Most CEOs, sales leaders, and even sales reps don’t fully realize that the top priority in achieving your sales quotas and forecasts—whether for the board or your VCs—is mastering the recruiting process. It’s the foundation upon which your entire organization rests.
The Importance of Owning Your Hiring Process
As the CEO, founder, or sales manager—whether you’re the first one brought in or leading multiple teams—it’s essential to reflect on your current hiring process. More importantly, you need to define what it is not. Too many leaders mistakenly look for candidates who mirror themselves—people they can go to games or dinners with, instead of focusing on what truly matters for the business.
Step 1: Evaluate the Resume
The first and most important thing to examine is the candidate’s trajectory. Whether it’s in their academic pursuits, sports, or past jobs, you need to see if they excel in what they commit to. Do they show a pattern of growth and success?
Keep an eye on their job tenures—anything less than two years should be a red flag. Longevity matters because it indicates loyalty and resilience, which are critical in a sales role.
Step 2: Assess Their Skills
Once you’ve reviewed their resume, shift focus to their skills. For experienced sales professionals, I recommend evaluating three core areas:
Cold Calling: Have the candidate cold call you, pretending you are their ideal buyer. Assess how they handle objections.
Discovery Calls: Ask them to conduct a discovery call with you, again with you as their ideal buyer.
Closing Skills: In a mock closing meeting, see how they respond when you initially show interest but then hesitate to move forward.
This hands-on assessment gives you insight into their real-world abilities and how they handle crucial sales moments.
Note: What Doesn't Matter
Many companies focus on irrelevant factors such as charisma or extroversion, which are often exaggerated in importance. In truth, these qualities are not essential to a successful sales career. By prioritizing skills and proven performance, you’ll avoid being swayed by characteristics that don’t contribute to success.
Step 3: Empower the Right People
Another mistake companies often make is letting unqualified team members make critical hiring decisions. Directors who don’t know how to build or lead teams may end up making poor hiring choices. Instead, give hiring authority to those who have a proven track record of recruiting success. While it’s important to empower your managers, ensure they are equipped with the skills needed to make sound decisions.
Step 4: Streamline Your Process
Create alignment within your organization by establishing a simple, two-step interview process:
Resume Review: Focus on the candidate’s story and trajectory.
Skills Review: Ensure they can perform the tasks needed for the role.
Once these steps are complete, make your hiring decision. Present your process to everyone involved and commit to having offers out within two weeks of the first interview. This minimizes delays and ensures you stay competitive in the market.
We understand this takes a lot of time. DataBased specializes in helping founders and leaders get top sales talent hired and selling fast, so they can focus on other aspects of the business.
Have DataBased find your next sales hire
Final Thoughts
By clarifying what matters, who makes decisions, and how the process should flow, you’ll create a hiring system that works efficiently and effectively. This approach empowers you to hit your recruiting goals, hire the right people, and ultimately, grow your organization.
If you’re an early-stage founder, first-time sales manager, or director, take charge of your hiring process. It’s the key to building a successful and sustainable team.
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