A sales team is the backbone of any business. After all, without sales you have no business! And, without a sales team that can perform and achieve necessary goals, you have no profits. So it makes sense that putting together the right sales team directly affects the success or failure of the business.

If there is ever a time to be selective, it is when you are adding new members to your sales force. Here are some important factors to consider when looking for the right sales job candidate:

Do they adapt with your existing business culture?

  • Will they follow your sales processes? An established company has revenue goals, reporting expectations, meeting schedules, and other internal processes already in place. Is your potential candidate willing to follow these standards and perform accordingly?
  • Are they willing to embrace your business principles? Your sales team should enforce the company mission statement inside the office and out when meeting with potential clients. Sales strategies should positively represent company standards at all times.
  • Is this candidate coachable? Some people are considered “natural” at sales. They can “sell ice to an Eskimo” so to speak. Regardless of their talent, you want to be sure they are willing to listen to instruction and sell to your standards.
  • Will they stick around for the long-term? A high turnover of your sales staff can turn into a loss of revenue. You will spend more time training replacements, which in turn, creates disconcerting relationships with your clients and can cost the company unnecessarily.

Before offering the position to your best candidate, allow them to spend half a day or so with the sales manager and/or other team members in effort to get acquainted with the culture of your business. This will allow your staff and the applicant to provide feedback into determining if he or she is the right fit.

Are they a team player?

Creating or allowing negativity amongst a sales force can be troublesome for your company. It is important when you bring a new member on board that they are willing to work alongside your existing team. Look for these signs in a potential candidate:

  • Are they willing to ask questions and receive help from other team members?
  • Are they willing to encourage your staff rather than pushing ahead through affronting behavior?
  • Have they taken a genuine interest in your company and existing employees, or are they more interested in personal goals?

Accent Recruiting | group during sales presentation

Are they motivated by sales?

This is possibly one of the most important questions you can ask during the interview process if you want to build a successful and profitable team. A sales role does not come easily for all people, and some can become easily discouraged through increasing sales quotas and continuous rejection. Hiring candidates with past sales experience can often assure they understand its hardships and are willing to persevere in order to achieve success.

“Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” ~Thomas Edison

Do they have positive assessment results?

Lastly, testing can be a good tool to use when determining if someone is the right fit for your company. Questions asked through certain personality or business performance questionnaires can cover a wide range of insight into how they are motivated, their dedication, potential leadership skills, and other personality characteristics which indicate if their skill level and temperament is a good fit for your organization. Here are a few to consider:

 

If we can help you successfully place talent within your organization, don’t hesitate to contact our team at Accent Professional Recruiting (804) 359-9416.