Get Ready to Recruit Top Sales Professionals: Here's How
The first time I saw my boss, he looked at me with steely eyes, and told me to find the best talent for my clients, or pack up my desk and go home.
I had 30 days to figure out this business and put up some numbers, or get out. Plenty of recruiters had walked in and out of the bullpen in a matter of months.
A line of contenders a mile long wanted entry into this lucrative cubical kingdom.
And if I couldn’t do it, I’d have to give it up to the next person willing to make more calls, endure endless criticism, and review resumes until their eyes bled.
This is when I quickly learned what my ferret of a boss already expected me to know about recruiting.
Now I’m going to share it with you.
6 Key Traits to Identify Top Software Sales Candidates
1. Find people who are unsatisfied and stay away from the complacent.
2. Recruit salespeople who want something badly.
3. State school graduates and people who faced struggle early in life have a high probability of knowing how to really work to get what they want.
4. People who aren’t afraid of looking stupid are willing to practice the skills required to win new business. This means they will fail many times before they hit success, they’re okay with that. They enjoy the challenge.
5. Find people who are humble and polite, they know how to build baseline relationships quickly.
6. Smart people who can learn quickly and adapt.
5 Practical Tips for Recruiting Top Software Sales Professionals
Get ready to dig deep—this process requires some serious effort.
Finding top-tier software sales talent isn’t about skimming the surface; you’re going to need to roll up your sleeves and get into the weeds. Here’s how you can do it effectively:
Put Yourself Out There—Loudly. Don’t be shy. Let the market know you’re hiring. Whether through networking events, LinkedIn outreach, or industry conferences, make your need for top talent known.
Maintain Relationships at All Levels.
Stay connected with sales professionals throughout their careers—from rising stars to seasoned pros to those nearing retirement. Building and maintaining these relationships gives you access to talent at all stages.Sell the Job—But Focus on What Matters.
You’re not just recruiting; you’re selling. Know what the candidate values—whether it’s your company’s vision, the opportunity for growth, or cutting-edge technology. Tailor your pitch to what resonates with them.Ask for Referrals From Industry Insiders.
Get good at asking top-performing salespeople one critical question: “Who’s the best salesperson you’ve ever worked with?” These referrals often lead you to high performers who aren’t actively looking for a new role.Curate a Targeted Recruitment List.
Once you’ve identified the top salespeople in the market, put them on a list. Keep that list active and update it regularly so that when the right role opens, you know exactly who to target.
Three Key Realities About Recruiting Top Software Sales Talent
Recruiting top software sales talent isn’t a walk in the park. The competition is fierce, and the best people aren’t sitting around waiting for you to call.
If you’re looking to build a high-performing sales team, understanding the realities of the recruiting landscape is crucial.
Here are three things you need to know to recruit the best.
1. Top Salespeople Have Options.
The best salespeople don’t need to search for jobs—they’re already in demand. Their bosses, coworkers, and recruiters are constantly reaching out with new opportunities.
They aren’t just waiting for the next role; they’re weighing offers. To attract them, you have to do more than just post a job listing. You need to sell them on why your company is worth their time.
That means understanding what motivates them, whether it’s compensation, growth, or the challenge of a new market.
2. The Top 10% Need to Be Wooed.
The top 10% aren’t job-hopping for the sake of it. They know their worth and won’t make a move unless it’s a clear step up.
If you want to recruit these sales professionals, you have to make the effort to woo them away from their current role. This isn’t about flashy perks or empty promises—it’s about offering them something meaningful, like a stronger team, better resources, or a leadership role where they can have an impact.
Half-hearted efforts won’t work. You have to be intentional and persistent.
3. Don’t Hire a Generalist When You Need a Specialist.
It’s tempting to go for an all-around sales athlete, someone who seems good at everything. But when you need a quarterback, you don’t hire a running back.
In software sales, where the market can change overnight, you need people who excel in specific areas, whether it’s enterprise-level deals, complex solutions, or SaaS-based selling.
A generalist might do well in certain situations, but if you need someone to bring in big deals consistently, you need a specialist. Don’t settle for less.
Tailor Your Recruiting Strategy to the Realities of the Market
If you want to recruit top sales talent, it’s time to adjust your strategy. The best candidates aren’t coming to you—you have to go to them. You’ll need to be proactive, persistent, and targeted in your approach.
Understand what makes these top performers tick, and offer them a reason to move. It’s a competitive market, and only those who adapt their recruiting approach will come out ahead.
Being a sales leader is more than just managing the numbers—it’s about leading in a way that attracts and retains top talent.
Strong leadership is non-negotiable if you want to keep high-performing salespeople on your team. Simply put, if you’re not someone they can respect, learn from, and trust to guide them to success, they’ll move on to someone who can.
The best salespeople won’t stick around for a manager who doesn’t bring value to their careers.
Recruiting, at its core, is no different from selling. Just like you’d tailor a pitch to close a deal, you need to learn what motivates top sales talent and use that understanding to attract them.
It’s not just about filling a role—it’s about knowing what matters to the best in the field and showing them why your team is the right choice for their next move.
Great leaders don’t just manage; they add value to every step of the sales process.
They understand what drives their people and challenge them to become even better. High-performing salespeople thrive when their leaders push them to grow and reach new heights.
Without that push, even the best salespeople stagnate—and so does your team’s performance.
Ultimately, your ability to hire and retain top talent will define your success as a sales leader. If you don’t prioritize getting the right people in place, you’ll find yourself outpaced by competitors who do.
And that’s not just about skills; it’s about creating an environment where top performers feel valued, supported, and driven.
An essential part of this is compensation. Fighting for an all-star compensation package isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity. Salespeople are motivated by rewards, and if you don’t offer competitive pay and incentives, you’ll lose your best people to companies that do.
Keep your compensation plan at the forefront, and you’ll keep motivation and performance at their peak.
