2 years ago
December 7, 2021

Struggling to Hire? The Solution to Your Sales Talent Gap Might Be Inside Your Organization

Many companies are struggling to find top talent. There are sales talent gaps that exist, and your ability to find the right people to close these gaps can be a…

Rhys Metler

Many companies are struggling to find top talent. There are sales talent gaps that exist, and your ability to find the right people to close these gaps can be a key success factor. Most companies turn to recruiting to look for people with the sales skills and knowledge they lack—and rightfully so.

“Plenty of organizations are leaving important roles entirely unfilled—usually a little higher up in the organization chart.  Why? Hiring managers will tell you that they simply cannot find enough candidates with the necessary skills and experience for these higher-level positions and, when they do find those in-demand candidates, they drive a very hard bargain,” says Bruce Tulgan, on Fast Company.

But the solution to your talent gap could be right under your nose. Your solution could be within your organization.

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Mine Your Own Talent

An often-overlooked strategy to address talent gaps is to assess your existing talent. There may be a lot of individuals who have the type of experience and skills you need. Or there could be people who are fully capable of expanding their skills and taking on more responsibility. But you won’t know this unless you get to know your people better.

Assessing your talent will help you identify people who are not being used to their full capabilities. Often, these are sales reps who have high potential to grow into sales management and leadership positions.

Get to Know Your People on a Deeper Level

Too many companies don’t realize the type of potential talent they have because they fail to get to know their people on a deeper level. This is why it’s so important for management and company leaders to interact with employees of all levels of the company.

For example, you have a very talented person working in a sales position, but they have a degree in management. Or maybe they have extensive coding knowledge.

Pleased Season 3 GIF by The Simpsons

Tulgan explains a common situation in sales companies:

“How did the individual end up in that lower-level role? Maybe they have gaps in their education or training; or a lack of experience, confidence, or career savvy; or they had unfortunate timing. Perhaps they left the workforce for a while and reentered, changed fields or communities, or they are just young.”

There are lots of reasons why this person could be flying under the radar. As sales leaders, you need to realize the talent you have internally.

You can do this by:

  • Establishing an upskilling program
  • Creating a professional development program
  • Running leadership and mentorship programs
  • Asking employees about their career goals and objectives

The more you know about your people, the better you will be able to use them. This can help you close some of your existing skill gaps.

Get More Hiring Tips on Our Sales Recruiting Blog

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Rhys Metler

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.

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