What to Look for in Hiring (in Sales)

I was discussing the subject of hiring with an executive at one of the top cancer genetics companies. We discussed what kind of key characteristics we should be looking for when hiring people in sales.

I started off my career at 3M Healthcare. 3M is a great company and hires a lot of super-smart PhD scientists. I still remember at one meeting, when a bunch of us PhD scientists were complaining about how easy life is for our colleagues in sales, the head of our business division, who is also a PhD scientist by training, said to us, “if you guys think sales is that easy, why don’t you pick up the sales bag and try to knock on doors every day?” Personally, I have taken on a lot of different roles in my career, spanning both technical and business sides; I have managed marketing and sales, hired and let go people in sales, and I now have more appreciation for what he said then. While every function is critical to the success of a business, sales carry a very unique weight and responsibility for the salesperson individually and the business overall. It really appears to me that people are either cut out for sales or they are not (and that is not because they are not smart or hardworking).

In sales, you are constantly seeking out new sales opportunities and deciding whether you are hunting or farming, or doing both at the same time. You get some great wins, but the reality is you are also constantly facing “rejections and losses” for various reasons. You have sales targets to meet to achieve your own financial rewards. If you are successful this year, the sales targets are probably going to be raised next year to support the business growth. Basically, you are carrying your own weight and the whole business on your back on this non-stop treadmill. If you stop or try to slow down, you fall off the treadmill.

So, what kind of key characteristics should you look for when hiring people in sales? While some of the basics are a given, such as hardworking, good people skills, and good communication skills, etc., I also look for some of the intangibles that can truly make a great salesperson:

1. Curiosity. Does the person have an innate curiosity and natural inquisitiveness so that they want to know as much as possible about the customer and the problem the customer is trying to solve? Sometimes a serendipitous question you asked during sales brings out new discoveries/insights and leads to new solutions.
2. Fast/agile learner (also related to #1). Adam Grant, Professor at Wharton and one of the most influential management thinkers said, “In hiring, it might be time to get rid of (the) experience requirement. Data (showed) past experience rarely predicts future performance.” So, look for people who have the motivation and ability to dive in and learn quickly, and trust that they will become THE expert in a short time, and as lifelong learners, they will be ready to handle new challenges and new unknowns.
3. A genuine desire to help others. Some people go into sales because they think they can earn big money there. But successful salespeople know that when they are really trying to help their customers in problem-solving, they become a resource, a partner, and even a friend for their customers, and this is when you have won the customer’s trust and business for a long time to come.
4. Having the mental toughness of a pro athlete. Just like the best professional athlete is not going to win every race and game, even the most successful salespeople are not going to win every sale or deal. You are going to get a lot of "no's", and it is always tough to lose a big sale, especially when you have worked very hard on it. The ability to handle rejections and pick yourself up quickly after a loss and the toughness to get into the next race or climb back into that boxing ring are critical in sales.

Lastly, when I interview candidates, I usually save one question for the end of the interview. I would ask a candidate what is the most recent book they have read and what interested them about that book. What people choose to read and what they get out of it can tell you very quickly about #1 and #2 above and a few other things. Personally, I am a voracious reader (by using Audible so that I can utilize the time that would otherwise be “wasted”). But of course, I understand people have hobbies and interests other than reading. So, if a candidate said he or she has not read any book recently, I would not take off any points for that. After all, we are not hiring writers, right? :-)

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