If you want to successfully recruit top Software Sales talent, here are some useful pointers to ensure that you capture and hold their attention during the recruitment process:
Be clear.
Top sales candidates will only move if they feel confident in their future employer. So as a hiring manager you need to build confidence by clearly laying out why the position is open, what the hiring timeline is, and importantly, why the role is desirable. Detail what the position entails (i.e. territory, quotas, expectations, obstacles, opportunities etc.) and describe in detail what you have to offer a new recruit. Be specific as new hires are more likely to give your company serious consideration.
Compensation always matters.
Unsurprisingly, if you are under-paying you will have a hard time attracting top sales talent. You’ll need to be at market levels to compete for their employment. If on target earnings numbers are low, you’ll need to emphasize the possibility of quota over-achievement, or you’ll need to rethink your compensation strategy. Ask software sales specialists, like Harvey Thomas, for insight into the current market remuneration levels.
However, flexibility with travel and work / home life balance are increasingly valued by top talent and can be useful in creating an attractive offer.
Build rapport and trust.
As their potential direct manager you should have the largest stake in the process and should be invested in building a connection at the outset – starting with the first phone call. This is the best time to bond with top talent. Find out what their goals and aspirations are – don’t just focus on your needs during the hiring process.
Also give them a taste of the role by sharing performance results. Sales professionals like to understand what the rest of the team are experiencing. It helps them imagine themselves in the role and envision the possibilities of working for your organisation. Share details of recent wins which demonstrates success and helps to make them feel like they are already part of the action.
Best Practice for Recruiting a Top Hunter
In our experience we find that savvy software vendors that are able to successfully recruit the best Hunters often:
– review their recruitment strategy and constantly look for ways to improve the candidate’s experience.
– they work with specialist Saas sales recruiters like Harvey Thomas to ensure they have access to an extensive personal network of the best hunters – most of which are not actively looking for their next role.
– are aware that the speed of the process is important, and that drawn out processes involving multiple interviews pose the risk of losing talent to organisations that can move to the offer stage more quickly.
– they also take into account the impact that lengthy notice periods have on recruitment when planning their next hire.
If you would like to discuss any of the points raised in this article, please contact us on +44 (0)1908 307474 or via our website.
