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The Truth about Sales Recruiting

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 By Cindy Lu
 
Recently, many of our clients have been taking proactive steps to hire "hunter" sales talent to drive the TOP LINE.  "Hunters", defined as the sales professionals charged with bringing in new business, are of the rarest breed to find, court and hire.  After many years of recruiting sales professionals for fast growth companies, I have seen what has worked well and not so well.  Let's start with some lessons learned:
 
•    If the recruitment process starts when there is a need it is too late - recruiting top sales talent is an on-going process and can not be treated as a single event
•    Candidates' past track records alone cannot predict future success.  A thorough review of the  environment where they have been successful should be carefully examined
•    Many companies have a solid understanding of the sales metrics required to win a new client yet there is little to no tracking on what it takes to hire top sales professionals
•    When the CEO and Sales leadership are accessible when courting top talent, recruitment has a powerful hook to get a top performer's attention

There are many companies doing a great job growing their TOP LINE through the recruitment function and we have highlighted some of the most impactful:

•    Due to the importance of courting and selecting sales "hunters" in a growing business, separating the sales recruitment process from other corporate roles pays dividends
•    Growth companies recognize top sales professionals make career changes on their time, not the companies courting them. Know the importance of identifying the "A" players in their industry and nurturing this "pipeline" of sales talent over time
•    Companies that view "attitude and aptitude" over industry expertise have reaped great rewards - sometimes the desire and energy to learn a new field can surpass a track record or a "been there and done that" attitude.  If a professional views their next career move as a step up they are more likely to pursue it with vigor and a fresh perspective
•    Sales hiring can be one of the most emotional hires; using HR or a 3rd party to conduct an independent evaluation of your candidates reduces turnover

The reality is that without people ready in place to drive revenue your firm cannot be nimble enough to not only survive but prosper in the long run. Novo can help you set strategy and get people in place to develop and grow your business – give me a call at 414-727-8755 x123 or email me at cindylu@thenovogroup.com.