a sizable hiring pool can help you more effectively qualify candidates. So, how do you increase the number of applicants for your open sales roles? Our sales recruiters suggest trying the following strategies:

1. Look internally

Allowing existing employees to apply for open sales roles will give your talent pool a boost. Don’t restrict it to existing salespeople. Open it up to other departments. There may be people looking to make a change to sales. 

2. Enhance your employee referral program

Have an employee referral program? Not getting a lot of referrals. Revisit the program and enhance how you incentivize existing employees who help you find qualified candidates. Make it easy for them to promote your company and help spread the word about available job openings. 

If you don’t have a formal referral plan in place, seriously consider creating one to help expand your sales talent pool. 

3. Double down on your best sources for candidates

Have you had particular success finding candidates using a particular source? Perhaps it was a certain job board to referrals from a specific sales recruiter. If these sources have consistently produced qualified leads, then look for ways to leverage these sources and get more candidates. But, also make sure to always be looking for new places to find candidates. 

4. Review your job posts

If you are struggling to get applicants or you are not getting as many qualified candidates to apply, you may need to rework your job posts. The quality of your job post will have a direct impact on your ability to get your desired number of applicants. 

Too many companies simply recycle job posts over and over again. Things change constantly. If you’ve been using the same post for several years, it’s likely outdated. 

When reviewing your posts consider:

• Is it engaging?
• Is it inclusive? Are you using outdated or politically incorrect wording?
• Are your qualifications and requirements too strict?
• Is the post too long or challenging to read?
• Is it targeted toward the right type of candidate?
  

  

5. Make the application process as easy as possible

Applying for a job should be a simple process. If you make it too complex or time-consuming, people are not going to apply. Remove unnecessary steps or requests, especially at the start of the application process. This alone should increase the number of people who apply for sales jobs with your company. 

Get More Sales Recruiting Tips and Tricks

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

Top 4 Reasons Why Candidates Are Abandoning Your Sales Recruitment Process

SalesForce Search is a sales recruitment agency which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. Hiring 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.