Hiring a Sales Team - Tips to Build a Phenomenal Crew - Incentivate [![Incentivate Solutions](/_astro/incentivate-logo.width-1000_ZTXoYm.webp)](/) * Platform * [Incentive Compensation Software®](/incentive_compensation_software/) * [Sales Performance Reporting®](/sales-performance-reporting/) * [Incentivate Sales Planning Ecosystem®](/sales-planning-ecosystem/) * [Incentivate Quota Intelligence Framework®](/quota-planning-and-governance) * [Incentivate Dealer Scheme Automation System®](/dealer-schemes-&-discount-automation/) * [Incentivate Channel Commission Engine®](/channel-partner-commission-management/) * Solutions * [By Role](/incentive-solutions-by-role/) * [Sales Operations](/role/sales-operations/) * [Sales](/role/sales/) * [Finance](/role/finance-accounting/) * [HR](/role/human-resources-performance-management/) * [By Industry](/incentive-solutions-by-industry/) * [Software Solutions & Services](/industry-pages/software-solutions-and-services/) * [Retail](/industry-pages/retail-incentives-software/) * [Medical Devices](/industry-pages/medical-devices-sales-compensation-software/) * [Insurance](/industry-pages/insurance-incentives-and-commissions/) * [Insurance Brokers](/industry-pages/incentive-management-for-insurance-brokers/) * [NBFC](/industry-pages/unraveling-incentive-complexities-in-nbfcs/) * [Financial Services](/industry-pages/financial-services-incentives-management/) * [Distribution](/industry-pages/distribution/) * [Cybersecurity](/industry-pages/cybersecurity/) * [Machinery Manufacturing](/industry-pages/incentive-management-for-industrial-engineering-excellence/) * Resources * Tools * [ROI Calculator](/roi_calculator/) * [Sales Commission Calculator](/commission-calculator/) * [Sales Compensation Analytics Dashboard](/compensation-analytics-dashboard/) * [Total Compensation Calculator](/total-compensation-calculator/) * [Sales Growth Calculator](/sales-growth-calculator/) * [Tiered Commission Calculator](/tiered-commission-calculator/) * [Media](/media/) * [Blog](/blogs/) * [Success Stories](/success-stories/) * [Podcast](/podcasts-sales-commission-management/) * [Cheatsheets](/cheatsheets/) * [Video Hub](/video-hub/) * [Incentivate Workflows](/video-hub/incentivate-workflows/) * [Insurance Advisor Dashboard](/video-hub/insurance-advisor-dashboard/) * [Sales Rep Dashboard](/video-hub/sales-rep-dashboard/) * [Job Scheduling](/video-hub/job-scheduling/) * [Upload](/video-hub/upload/) * [Tables](/video-hub/tables/) * [Processes](/video-hub/processes/) * [Periods](/video-hub/periods/) * [Parameters](/video-hub/parameters/) * [Incentive Glossary](/glossary/) * About * [Our Team](/our-team/) * [About](/about/) * [Partners](/partners) * [Why us?](/why-us/) * [Contact](/contact/) [Request Demo](/book-a-meeting/) Open main menu Platform [Incentive Compensation Software®](/incentive_compensation_software/) [Sales Performance Reporting®](/sales-performance-reporting/) [Incentivate Sales Planning Ecosystem®](/sales-planning-ecosystem/) [Incentivate Quota Intelligence Framework®](/quota-planning-and-governance) [Incentivate Dealer Scheme Automation System®](/dealer-schemes-&-discount-automation/) [Incentivate Channel Commission Engine®](/channel-partner-commission-management/) Solutions [By Role](/incentive-solutions-by-role/) [Sales Operations](/role/sales-operations/)[Sales](/role/sales/)[Finance](/role/finance-accounting/)[HR](/role/human-resources-performance-management/) [By Industry](/incentive-solutions-by-industry/) [Software Solutions & Services](/industry-pages/software-solutions-and-services/)[Retail](/industry-pages/retail-incentives-software/)[Medical Devices](/industry-pages/medical-devices-sales-compensation-software/)[Insurance](/industry-pages/insurance-incentives-and-commissions/)[Insurance