GET YOUR FIRST SALES HIRE RIGHT
So, you’re thinking of hiring your very first salesperson…
Firstly, congratulations! Secondly, slow down.
A bad hire can be costly. Not only financially, but it could damage internal relationships and lose time trying to solve the problem.
In short - this is something you want to get right. You’ll know when it’s time to bring on your first sales hire when you begin to:
Have a clear understanding of your target buyers and their needs
Have developed a clear sales process and strategy
Can begin to predictably estimate if and when sales will close
We work in the sales industry day in, day out, so based off our finds, here are some things to consider before making your first sales hire.
CREATE THE JOB DESCRIPTION BASED ON YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS
You can’t hire someone unless you know what you’re recruiting for.
Why do you require a salesperson? What is it that they need to be able to take on and ‘own’ within their role? From this, you can determine the kind of personality that you’d like to attract and the sort of skill set that you are seeking.
THINK ABOUT CULTURE FIT
How your business functions in relation to core values should be the method that you want to preserve. Defining the ‘type’ of people you want on your team is a good starting point.
Don’t let valuable people pass you by. A candidate might not possess every skill you’re hoping for, but if they have the sort of personality that makes you feel enthusiastic, that’s a good sign. The chances are, if you find likeable qualities in someone, your clients will buy into them too. Good people with great mindsets can be trained and mentored.
RECOGNISE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE
The importance of someone’s outlook on sales is crucial. Finding a person that is truly passionate about not only sales, but your company is gold dust.
OFFER PROGRESSION
Attracting candidates is one thing, hiring and retaining them is another.
Nobody wants to feel ‘stuck’ in their role with no chance of moving forward but traditionally, the sales industry suffers from high turnover rates.
Every time a salesperson leaves, you need to start a new hiring cycle, spend money to advertise the job and train new employees from scratch. This is why investing in career development matters, you want your salesperson to feel confident that they’ll progress in your company, as it will encourage them to work harder and stop them from moving somewhere else to achieve their goals.
DON’T GET CAUGHT UP ON INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
It depends on what services or products you’re selling, but from our experience, a fantastic salesperson outweighs industry experience.
Don't get too caught up looking for ‘the perfect candidate’, they likely don’t exist. They can learn the industry if they possess the qualities you’re seeking and if they’re passionate about learning more.
SET INTERVIEW TASKS TO TEST COMMITMENT
Task-based interviews at a second/ final stage are a great way to gauge how well somebody can perform under some healthy pressure. Set them a realistic task, something you’d like to see them succeed at.
- Written by Shannon Matthews
NEED SOME FRIENDLY ADVICE OR MORE TIPS?
If you are looking for more advice or help finding your next job, we can help, please give us a call on: 0117 301 8495 or take a look at our jobs page. Alternatively, if you’re an employer in the South West and South Wales looking to recruit and need someone with real recruiting expertise then we can help – let’s chat.