When hiring sales representatives, a mere 10 percent will actually produce an ROI for your business. You may be able to improve those numbers using executive recruiting firms to help with your search. Sometimes it takes finding an effective head start for your business, to hire the best salespeople.
Larger numbers of sales pros can be found in almost every industry these days, but finding those with effective track records are not so easy to retain. In the U.S., over one third are going to miss their monthly quota and approximately 20 percent are not teachable. The gap widens as turnover runs at about 40 percent for sales teams. With those odds, it is easy to see how the best sales people can be difficult to find.
Executive recruiting firms are positioned perfectly to help you find and retain someone that is a good fit for your industry, and a sales professional with the perseverance to make the sales. There are numerous executive search firms that are deserving of your analysis, but you should do some preliminary research to find the right fit for your business.
You may find an excellent source of recommendations from industry or association colleagues, but competition may make that harder and harder. Alternatively, you can use sites like linkedin to generate referrals for recruitment firms. Ideally you like to identify an executive search firm that is narrowly focused on your segment of the industry. Focused, niche specialization can be a good sign that they have the experience and business acumen to recruit on your behalf. Make sure to look for past successes and testimonials on behalf of the recruiting agencies you are considering.
As you narrow down your list of potential recruiters, you should look at the specific comments to determine how their clients remembered their experiences. This will include reviews from both employees and client companies that have used the recruiting agencies. You can use this information to follow up with specific questions about the process and their screening capabilities.
One of the greatest benefits of using a sales recruitment firm is that they can filter out resumes and prescreen applicants for you. By initially eliminating the unqualified candidates, you should be able to schedule fewer interviews to find your new salesperson. By finding the right recruiting firm for your business, your efficiency at finding the most profitable sales person will eventually add to the bottom line.