A career in sales can be a rewarding and exciting path that people who love a challenge are often drawn to. To excel in sales, you need to demonstrate a certain set of experience. What are employees looking for in a sales hire?
Track record of success: The most important thing companies look for in a sales candidate is a strong record of performance. Being able to show an employer how you’ve met goals and grown business can help set you apart from other sales applicants.
Longevity: Employers want to see sales candidates with some tenure in their sales positions. A history of longevity gives insight into performance, and promotion can show an employer you’ve regularly strived for success. While it’s important to consider a better commission structure and other job factors in your career, longevity in previous positions counts when looking for new work.
Recommendations and references: The best salespeople have a list of people that want to vouch for them. Having clients, former co-workers, previous supervisors and others willing to make a recommendation on your behalf is a key factor in differentiating yourself from other sales candidates. Start by asking for recommendations on LinkedIn and ensure you have a group of professional contacts you can contact for references.
Ability to close: Employers want sales teams with the ability to close deals. It’s important to build relationships with clients and prove yourself a resource; one of the greatest markers of success is the ability to close deals and win more business for your organization. Having the data – like the number of deals closed and amount of business earned – is important.
Curiosity: A willingness to change, learn, and to ask if there’s a better way to do things is an important sales skill. Salespeople who are curious, always want to find the best way of presenting a product, reaching out to a customer or learning about a new finding in the industry, are the best problem solvers and find their curiosity is a benefit to both their customers and their company.
Becoming a salesperson with a track record of success takes time, and advancing this skill set can help support your sales career. If you’re looking to make moves in your job or are searching for a new position, we can help because we know what employers are looking for. Our team can help find your next position; contact us today.
