Let’s just say it out loud.
Hiring salespeople is the corporate equivalent of swiping through dating apps — lots of promising profiles, very few second dates.
For recruiters and hiring managers alike, the word Sales tends to trigger a collective sigh, followed by memories of inboxes flooded with CVs that look impressive… but don’t translate into actual performance.
And yet — sales hires can make or break a business.
No pressure, right?
The Problem With Sales Hiring
Sales is one of the most misunderstood roles in any organisation. On paper, it looks simple:
- Be confident
- Talk well
- Hit targets
In reality, great salespeople are rare — because sales is not a skill alone, it’s a personality, a mindset, and a discipline.
The market is full of:
- “Top performers” who can’t explain how they sold
- CVs packed with buzzwords but light on substance
- Candidates who interview well but crumble without structure
- Job-hoppers chasing commission, not craft
And the worst part? Sales candidates apply to everything.
Why Sales Personality Is So Hard to Find
The right sales hire sits at a very specific intersection:
- Resilient but coachable
- Confident but not arrogant
- Curious, not scripted
- Competitive, without being transactional
- Able to sell and build trust
That combination doesn’t show up clearly on a CV — and it’s rarely revealed in a generic interview process.
Which is why so many companies hire fast, hope for the best, and end up rehiring three months later.
Volume Is Not the Answer
One of the biggest mistakes companies make when hiring for sales is chasing volume:
- More applications
- More interviews
- More “maybes”
But more candidates doesn’t mean better candidates — it usually just means more noise.
Sales hiring requires precision, not scale.
You don’t need 300 applicants. You need five that actually fit your product, market, sales motion, and culture.
A Better Way to Hire Sales
At People 360, we approach sales hiring differently.
We focus on:
- Sales behaviours, not buzzwords
- Context: what are you selling, to whom, and how?
- Track record and thinking process
- Alignment with leadership style and growth stage
Because the best salespeople aren’t just closers — they’re problem-solvers, listeners, and long-term value builders.
And when you get it right? Sales stops being a nightmare and becomes your biggest growth engine.
Final Thought
Sales may be the infamous role — but it doesn’t have to be the impossible one.
With the right process, the right screening, and the right expectations, hiring sales talent can shift from painful to predictable.
And that’s where real momentum starts.