6 Qualities To Look For When Hiring Sales People

What are the trends for highly sought-after skills in sales recruitment?

Although sales recruitment can often favour sector experience and proven successes in past roles, there is a strong set of skills and qualities that employers consistently look for when hiring sales people. Here they are.

  1. Customer Focus
    Irrespective of sector, a strong customer focus and an understanding of customer needs plays an important part in winning business. Good sales people will genuinely listen to and respect customer needs, responding to these appropriately to create and communicate targeted value propositions. It’s a strong and attractive mix to see humility and empathy feature alongside passion and drive when you’re interviewing and hiring sales people.
  2. Building RelationshipsThe ability to initiate and maintain strong, productive relationships with a whole network of connections is an essential trait when hiring sales people. As an employer, it’s highly likely you’ll want to see clear evidence of excellent relationship management.
  3. Tenacity And Persistence
    The ability to overcome rejection and the determination to tackle obstacles head-on are important personal attributes. A knack for “bouncing back” after rejection with an optimistic, energised outlook is vital.
  4. Flexibility And Innovation
    There’s a certain amount of trial and error when it comes to sales. When hiring sales people, you’ll want to identify individuals who have a flexible approach and are prepared to adapt and innovate. Employers will typically want proof that a candidate is confident in trying new things and exploring new sales routes. Hiring managers will want to know that a candidate is not scared of failure and will be able to dust themselves off and try something different to achieve success.
  5. Goal-Driven And Realistic
    Top sales professionals will be able to forecast realistic targets and thrive in a results-driven environment. When hiring sales people, evidence of working towards, and achieving, targets will be a major consideration for employers.
  6. Wider Awareness
    The best sales people will have an active interest in the wider context of their business. Sound cultural and local knowledge can prove hugely beneficial, alongside strong competitor awareness and a good appreciation of the marketplace in general. Professionals who are well informed and always one step ahead will usually yield the best results.

The best sales people will have an active interest in the wider context of their business. Sound cultural and local knowledge can prove hugely beneficial, alongside strong competitor awareness and a good appreciation of the marketplace in general. Professionals who are well informed and always one step ahead will usually yield the best results.

For assistance with your sales job search or hiring requirements, please contact us today to speak to one of our specialist consultants.