What Today’s Recruiters Look For in a Sales Manager

If you’re looking to land a sales manager job in this tough economy, you better know what today’s recruiters are looking for before you apply. You can no longer get away with just spouting industry or trade jargon, or simply touting your years of experience selling “X,Y or Z.”  Nor is it sufficient to promise to bring over some clients to the new company. 

The rules have changed. Here’s what today’s recruiters are looking for:

Specialized, transferable skills. You’ll need to demonstrate your leadership and managerial skills, skills that are the result of formal training and experience—specifically as a sales manager. 

Ability to recognize & hire sales talent. The most successful sales managers are always on the lookout for strong sales talent. Can you screen sales candidates? Do you know the difference between required and desired attributes? Do you have a proven process for evaluating candidates? In short, can you assemble the right team?

Rainmakers vs. process.  You can’t just rely on a single  rainmaker to bring in the “whales.” If the rainmaker leaves, your sales will nosedive and you and the company will suffer. Today’s economy demands sales managers who know how to set up a process or sales model, one that’s not dependent on any single person. This paradigm is what works consistently to bring in sales. You should have a demonstrated track record of setting up and managing that process.

Bringing new talent up to speed. Do have a strategy and proven track record for turning new sales people into producers?  How do you measure a new salesperson’s ramp-up to revenue generating contributor?  Do you have a plan for developing a sales team’s skills? How have you handled underperformers? How have you challenged overachievers to continue their winning streaks? 

Managing with metrics. You’ll need to demonstrate how to use industry yardsticks to measure performance, and how you’ve used data at your disposal to adjust for changing business trends.  

Compensation plan. Can you structure a compensation plan that works for your company and inspires a sales team? Which behaviors do you reward? And what procedures do you use to deliver those rewards?

Strong leadership skills. Can you create an environment that inspires your team to follow you and your program? Do you have the leadership skills to retain really strong performers? 

These are just some of the questions you should be prepared to answer during your job interview. It’s a tough job market out there and recruiters  are angling for the very best candidate.