In today’s market, there is no shortage of quality candidates and the war for talent has never been fiercer. It’s now easier than ever for recruiters to reach out to prospective employees and start building relationships. However, there is still a chance you could hire the wrong candidate for a role. That’s why you must implement a rigorous hiring process where you only focus on the most qualified sales candidates. But with so many sales candidates possessing similar skills, how do you find what you’re looking for? To answer that question, we’ve put together four top tips for consistently hiring the best sales candidates for your business.
FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ROLE
Firstly, before you even start the hiring process, you need to understand the job requirements. Recruiters and hiring managers must determine what the sales candidate needs to do to be successful. For example, if you’re looking for a new sales consultant, you need to define the KPIs (key performance indicators) and understand how you plan to support your new employee so they achieve their targets. It’s about defining the skills and experience level that are critical to a role, which in turn, can help provide more clarity when creating a job ad. The key is to clearly outline the responsibilities of the role and what the candidate needs to bring to the position. Once you understand the role in-depth and how it will benefit the company, you’ll have an easier time finding the best match.
LOOK FOR GROWTH-ORIENTED CANDIDATES
When it comes to hiring the top sales candidates, recruiters should focus their efforts on ambitious people with long-term career plans. This increases the chances of hiring a professional who will be engaged, motivated and willing to learn all they can about the company. You must hire a new employee who has demonstrated a commitment to developing their career and improving their skills. When you’re hiring a sales professional, focus on candidates who have shown dedication through extracurricular activities like courses and side projects. While you should always hire the best person for the job, seek out those who take initiative and have an idea of where they want to be in the future. During the interview, consider asking if they have a plan for their career. That way, you’ll have an easier time developing your new employee and helping them grow professionally.
HIRE FOR CULTURAL FIT
One of the most important factors when hiring a sales candidate is cultural fit. This means their ability to adapt to the personality of the company, which requires well-rounded social skills. Since every role requires teamwork, you need to hire a strong communicator, especially when it comes to sales. The best way to hire for cultural fit is by asking candidates thorough questions in the interview stage, such as how they build relationships with other people. You must discuss the values of your company and have a section on your website that directly addresses these values. Interestingly, research has shown that 84% of employees and 94% of executives believe that workplace culture contributes to a company’s success. That’s why it is imperative you find a candidate that not only has the right skills but is the right fit for the dynamic of the company.
ASSESS YOUR CANDIDATES
It’s important for hiring managers and recruiters to understand that even if a candidate has an impressive CV, they still need to be assessed. Hiring the top candidates consistently means you need to look deeper than a person’s CV. One of the best ways to test your candidates is by asking questions about how they solve problems, or what they did to overcome certain challenges in previous roles. Always focus on the practical experience of your candidates. You need someone who will be able to handle the demands of a role and become familiar with their responsibilities quickly. Also, remember to ask the candidate why they want to work for the company. This is key for assessing their motivations and whether they will stay at the business long-term. Finding candidates who are engaged and passionate about their work is key to hiring top talent.
LET BMS HELP YOU FIND THE BEST TALENT
Are you interested in learning more about how to consistently recruit the best talent for your company? At BMS, we have a specialist team with vast experience in recruiting professionals for sales roles. We understand the needs of your company and how to build connections and deliver the very best candidates. If you would like to get in touch, contact our team today, or continue reading our career articles for further guidance.
