In the competition for top sales talent, no one works alone. Out of the cooperative partnerships formed to attract and retain sales people, one of the most integral is that formed between human resources and sales recruiters. The complimentary knowledge bases that these two hiring participants can share save organizations time by avoiding repetition and waste in the hiring process while building better sales hiring strategies to meet organizational goals. Together, these two parts can make greater contributions to the whole, interfacing through all major stages of sales talent development.
Sales leaders are frequently attracted to organizations for different reasons than candidates for non-sales positions. The human resources department of an organization has an intimate knowledge of what sets that organization apart, while sales recruiters have an intimate knowledge of what today’s top sales candidates are looking for. By joining forces human resources and sales recruiters can use these information sources to tailor more effective recruitment strategies developed specifically for the hiring organization.
The key to efficient candidate screening is to be proactive rather than reactive. The interview and screening process for sales candidates can pose difficulties for human resources departments whose core expertise was not developed in a sales environment. Sales recruiters can supply this expertise while complimenting human resources’ core proficiencies in the hiring process, developing:
While working through this process together, human resources and sales recruiters can keep the sales manager and other decision makers informed, including the person to whom the ultimately successful candidate will report directly on all decisions and providing the separate but equally vital points of view of human resources and sales expertise.
The average tenure of sales people in a sales department speaks volumes to the sales department’s success. However, it can be difficult for human resources departments to navigate expectations when it comes to retaining top performing sales people. The reasons for this are partly based in compliance, as human resources must always work to treat all departments diplomatically and the different needs of sales teams can cause internal stress when not all parties are collaborating. At the same time, all managers recognize that sales retention improves sales team effectiveness in a variety of ways, including:
Human resources can partner with sales recruiters to find retention strategies that meet expectations while remaining within the compliance boundaries set by an organization. Based on experience working with other organizations and familiarity with evolving market trends, sales recruiters can bring and apply external expertise to these issues that human resources departments would otherwise have trouble accessing.
The most productive partnerships are those that last for the long term. Organizations that recognize how sales recruiters can make long term contributions beginning with the hiring process and extending through sales compensation and even structure can leverage competitive advantages based on sales recruiters’ knowledge of current trends and job market activity. This knowledge gives human resources departments and the companies that they represent an inside line to what is happening in sales at all points in the marketplace, allowing them to pivot as necessary to attract and retain the star sales talent that ultimately makes a business successful.
Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.