Hiring Salespeople in 7 Steps [+ Free Checklist]

As the economy continues to slow down, companies are having a tough time filling open positions. Find out how you can hire salespeople in 7 steps with this free checklist by hiring right now!

The “how to hire a salesperson for a startup” is a guide that will help you in hiring top talent. It includes 7 steps and a free checklist.

When employing salespeople, it’s critical to define out the job responsibilities as well as the wage or commission structure for the role. It will be simpler to find exceptional applicants if you know where to seek, how to interview them, and what type of remuneration to give. Before you recruit a sales representative, sit down and establish a list of all the actions you’ll need to follow to get your applicant hired. To assist you, we’ve produced a checklist.

Download the Salesperson Hiring Checklist

By publishing to over 100 job sites, ZipRecruiter allows you to market your sales opportunities and locate qualified salespeople. It also serves as an application tracking system (ATS), which aids in the sorting and qualification of applicants. You’ll also get a free Highlight Enhancement ($60 value) to help your ad stand out, in addition to a 4-day free trial.

ZipRecruiter is a website where you may find jobs.

Create a job description first.

Recruiting salespeople, like hiring for any other position, should begin with a discussion of your expectations. To explain out these exact qualifications, most professional organizations publish job descriptions.

A strong job description will inspire experienced salespeople to apply for your available position since it will serve as the basis for your job ad. It may also be utilized throughout the recruitment and interviewing process to screen out unqualified individuals who understand they aren’t suited for the position just by reading the job description. This will save you time and help you cut down your prospect pool.

To write your job description, follow these steps:

We propose include information on interpersonal skills, product knowledge, and planned sales volume. This ensures that prospective seekers understand what you’re looking for in a sales representative. The following items should be included in this section of your job description:

• Job obligations on a daily basis
• The position’s main objectives
• Specific sales responsibilities

Actual data and sales volumes assist your sales rep candidates in determining the anticipated level of sales output. Then, based on their own experience, they’ll be able to tell whether they’ll be able to meet your expectations.

Here are some examples of several types of sales goals to mention in your job description:

• Each quarter, identify 100 new small business connections.
• Clients: Oversee a customer base of 30 high-volume restaurants.
• 40 percent of incoming sales calls are closed.
• Revenues: New company acquisition brings in an average of $25,000 every month.

Your job description should contain education requirements. Make it clear whether you need or prefer certain degrees, licenses, or certificates, or if a mix of education and experience is required.

The majority of sales positions are product-specific. As a result, it’s a good idea to know exactly what the sales representative will be selling—software, cosmetics, radio ad time, or used vehicles. Your sales person may be required to have some product expertise or industry experience for each sort of product.

Based on the product/industry you’re in, below are some things to put in your sales rep job description.

• Farm equipment: You should be familiar with a certain product range and farm tools.
• Cosmetics: Has a good understanding of how to blend ingredients for different skin types.
• Caskets, urns, inurnment, and crypt choices are all available at the cemetery.
• Jewelry: Gemology knowledge, precious stone maintenance, and gold pricing methodologies
• Experience selling certain software is a plus.
• Home services: Able to produce estimates/bids depending on the requirements of customers for home repairs.
• Vehicle sales: Classic car aficionado with experience selling automobiles
• Experience selling sponsored show and segment media packages in the media.
• Hands-on experience selling to busy restaurant and bar owners in the food and beverage industry.

2. Determine how your sales representative will be compensated.

You may think about the best strategy to reward your sales person after you’ve chosen precisely what you want them to perform. There are numerous methods to compensate a sales representative, but the most usual is to offer them with a basic wage (salary or hourly) as well as performance-based compensation, such as a bonus or commission.

If you hire sales representatives on a commission-only basis, the employee will not be compensated if they do not sell anything. Some salespeople shun commission-only employment because they understand that creating connections takes time, and they need to be able to pay their expenses in the meanwhile. However, accepting a commission-only position may be worthwhile for part-time sales representatives, those who bring their own book of customers, or for transactions that pay large commissions.

According to the Department of Labor, commission-only employment are allowed in the United States as long as the employee’s income meets or exceeds the state’s minimum wage. In reality, 1099 contract sales representatives may not be eligible to minimum wage, and outside sales occupations may be excluded as well.

The following are some of the sectors where commission-only employment are common:

• Furniture and equipment sales are examples of large commercial or retail items.
• Roofing, solar, garage doors, and siding are all examples of large home renovation sales.
• Credit card processing and order management are examples of merchant services.
• B2B: Media advertising, office space leasing, or office equipment such as copiers are all examples of B2B.

While paying your salesman a basic wage will meet their financial necessities, it will not offer them with the sales motivation to work harder or create connections. These are often inbound sales roles, in which the sales agent accepts incoming calls and tries to complete transactions, but does not necessarily go out hunting for new customers. Average sales rep wages are about $45,000 per year, although this varies by region, and you may have to spend more to recruit a top-notch sales rep in your field.

