Finding the best of the best is the goal when recruiting, regardless of position. But the higher up you go on the company organization chart, the more important it becomes to avoid making a hiring mistake. At the director and VP levels, choosing the wrong candidate can have a ripple effect on your company.

If your company is looking to hire a sales director, it’s vital you make the right hiring decision. You want to find the best of the best; a person who fits your company culture, vision, and shares the same core values. In this blog, Toronto sales recruiters take a look at the role of the sales director and the top things to look for in sales director candidates.

The Role of Sales Director

The role of the sales director impacts the type of candidate you’ll want to recruit.  A sales director has a significant impact on company operations. They have a direct impact on your customer base, your sales team, and overall organizational success.

As part of their role, they outline sales strategies, assist reps with deals and customers, improve the sales process, assess sales tactics, help to close deals and take a leading role in recruiting sales talent. They have an impact on both sales and recruiting. Therefore, it’s important to look for candidates with well-rounded skills and diverse experience.

Things to Look For in Sales Director Candidates

Having the right skill set and level of experience is at the top of the list of things to look for. But there is something beyond the resume that helps certain candidates rise above others. They are the best of the best. They have a knack for succeeding and helping every organization they work for. According to Toronto sales headhunters, here are the top things to look for in sales director candidates:

1. Customer-focused:

Your clients are the core of your business. Focusing on what your clients want and need will put you in a better position to develop solutions to their problems. Sales directors who take this approach move away from focusing on features and benefits and look at insights, data, and relationship building to better serve customer needs.

2. Sense of urgency:

The best sales directors have a sense of urgency. They understand that every minute counts. They can instill this sense of urgency in the team to always be prospecting and selling, helping the team to be more focused and efficient. Top sales directors typically are well organized, make great use of their time, and seek to get the most productivity out of the sales team.

3. Creativity:

No two customers and sales campaigns are the same. Your sales process can help guide you along, but there will be times when a more creative solution is required to get the deal done. Top sales directors understand that, while important, sales processes sometimes need to be flexible. You’ll face obstacles, unforeseen circumstances, and unique customer issues and requests. Creative solutions are needed when your sales process is not enough to close or to help customers with their unique situations.

4. Organizational fit:

Sales can be approached in many different ways. It’s imperative that you look for a sales director who has experience and success in similar sales environments to yours. Success in one type of setting does not always transfer to another. Make sure candidates share the same values and approach to sales.

5. Drive to succeed:

Top sales directors have a competitive spirit. They want to be the best, they want to outsell competitors, and they are always on the lookout for new opportunities. They are focused on career development, always adding new skills, and staying on top of industry trends. Top sales directors will dig deep to overcome obstacles, they welcome a challenge, and they take an optimistic view when things don’t go according to plan.

6. Team-focused:

All sales directors want personal success. Top sales directors want everyone to succeed in the organization. They are focused on the overall success of the company. They want to lift up the sales team and help others improve individually. Top sales directors look at the sales team as a collective unit and offer coaching and mentoring to boost all sales team members. They are also coachable themselves and have good self-awareness.

7. Recruiting success:

You are only as good as the team you build. Top sales directors understand the importance of building a strong and cohesive sales team. They understand how to recruit the top talent and how to manage them once they are part of the organization.

Get More Expert Sales Recruiting Tips From Toronto Sales Headhunters

Whether you are hiring a sales director, VP, sales manager, sales reps, or support staff, it’s important to find the best of the best. Check out these blog posts by our experienced Toronto sales recruiters to help you improve your hiring and recruiting process:

8 Unhirable Sales Candidate Habits to Watch Out for When Recruiting

The 10 Easiest Ways to Spot an Unsuitable Sales Candidate

4 Constructive Ways to Handle a Bad Sales Manager

Wanna Make More Money? 6 Tips for Having the Salary Talk with Your Sales Manager

6 Questions to Ask a Potential Sales Manager During an Interview

How to Prepare for Your First Week at Your New Sales Manager Job

4 Challenges for Sales Managers and How to Overcome Them

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