Writing a job posting and advertising a job are not the same thing. Granted, a good posting is always a bonus but the secret is to put it in the right place and sell your opportunity. Below we unpack the tactics you need to successfully advertise a sales job.
Placement
Workopolis, Monster and CareerBuilder are where people go when they’re looking for a new job, which means the top sales prospects aren’t looking at them. You can still attract interesting candidates, but be prepared for a lot of unqualified applicants. More effective – and frequently cheaper – alternatives exist online with industry associations and LinkedIN, both of which are frequented by sales professionals.
Paid LinkedIN job postings can be posted to relevant groups and are automatically displayed to relevant candidates. However, you can also start Job Discussions within groups to promote opportunities outside LinkedIN, which can drive extra traffic to a posting on your site for no cost. Trade associations also frequently have job boards with much lower rates than traditional options.
Selling The Position
Any decent job posting will bring in a few resumes, but your goal should be to attract the top 10% of a very specific talent pool. This involves offering something their current organization isn’t, which usually means higher earning potential. This can come from a higher OTE, better commission structure, larger territory, a more compelling product or anything else that makes it easier to make money.
You also need to accurately describe the day-to-day, even if that involves cold calling or other potential turnoffs. If you’ve got an opportunity worth the attention of strong candidates the positives should outweigh any negatives. You’ll also save time, since you won’t be interviewing candidates that would just opt out later in the process.
When it comes to selling a sales role, compensation is obviously a big part of it. Regardless of where you fall on the pay scale relative to your competition there are two things to keep in mind:
1. Don’t offer a salary range in job postings.
Candidates immediately assume they’ll qualify for the top of that range, which can cause friction if you make an offer for less.
2. Focus on the OTE rather than base salary.
Strong candidates will care more about their overall earning potential than what their safety net is if they don’t close a deal.
Are you getting ready to grow your sales team? We’ve created a free checklist to help you refine your requirements, plan the interview process, and get aligned on competitive compensation.