HOW TO RECRUIT THE BEST SALES PROFESSIONALS

HOW TO RECRUIT
THE BEST SALES PROFESSIONALS
HOW TO RECRUIT THE BEST SALES PROFESSIONALS
While strong sales professionals are highly sought-after in any market, the
challenging economic environment means high-calibre sales candidates are in
increased demand and often difficult to attract. For employers, talented sales
professionals can add discernible value to the bottom line and help them to win
market share from competitors. But how do you find these individuals who can make
a real difference? We offer some advice.
PLAN AND BE READY
The vast majority of resignations come as a surprise to line managers and businesses alike
so it’s important to have a contingency in place. Sales departments place a huge focus on
ensuring they have a strong pipeline. Recruitment should be no different – particularly because
sales targets are unlikely to be relaxed whilst a team is under resourced.
Clearly, you shouldn’t advertise for a job that may never materialise. However, proactive
businesses put contingency plans in place - they know which recruitment companies
understand their business best and therefore who to speak to when a vacancy becomes
available.
CREATE A COMPELLING JOB SPECIFICATION AND JOB ADVERT
The quality of the job specification is crucially important to attracting the best talent. It should
be viewed as a key opportunity to correctly position the company and the role. Don’t fall into
the trap of producing a standard, generic job description downloaded online or created by
someone who has never actually done the role. Sales professionals want to be inspired. They
want to feel that the company they work for or the product/service they sell has unique selling
points – this should be factored into any job specification.
From a strong job specification, you will be able to produce a compelling job advert. The
Robert Walters whitepaper series highlights when candidates view a job advertisement, the
description of the role has the biggest influence on their decision to apply. However, the salary
and benefits, company description, quality of grammar/language and presentation of the
advert are also considered important. In addition, job seekers are more attracted to adverts
when the company is named than not.
Importance of job interview process in shaping a candidate’s perceptions of an employer
Extremely important
55%
Important40%
Neither important nor unimportant
4%
Unimportant1%
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ASK RELEVANT QUESTIONS AT INTERVIEW
Don’t just assume that – because a candidate’s CV is excellent and they have a proven history
of success – they will automatically be able to perform the duties required for your role. It’s
important your questions get to the bottom of any potential incompatibilities. For example,
a smaller business with limited support should challenge a candidate’s ability to work
autonomously, deliver paperwork on time and manage a sales pipeline.
The role of interviewers is critical to the job interview process; it is their responsibility to ask the
right questions in the most appropriate manner to assess the suitability of the candidate for
the role. The Robert Walters whitepaper highlighted that 40% of job seekers have experienced
questions irrelevant to the role. Ensure all of your interview questions are focused on the
requirements of the role.
Importance of specific factors during a job interview
Job Seekers
Employers
Very
Important
Very
ImportantImportant
Important
Receiving/providing enough information about the role
78%21%64%34%
The opportunity to ask questions
58%38%75%24%
The opportunity to explain experience properly
54%40%53%39%
Receiving/providing information about the team that role sits with
51%44%32%60%
Receiving/providing enough information about the company culture
41%50%33%57%
Receiving/providing information about the benefits package on offer
24%46%10%50%
“The recruitment of the right sales professional is fundamental to the fortune of any
business. Companies must be proactive and responsive throughout the process to
ensure they are doing everything they can to secure the right talent.”
Alex Belford, Manager - Sales Division (North), Robert Walters
2
40%
Percentage of job seekers who
have experienced questions
irrelevant to the role or themselves
during a job interview
OFFER A REALISTIC SALARY AND BENEFITS PACKAGE
The salary and benefits package on offer is a huge factor for both job seekers and employers
in the recruitment process. But employers should think carefully about the exact size and
composition of this. For example, offering the biggest salary does not automatically make your
job the most appealing option. While sales professionals will tell themselves they are worth
every penny, they will also question why you are paying over the odds. High basic salaries can
often mask an unachievable OTE (on-target earning) or an uncompetitive product or service.
Think also about additional benefits. While basic salary and on target earning (OTE) continue to
be the main drivers for sales professionals, other factors (e.g. flexible working, discounts, and
childcare/gymnasium vouchers) can also have an impact.
Beyond this, information about the organisation can also attract candidates. Specifically, job
seekers like to know the average length of service within the company, typical steps for career
progression, whether and to what extent the management team has been developed internally
and how much the top performing sales person earned in the previous year. If you can answer
these questions in a positive way, the role will have greater appeal to job seekers.
“To attract the best possible talent you need to engage with your candidates ensuring
they have a positive experience whether successful or not. It is important to remember
that top-tier candidates mix with other top-tier talent.”
