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Sonja Hastings

Sonja Hastings is a senior software sales recruiter at Optimal Sales Search. She has spent 22 years recruiting high-performing sales, marketing, and customer success talent for software and technology companies across the U.S., with more than 12,000 sales professionals interviewed. She specializes in mid-to-senior GTM roles.

Hiring a Top Sales Rep Isn’t Always Enough. Here’s What They Need to Produce.

Providing Sales Talent With More Than an Internet Connection

Imagine you run a production company. You’ve had a few big wins and business is going well. You’ve hired a master songwriter, and you’re certain you have the next big hit. In fact, this song’s so catchy, even a second tier singer could make it a hit.

But your business is just starting to gain momentum. And what you really need at this stage in the game is a big star. You know a hit song combined with a big name performer will almost guarantee financial success.

So you go out and recruit Dolly Parton. Sure, it takes a few months to get her attention. But you’re convincing, persuasive, and she likes your song. Read More

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September 25, 2015

6 Sales Onboarding Steps That Decide Whether Your New Rep Stays

Onboarding Builds Better Teams

Ever spend four months recruiting and hiring a sales rep only to have them quit in four weeks? Sometimes they leave because they received a better offer. But many times it’s because onboarding created doubts about the decision to pick your organization. Learn three facts about why onboarding matters and what you can do to make it more successful so you can engage your team, and achieve your sales goals.

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July 12, 2015

Sales Hunter Traits: What the Top 1% Look Like After 12,000 Interviews

From the Front Lines: Observations about Sales Hunters

I’ve interviewed more than 2,600 people in-person at all kinds of places: coffee shops, airport terminals, tiny interview rooms, bars, airport lounges, fancy offices, restaurants, city clubs, Starbucks, and more. I’ve video called and phone interviewed more than 5,500 sales candidates not including the 2,600 in-person interviews.

With rare exception, every candidate I’ve met in this population has had at least five years of experience post college. They are candidates from across the country, from New York to San Francisco. They’ve earned from 120K to 700K a year.  Read More

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June 27, 2015