“We’d like a salesperson who would climbs back in through the window if they’re thrown out the door.”
This is a very typical answer to the question, what kind of salesperson does the company need. Truth is, recruiting in sales is never one-size-fits-all. You wouldn’t compare someone selling pension plans in a shopping mall to someone closing enterprise CRM deals. Yet many still treat “sales” as one generic category. That’s why I wanted to highlight a few thoughts shared by Priit Suitslepp, Managing Partner and experienced recruiter at Southwestern Recruitment. With nearly 19 years of hands-on sales and recruitment experience, Priit knows what truly matters when recruiting in sales.
Here are 5 key criteria he and his team follow when evaluating candidates:
1. Length of the sales cycle
Some thrive in fast, transactional environments. Others are built for longer processes. Selling in a shopping centre takes 10 minutes. Selling to a corporation? That can take months—sometimes years. When recruiting in sales, understanding what kind of cycle a person is used to matters a lot.
2. Who is the decision-maker?
Is the salesperson used to dealing with everyday consumers—or company executives? Selling to a CEO in a 500-person company is not the same as selling to a department manager in a small business. This difference plays a big role when recruiting in sales.
3. Inbound vs outbound
Some salespeople are used to warm leads. Others generate their own. Cold outreach requires a different mindset and skill set. When recruiting in sales, you must clarify whether you’re looking for a closer or a prospector—or ideally, both.
4. Selling a known vs unknown product
Priit makes a great point: it’s easier to sell an Apple laptop than a Chuwi. Famous brands come with trust. Unknown products don’t. When recruiting in sales, always ask what kind of product the person sold—and how well-known it was.
5. Selling price or quality
Is the salesperson used to pushing high value or low cost? Selling BMWs is different than selling Dacias. One focuses on performance and comfort, the other on affordability. This mindset matters when recruiting in sales—because it affects how the salesperson positions value.
Beyond these 5 criteria, Priit also highlights a few things that are often overlooked:
- Don’t hire someone who’s only motivated by money
- Good salespeople sell themselves well—but that doesn’t always mean they’ll perform
- Always assess cultural fit and manager alignment
Because at the end of the day, people don’t leave companies—they leave managers.
If recruiting in sales feels complex, it’s because it is. But with the right partner, it doesn’t have to be. If you’d like support finding strong, motivated salespeople—reach out to Southwestern Recruitment or connect with Priit directly.
About Southwestern Recruitment
Southwestern Recruitment is a recruiting agency whose mission is to connect ambitious companies with specialists and leaders in Estonia, Latvia, Poland, and elsewhere. Their team consists of highly skilled professionals, each focused on their area of expertise. SWR’s strategy is based on the 40 years of targeted search experience of their sister company, ThinkingAhead, which has also been recognized by Forbes.