Tom Warren, Manager - Sales Division (South East), Robert Walters
4
99%
Percentage of professionals
who say receiving enough
information about a role is either
‘very important’ or ‘important’
during a job interview
MAKE DECISIONS QUICKLY
Sales people are trained to work towards deadlines and will often set themselves targets
throughout the recruitment process. If an employer’s decision-making process is out of kilter
with the rest of the market, they are likely to miss out on the best candidate.
With the majority of sales professionals working remotely, they need to know they are joining an
agile and responsive employer. The decision-making process is a great chance to demonstrate
these qualities.
To ensure the recruitment process is as streamlined as possible, it’s best practice to determine
at the outset who needs to be involved and their diary availability, how quickly an offer can be
made and – most importantly – that the vacancy has been formally signed off.
The Robert Walters whitepaper highlighted that a lengthy recruitment process would put many
professionals (72%) off working for an organisation.
Length of recruitment process
Length of time job seekers
believe a full recruitment
process should take
Length of time recruitment
process takes on average
according to employers
Up to 2 weeks
29%5%
3 – 4 weeks
49%21%
1 – 2 months
21%46%
3 – 4 months
1%22%
5+ months
0%2%
Don’t know
N/A4%
MAKING YOUR COMPANY ATTRACTIVE TO JOB SEEKERS
Job seekers typically explore a number of means when researching a potential employer. The
Robert Walters whitepaper highlighted nearly all candidates regard the company website (98%)
as a key resource tool, while news articles (71%), friends and/or colleagues (56%) and annual
reports or financial performance (55%) are seen as key points of reference. Social networking
websites (i.e. LinkedIn and Facebook) are also being more widely used for company research.
Make sure your company brand is well presented across all of these channels.
“Time spent on process is rarely wasted. Ensuring you choose the right recruitment
consultancy to represent your business is critical, they must be seen as a credible
extension of your business who are upholding the image of your organisation.
Through this decision you will empower a business keen to build a long-term and
mutually beneficial relationship.”
Stuart MacSween, Manager - Sales Division (London), Robert Walters
6
95%
Percentage of professionals who
would tell others about a poor
interview experience
HOW MANY CANDIDATES SHOULD YOU SEE?
There is no optimum number for how many sales professional you should interview. But bear in
mind that sales recruitment should be a smooth and efficient process that should not be measured
by the number of candidates interviewed. If you have briefed your recruitment partner correctly,
there is a reasonable chance that the first candidate you see is the best person for the job.
PLAN AN INDUCTION AND PROBATIONARY PERIOD
Before you start the interview process, you need to develop a clear plan to introduce the
successful candidate into the business. Job seekers want to know that the business has a
“plan” for them in the early days of their career and their appointment is not simply a knee jerk
reaction to a situation.
Although sales professionals are resourceful and self sufficient, they also appreciate guidance and
support. When you first recruit them, look to timetable sessions with key stakeholders and senior
management. It can also help to implement softer targets (i.e. key performance indicators or
management by objectives) that demonstrate you are thinking long-term.
WORK CLOSELY WITH YOUR RECRUITMENT PARTNER
When working with a recruitment consultancy, following specific key action points makes the
relationship as productive as possible and ultimately enables you to secure the best possible
candidate. As an employer you should focus on:
• Providing the recruitment consultant with a clear and detailed job specification so that they
can give an accurate representation of the role and company to candidates.
• Securing the full commitment of hiring managers to the recruitment process, including
provision of information regarding the job, dates for interviews and swift feedback and
flexibility.
• Managing regular debriefing meetings between the recruitment consultancy and hiring
managers and/or HR. These enable all parties to raise any issues or highlight any key
learning points for improvement going forward.
The Robert Walters whitepaper found that job seekers value the contribution of recruitment
consultancies when searching for and applying for roles. In total, 49% of job seekers say
they regard recruitment consultancies as the most useful source of vacancies, making them
the most important tool for job seeking. Similarly, 65% of job seekers prefer to apply for roles
through a recruitment consultancy than an employer directly.
With only 11% of organisations surveyed rating their hiring process as ‘excellent’, many also
seemingly require guidance in managing their recruitment strategy.
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CONTACT US
To discuss how Robert Walters can help you recruit sales professionals please get in touch
with one of our offices below.
Manchester
Alex Belford
T: +44 (0)161 214 7400
E: alex.belford@robertwalters.com
London
Stuart MacSween
T: +44 (0)20 7379 3333
E: stuart.macsween@robertwalters.com
Guildford
Tom Warren
T: +44 (0)1483 510 400
E: tom.warren@robertwalters.com
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