Here are some examples of sectors where sales agents are often paid a basic salary:

• Sales of timeshares or holiday packages
• Sports medicine or a fitness center
• Contracts for software sales and servicing

Hourly wage in the $17–$20 range is more typical of sales rep occupations where the things being sold are of lesser cost but larger volume. For example, your soap company may engage a sales representative to assist consumers in selecting the finest products and smells. You may also hire a sales representative to work with you on weekends, selling artwork at craft fairs or tasting cuisine at the farmers market.

The following sectors are more likely to compensate your sales agent on an hourly basis:

• Clothing, gadgets, consumables, and gifts are sold by smaller stores.
• Cleaning, plumbing repairs, lawn maintenance, and pest control are examples of home services.
• Inbound sales of commercial services like window cleaning and office maintenance

If you’re not sure which sort of base compensation is ideal for your sales people, see our comparison of salary vs. hourly pay.

Bonuses are referred to as incentive compensation. It’s a monetary sum over and above your employee’s wage that is determined by a set of criteria. It’s used to motivate your sales agent to concentrate on selling a certain item or meeting a sales goal. You might, for example, give your retail furniture clerks a $50 incentive for every couch they sell. Bonus money is used by businesses of all types to encourage desirable selling habits or to boost specific product sales.

Here are some instances of why a bonus is appropriate:

• A incentive for every sale of an in-home water filtration system or a new HVAC system may be a good idea.
• Extra inventory: If your repair shop has excess inventory of a discontinued tire brand, you may pay sales staff a bonus each time that brand is sold.
• If your sales agent books 10 or more new customer demonstrations during a trade show, you can consider rewarding them with a $100 incentive.
• Consider holding sales rep contests with cash and prizes, such as a $1,000 all-expenses-paid weekend for top-producing sales representatives each quarter.

Base pay (salary or hourly) and performance pay are often combined in a sales rep’s compensation plan (bonus or commission). Two-thirds base pay and one-third incentive compensation is a popular combination. Because the sales cycle often begins with relationship building, it may take some time for your new sales professional to clinch a contract and receive a bonus or commission. They’ll need money to pay their expenses in the meanwhile.

Here are some examples of possible sales pay packages to persuade sales professionals to apply:

• Hourly + Bonus: To prevent any labor law breaches while they’re coming up to speed, you may want to guarantee your freshly recruited sales person minimum pay.
• Sales representatives who are expected to work a conventional 40-hour workweek at your location are typically given a basic pay plus incentives depending on success.
• Hourly + Commission: An inbound sales representative may be paid an hourly rate plus a commission for each sale made, such as $5 for each service appointment scheduled.
• A used car sales representative may be paid a basic salary plus a percentage commission for each vehicle sold, such as 20% of the profit.
• Salary + Commission + Bonus: If a sales person sells add-ons, such as warranties or underbody coatings, they may get a bonus in addition to their salary and commission.

Consider partnering with an HR consulting provider like Bambee to assist you build your sales representative pay package due to state-specific issues including minimum wage and overtime. Bambee’s HR consulting services start at $99 per month and may help business comply with federal and state labor requirements.

3. Advertise the Sales Rep position on a job board.

It’s time to advertise your job opening where job searchers can discover it after you’ve created your job description and decided how you’ll pay your sales rep. A job post and screening questions are usually the first steps.

Create a Captivating Job Ad

A sales rep job ad is a marketing tool to entice talented sales people to join your team. However, it also serves to provide enough information to help interested job seekers determine whether the job is a good fit for them. You can Create a Captivating Job Ad in a few simple steps:

• As a starting point, look at your sales rep job description.
• Keep your job ad short and sweet, and utilize bullets to make it simpler to read for job hunters.
• Include questions in your job advertising so that folks applying know exactly what you’re looking for.
• Make a list of your experience needs and categorize them as “must haves” or “recommended.”

Questionnaires for Pre-Screening

Online job boards like ZipRecruiter (seen below) enable you to include pre-screening questions to assist job searchers analyze their credentials before applying for a position. For example, you could want to inquire about the applicants’ years of selling experience, industry knowledge, or educational background. You may also automate the distribution of common and customized Questions to Ask in an Interview to people that apply for your position.

You can choose from ZipRecruiter’s list of questions or create your own, including multiple choice questions.

You may identify any question as a ‘deal-breaker’ on ZipRecruiter, and the system will automatically hide applicants who do not fulfill your criteria.

Check out our guide to the finest job posting sites for a list of top job boards where you may advertise your open sales rep position.

4. Review the Resumes of Applicants Who Have Responded to Your Job Ad

It’s critical to ensure that salesmen are capable of doing their duties before recruiting them. Furthermore, by promoting your brand, your sales person acts as the company’s face. As a result, it’s important to go through their applications and set up screening calls to see whether they suit your culture and style while still possessing the necessary work abilities.

