A job interview and sales calls have a lot in common. You are looking for a good fit, you exchange information, and if there is mutual interest from both parties, you come to an agreement and close the deal. However, closing a star sales candidate is a little more challenging than closing a candidate for a non-sales role.

Sales professionals are very familiar with closing techniques and know how to close effectively themselves – a reason why you are interested in hiring them in the first place. So, traditional sales closing strategies may not be as effective. But this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to close the deal.

Sales Recruiter Tips to Close a Star Sales Candidate

1. Know what matters most:

If you want to close top sales talent, you need to know what matters most to them. Listen to their answers carefully to get a sense of what they are looking for. Is it opportunity? Do they care most about compensation and benefits? Are they looking for flexibility?

2. Understand what the market has to offer:

If you are interviewing top sales talent, the odds are they are also interviewing with other companies. This is why it’s important to know who is hiring, for what positions, and how much they are offering. This will give you some leverage and insight into what it will take to close if you are prepared to make an offer. It will also prevent you from lowballing them and ensure your offer is competitive.

3. Use mini-closes throughout the interview:

As they say, “always be closing.” Establishing a series of mini-closes in regards to duties, timelines, and other details of the position will help you build rapport and establish momentum toward closing them.

4. Shorten the hiring cycle:

Long, drawn out hiring processes give top candidates the opportunity to explore other options. It also allows competitors to swoop in and steal them. When you identify a great candidate, work quickly to get them onboard.

5. Give them the grand tour:

Make the candidate feel like they already work for you by giving them the grand tour of the office, introduce them to key members of the sales team and take them out for lunch to discuss moving forward.

Read More Sales Recruiting Strategies

How Sales Recruiting Agencies Help Companies Hire the Best Candidates

Top 5 Closing Strategies, and Why They Work

7 Efficient Closing Strategies to Try

SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit sales people in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right sales person for your organization, start your search here.