When recruiting sales teams, the right process can help you find a strong fit that lasts
Finding and hiring the best salespeople is a delicate art, and although there’s no definitive blueprint for the process, MetaGrowth’s proven workflows can help you find the right talent with no hiccups along the way. Successful sales recruiting requires a clear definition of each role and expectations that are set in stone. Once you identify potential candidates, you need an interview style that helps you determine the best fit for your organization.
By improving your recruitment efforts, you build a stronger, more capable sales team. To get started, check out these tips. They’ll help you bring in qualified candidates and identify which ones are the best for your business.
1. Define your ideal candidate
Clearly define the minimum and preferred skills for each job opening. Outline the education and experience you want each applicant to have, and create a description of their role in your company. Finding the right salespeople is easier if you start with a clear idea of what you want and need.
2. Craft a strong job ad
A job ad is like a marketing tool – but rather than marketing for customers, you’re trying to attract talent to your organization. While defining the job, you developed your target persona, and now it’s time to write a job ad that will appeal to them.
Think of your ideal candidate as you write the ad. What type of language draws them? What are they looking for in an employer? Ultimately, you want to craft a job ad that makes them desperate to want to work for you. Effective marketing is about making the target feel like they need you – not the other way around. This applies to both sales and recruitment.
Try to hit the keywords your candidates search for to ensure they find the ad and that it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle of Indeed or whatever job posting site you use. This may be B2B, entry-level, advanced sales, or whatever describes your position.
Provide a brief description of the day-to-day duties of the position. Be realistic. You want to engage qualified candidates without scaring anyone off. Also, describe your company and its culture. Being up front about who you are as an organization helps to weed out poor fits while encouraging people to apply who are in sync with your culture.
Cultural fit can be key to workplace satisfaction, team cohesiveness, and employee retention. By focusing on this from the beginning, you build an effective sales team that can stand the test of time.
3. Narrow down your applicant pool
Depending on the job and your industry, you may receive dozens or even hundreds of applicants for your sales positions. Looking through a stack of virtual résumés can be very time consuming, but a recruiting assistant and an AI analysis tool can each help look through applications to see which ones meet your defined expectations.
Next you can do a phone screening to narrow down the choices even more. At this point, you can rest assured that the remaining candidates have the skills and experience you need. Then you can start digging into the qualitative aspects of their potential.
4. Pay special attention to candidates who want your job
People who want to work for your organization will generally be a better fit. Compared to people who don’t have a strong preference for your company, these applicants are more likely to work hard, act loyal, and be receptive to training.
Signs that a candidate is serious about your company include custom cover letters and résumés. If you can tell that a candidate just throws the same cover letter and résumé at every job posting, they might not be the best fit.
Also, pay close attention to people who reach out before you contact them. These folks are eager, and they’ve just exhibited an important sales skill – reaching out to a lead while it’s hot. When you talk with them, watch their approach. Are they just following up because they’re desperate for a job? Or do they seem truly interested in your opportunity?
5. Craft interview questions carefully
Your interview is the ideal opportunity to get to know potential candidates and assess if they’d be a good fit, but you need to use this time wisely. A recruiter, an onboarding specialist, or a CEO should conduct the interview.
Ask thoughtful questions that get at the heart of the candidate’s experience and work ethic. Sales rely on strong people skills and the ability to think on your feet. The interview allows you to test these qualities in your candidates.
6. Make sure they ask thoughtful questions as well
An effective sales interview isn’t a one-way street. You want the candidate to engage with you. They should ask thoughtful questions about your company and your role. Again, you don’t want someone who’s so desperate that they’ll just jump into any job. These candidates will also jump out of a job if they’re not happy.
7. Follow up with promising candidates quickly
You compete with the competition for talent, not just for customers. To ensure your best prospects don’t go to work for the company next door, you have to strike while the iron is hot. Follow up with promising candidates quickly.
This also shows that you care about their success and professional development. No one has the time to wait weeks or months between an interview and a job offer. If someone seems like they’d be great on your team, reach out and follow up with them as soon as you can.
Now that you’ve chosen the best candidate, it’s time to bring them aboard. To avoid hiccups at this point, you need a dedicated onboarding process that includes getting on payroll, enrolling in benefits, receiving sales training, and obtaining platform access.
By addressing every onboarding detail in a repeatable workflow, you streamline this aspect of recruitment. You also ensure that every new team member has the skills they need to succeed – ultimately, that’s what this process is all about.
Recruiting sales team members requires a dedicated process. Our proven six-step approach can help you create a successful workflow from application review to onboarding. Ready to build and develop the sales team that your organization needs and deserves? Then, let’s chat – contact us today at MetaGrowth.
Written by
Joe Arioto