The senior sales recruitment process is different from the hiring process for entry level sales. Senior sales people are most likely already employed, well connected in their industries, and highly selective with potential employers. This can make it difficult to implement a senior sales recruitment process that attracts truly qualified and interested applicants. However, by considering the components of your senior sales recruitment process, you can target these highly desirable candidates and fill your senior sales positions for the long term.

How Does Your Senior Sales Recruitment Process Attract Applicants?

Capturing the attention of senior sales people is more difficult than capturing the attention of a lower level job seeker. Now more than ever, senior individuals want to know what the benefits are of moving to a new organization, which is why a senior sales recruitment process needs to take into account the sales persons’ point of view. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the compensation offered competitive?
• Is the job description accurate?
• Is my recruitment marketing reaching the right talent?
• What is my firm offering that differentiates us?

Just like you benchmark your market share against your peers, you should benchmark your senior sales recruitment process. Look at the compensation packages and job descriptions that your competitors are advertising, and compare your offering to theirs. If you find that your total package is not competitive, you might need to re-tool your senior sales recruitment process. Boilerplate recruitment language and offerings will not influence top producers to apply to your firm.

Who Is Your Senior Sales Recruitment Process Targeting?

In order to capture the best talent, you need to know who you are targeting with your senior sales recruitment process. Are you looking for individuals to just to boost your sales numbers? Do you need individuals with the potential to grow? How will the individual integrate with your existing team? These are all important questions, and ones you should ask so that you recognize the right candidate when he or she comes through the door.

Depending on what characteristics you need in a senior sales team member beyond the ability to sell, you might need to revise the job description for your open position. This will help narrow the candidate pool and capture the attention of highly qualified senior sales people looking for a challenge. Recruiters with senior sales recruitment experience can help you craft the description you need to focus your senior sales recruitment process on these candidates.

What Do You Want to Accomplish with Your Senior Sales Recruitment Process?

What is the end goal of your senior sales recruitment process? On its face, it looks like there’s a simple answer: You want to hire the best senior sales people you can. However, a successful senior sales recruitment process doesn’t just allow you to hire the best senior sales talent available; it also allows you to retain your senior sales talent. Your senior sales recruitment process should be focused on identifying the candidates who are willing to make a long term commitment to your firm. This involves:

• Finding candidates whose career goals align with your firm’s offerings
• Ensuring that the compensation offered is competitive for the long term
• Locking in the talent that is most likely to succeed

All too often, candidates pressured to find a position will accept the first position that is offered and keep looking. Experienced senior sales recruitment agencies can identify the individuals who match this profile, and help you avoid making an expensive short term hire.

The senior sales recruitment process does not have to be daunting. Senior sales recruitment agencies can critically examine your recruitment process and help your firm target and capture the most highly qualified senior sales talent for the long term, reducing costs while boosting your overall sales numbers. Consider your sales recruitment process and whether an experienced senior sales recruiter could make a difference in your recruiting success.