Hiring salespeople for your company can be a tricky task, especially because they can be very charismatic and great storytellers. These seven sales hiring tips will help you cut through the noise quickly and identify the true star performers when interviewing sales talent.
- Ask the right questions
Quality trumps quantity when it comes to interviewing. Asking a few very specific questions is more important than asking a lot of general questions. - Read body language and tone
Pay attention to a candidate’s body language and tone of voice when they answer and ask questions for signs that they are skeptical, unfocused, disinterested or simply not engaged. - Focus on results
A skilled salesperson will happily share quantifiable evidence of past achievements and performance. You also want to find out about their average deal size and the sales cycle in order to accurately assess their experience and qualifications. - Evaluate questions
Good salespeople come to interviews equipped with specific questions about quota, sales cycle, company growth and opportunity that demonstrate their knowledge of a performance-driven operation. - Gauge adaptability
Salespeople tend to be able to shift gears rather quickly. So consider changing topics up rapidly to try to throw them off course and see how well they adapt. - Dig deeper
Finding out about a candidate’s hobbies and interests can give you insight into their values and mindset and tell you if they’re passionate, hard working, reliable and autonomous. - Trust your instincts
You should know within the first 15 minutes of an interview if a candidate is the right person for your sales team and will help push your organization’s needs forward.
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.
