You need to build a team of motivated salespeople who have the right strategic direction and believe in your product. But since the balance has shifted from a candidate-driven to an employer-driven market you’re facing new challenges such as how to protect your employer brand when applications skyrocket. To help you spot high-performing salespeople as the war for talent wages on we’ve put together four things you need to incorporate into your hiring plan.

Pick out salespeople who are data-driven

It might sound like any hiring managers dream to have job applications flooding in but sorting through a stack of CVs takes time, and time is particularly precious in today’s market. So, you need to decide what skills are the most important to you and which will complement your team’s existing skillset. You’ll likely be looking for experience in B2B or B2C sales and a candidate who is a strong communicator and adaptable but have you thought about how the digital revolution is affecting your hiring? A Salesforce study found that high-performing salespeople were 2.4X more likely to rate their analytics skills as very good or outstanding than those who underperform. To future-proof your team you need candidates who are data whizzes and confident in their analytic abilities.

Embrace technology

So you know that you need to be seeking out candidates who are confident using technology but how about yourself? There’s no denying that technology has changed the hiring process. A recent study found that just 10% of HR professionals report high use of AI, yet more than a third believe that will dramatically change by 2021. AI can be used to write the perfect job description, reduce the length of the screening process, arrange interviews and help combat the unconscious bias, so the benefits are extremely wide-ranging.

Though there are various tools which are free, some of the best technology comes at a cost – a cost that many businesses can’t incur. The good news is that recruitment agencies have a fresh stack of HR tech at their disposal, ready to use for your hiring needs. It’s just a case of finding the right recruitment agency to partner with.

Customer relationships are a priority for them

Sales is about more than closing. It’s about nurturing relationships and building trust so when looking for the next recruit to join your team you need to keep a keen eye out for someone who puts customer relationships first. Your team needs to be first-rate when it comes to connecting with prospects, understanding their needs and laying down the foundations for a strong relationship right from the start. And while spotting high-performing salespeople is essential in an employer-driven market, next to consider is how to attract them. First up, begin by revamping your sales recruitment strategy.

Know what salespeople you’re not looking for

Just as it’s important to know what you’re looking for in a candidate – such as strong analytic skills – it’s essential to identify what makes someone wrong for the job. With more teams going remote than ever before you can’t afford to hire someone who won’t thrive in an autonomous atmosphere. But what else do you need to look out for? These 4 easy tips to help spot the wrong candidate are all you need to follow to make sure your next hire is a success.

Let BMS help you hire as the war for talent wages on

The architecture of the job market has changed and it’s added new challenges to the mix for employers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t build a top-performing sales team. In fact, the market is brimming with talent and it’s just a case of attracting that talent to your company and having the right knowledge and tools to spot the most qualified candidate. At BMS we’ve navigated a changing recruitment landscape for 30 years and our experience as a sales recruitment agency puts us in the perfect position to help you. Contact us to speak to a member of the team and find out what we can do for you.