Knowing what to look out for when screening for sales candidates from the outset will save you time and money in the long term and help companies to highlight good potential candidates while filtering out those who will not meet expectations.
Our evidence-based guide – built on experience and knowledge – highlights the do’s and don’ts of what a company needs to do when screening candidates for sales roles. So, if you are keen to know how to recruit good sales employees, take note of the following do’s and don’ts.
DO: Look for relevant experience.
If a business specialises in a particular market sector, t
DON’T: Overemphasise sales figures.
While sales figures are just part of the overall assessment of performance and productivity, they are not the only indicator. The achievement of sales KPIs needs to be considered alongside all other relevant attributes that a company is seeking during a sales recruitment drive.
DO: Assess communication skills.
Good communication is the one area in which your sales candidate needs to excel if they are to make it through to the next stage of selection. To sell successfully, you need to be able to communicate. It is imperative that you weave a communications assessment into your overall screening process to make sure the candidates fulfil this particular criterion.
DON’T: Dismiss candidates with a non-sales background.
While we advise companies to seek out relevant experience, we also encourage them not to dismiss potential candidates who come from non-sales backgrounds. A good salesperson can be trained, and you want to be looking for characteristics, skills and attributes that can be developed accordingly. There may be some brilliant potential applying for your sales jobs – look out for them. They’ll probably bring with them a wealth of additional knowledge and experience in other areas, too, that will be particularly useful for your company.
DO: Evaluate problem-solving skills.
For sales recruitment, there is a myriad of problem-solving exercises that you need to integrate into your screening process. Knowing how to solve a problem gives you a good insight into an individual’s thought processes and is a great indicator of future performance abilities. Those candidates who score highly in problem-solving are more likely to be happy and successful in the role in the future.
DON’T: Rely solely on references.
While references are important, they are there only to add to the bigger picture and shouldn’t be used until the end of the screening process. References should not be used as a barometer for whether the candidate is a good fit for the job or that they have the necessary skills and abilities. Rather, the references are better used for fact-checking and ensuring that the candidate has been upfront and honest in their application.
DO: Test for resilience.
Resilience is a crucial soft skill in all employees, but in sales, it is of particular importance as it is a job which experiences many setbacks. Testing for resilience will indicate whether your potential sales employee has the capacity to ride out the knockbacks and keep moving forward. Resilience can be learnt if there is a willingness there.
DON’T: Ignore cultural fit.
The sales team in any organisation is a driving force behind the motivation of the workforce as a whole. It is important that your potential candidates have the right attributes to not just fit in with the culture but to drive it in a positive and engaging manner.
DO: Check for coachability.
No matter how perfect your candidate initially seems, they have the potential to develop professionally in the future – and more importantly, do they want to? When advertising sales manager jobs, it is too easy to become stuck at the moment. The more coachable an individual is, the more likely they will want to improve and drive your company forward.
DON’T: Rush the process.
Finally, do not rush through the screening process towards a hasty decision. While you may be eager to get the decision made quickly and decisively, the sale recruitment process must take into account a wealth of moving parts if it is going to lead you to the right person.
We’re here to help you streamline your screening of sales candidates – get started today.