Review Applications & Cover Letters

A CV and cover letter are often included to an online application by sales people. Many businesses won’t even consider an applicant who doesn’t attach these important papers or leaves holes on the application form. Examine the applicant’s job application, résumé, and cover letter to see whether they have the following:

• Working knowledge of your business or product line
• Prospecting and closing abilities are among the most basic selling talents.
• Communication abilities that are strong (including a resume and cover letter free of typos)
• Answers to any questions asked on the application that are satisfactory

Examine the applicant’s work history on the internet.

It’s a good idea to run a LinkedIn or internet search for the job applicant’s name to determine whether their social media profile matches what they’ve provided on their application, résumé, and cover letter. If it doesn’t match, you may want to disregard that candidate. According to Indeed, 40% of job applicants lie on their resumes.

Make appointments to speak with the best candidates.

Phone screening is a simple and fast approach to evaluate your top candidates. It’s usually a brief phone conversation during which you may get to know the job candidate, address any questions they may have, and gauge their actual interest in the position. Read our post on how to conduct a telephone screening interview for suggestions on what questions to ask.

5. Conduct interviews with the most promising sales representative candidates.

When recruiting a sales rep, one of the greatest methods to obtain a feel of the job seeker’s temperament and people skills is to do an in-person or video interview with your top three to five prospects. You’ll ask them questions regarding circumstances they’ve faced throughout the interview, such as how they overcame price issues or what to do when a customer says they need to gain their partner’s approval first.

You may schedule interviews, capture comments, and even make notes on which prospects look to be the most promising by utilizing an online job board with applicant tracking capabilities, such as ZipRecruiter.

Organizing an Interview

Organizing an Interview with a sales rep job applicant is often the most difficult part. Fortunately, there are new text and email scheduling apps available to help you manage multiple interviews and give your job candidates a choice in picking a time that works for them.

Questions to Ask in an Interview

Those wondering how to hire a sales rep are often curious about how to structure an interview or the types of Questions to Ask in an Interview to ask. Your Questions to Ask in an Interview should be focused on the job seeker’s interpersonal skills such as listening, as well as their sales experience. Candidates should be able to provide you with examples of how they interact with people and what kinds of sales they’ve done.

Keep in mind that some Questions to Ask in an Interview may violate state or federal labor law, such as asking about family or marital status, age, or criminal background. Below are several helpful guides to give you a starting point for what to ask and what to avoid.

Select an article How to Interview Someone in 5 Steps Best Questions to Ask in an Interview for Employers Illegal Questions to Ask in an Interview Behavioral Interviews

Scorecard for the Interview

A best practice to ensure fairness across all candidates and avoid discrimination is to use an Scorecard for the Interview to keep track of the feedback on each candidate. This is especially true if your sales reps are interviewed by more than one person, such as an HR rep or a department manager. We’ve provided several examples in our article on interview evaluation scorecards that you can download and customize for your sales rep interviews.

6. Put your job offer for a sales rep in writing.

It’s time to put your employment offer in writing after you’ve found the ideal applicant. Your sales rep job offer should have more information than just a start date and title; it should be detailed and include the job description as an attachment. Furthermore, the compensation amount and method of calculation should be stated in the job offer letter so that the sales representative knows how they will be compensated.

Consider ZipRecruiter if you want to use an applicant tracking system (ATS) that will help you create job offer templates and monitor everyone you’ve employed.

7. Hire & Onboard Your Sales Rep

Hiring may be straightforward if you utilize an applicant tracking system (ATS). You may send reminders to the candidates, as well as forms and papers for them to sign and examine. If you’re doing all of your recruiting in-house, develop a new hire checklist to ensure you don’t forget to collect your new sales rep’s W-4 tax withholding forms or I-9 documents.

Onboarding your new recruit will also need a certain level of sales training and assistance to guarantee their success. Assigning your new recruit a peer mentor or trainer to assist them adjust to their new job and learn best practices from a more experienced sales team member is a good option.

For a more in-depth look at how to get your new sales person up to speed, check out our sales onboarding guide.

Conclusion

When you hire a sales person, you must first determine what the sales rep will sell and how they will be rewarded. You may then advertise your sales rep position online and begin receiving applications after you’ve worked that out. The best applicant is then screened, interviewed, and chosen. Using an ATS automates these processes, saving you time when employing salespeople. Check out our sales management guide if you need assistance with other parts of sales.

Consider advertising your sales rep positions on ZipRecruiter to increase your chances of quickly recruiting sales representatives. It includes job description templates as well as application monitoring capabilities to help you find the best salespeople. Today is your chance to try it for free.

ZipRecruiter is a website where you may find jobs.

Hiring salespeople can be a difficult task. There are many steps to take, and it is important to have a plan in place before you start interviewing candidates. The “hiring sales reps” is a checklist that will help you with the process.

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