Brokers](/industry-pages/incentive-management-for-insurance-brokers/)[NBFC](/industry-pages/unraveling-incentive-complexities-in-nbfcs/)[Financial Services](/industry-pages/financial-services-incentives-management/)[Distribution](/industry-pages/distribution/)[Cybersecurity](/industry-pages/cybersecurity/)[Machinery Manufacturing](/industry-pages/incentive-management-for-industrial-engineering-excellence/) Resources Tools [ROI Calculator](/roi_calculator/)[Sales Commission Calculator](/commission-calculator/)[Sales Compensation Analytics Dashboard](/compensation-analytics-dashboard/)[Total Compensation Calculator](/total-compensation-calculator/)[Sales Growth Calculator](/sales-growth-calculator/)[Tiered Commission Calculator](/tiered-commission-calculator/) [Media](/media/) [Blog](/blogs/) [Success Stories](/success-stories/) [Podcast](/podcasts-sales-commission-management/) [Cheatsheets](/cheatsheets/) [Video Hub](/video-hub/) [Incentivate Workflows](/video-hub/incentivate-workflows/)[Insurance Advisor Dashboard](/video-hub/insurance-advisor-dashboard/)[Sales Rep Dashboard](/video-hub/sales-rep-dashboard/)[Job Scheduling](/video-hub/job-scheduling/)[Upload](/video-hub/upload/)[Tables](/video-hub/tables/)[Processes](/video-hub/processes/)[Periods](/video-hub/periods/)[Parameters](/video-hub/parameters/) [Incentive Glossary](/glossary/) About [Our Team](/our-team/) [About](/about/) [Partners](/partners) [Why us?](/why-us/) [Contact](/contact/) [Request Demo](/book-a-meeting/) Table of Contents * [Introduction](#ivcc9) * [When to hire](#26326) * [How and Who to Hire](#2349e) * [Focus more on Skills than Experience](#6384b) * [Develop an Interviewing Strategy](#96a37) * [Sales Assessment Tests](#8b9a4) * [To Conclude](#4c31e) ## Subscribe to our newsletter! Sign Up Recent Posts [ ![](/_astro/Incentive_Documentation_-_Tatiana.width-1000_ZvQGKI.webp) Why Incentive Plan Documentation Deserves More Attention Learn why incentive plan documentation is critical for accurate payouts, compliance, and trust. Discover how clear compensation plans prevent costly errors and hidden gaps. ](/blogs/why-incentive-plan-documentation-deserves-more-attention/)[ ![](/_astro/Bettina_-_Quota_Maintenance.width-1000_ZzGkLM.webp) Quota Planning Is Not a One-Off Exercise: Why Ongoing Quota Maintenance Is Your Hidden Growth Lever Sales organizations focus on setting quotas, but it's in maintaining them that real impact happens. Discover how continuous quota management improves visibility, alignment, and revenue performance. ](/blogs/quota-planning-is-not-a-one-off-exercise-why-ongoing-quota-maintenance-is-your-hidden-growth-lever/)[ ![](/_astro/How_Self-Management_Provides_Leverage_to_Ince.width-1000_dJrxFxY_Z1eJNFm.webp) AI Nudges vs Human Judgment: Striking the Right Balance in Sales Compensation How sales organizations can balance AI-driven nudges with human judgment to design fair, adaptive, and effective compensation plans. ](/blogs/ai-nudges-vs-human-judgment-striking-the-right-balance-in-sales-compensation/)[ ![](/_astro/What_Is_Total_Compensation_And_How_Is_It_Calc.width-1000_1Stnd1.webp) DIY Operations vs. IT Dependence: What Modern GCCs Expect from Enterprise Systems As GCCs scale, leaders expect systems that reduce IT dependence and enable faster, self-serve operations across teams. ](/blogs/diy-operations-vs-it-dependence-what-modern-gccs-expect-from-enterprise-systems/)[ ![](/_astro/GCC_Teams_Dont_Break_Incentives_They_Inherit_.width-1000_1rIHD5.webp) GCC Teams Don’t Break Incentives, They Inherit Broken Systems GCC teams don’t fail incentive programs, broken systems do. Learn why legacy processes, not people, cause incentive breakdowns. ](/blogs/gcc-teams-dont-break-incentives-they-inherit-broken-systems/) # How To Hire a Phenomenal Sales Team * [Sujeet Pillai](/authors/sujeet-pillai/) * Apr 14, 2021 * 4 min read * Last updated on Feb 13, 2026 ## **Introduction** In any industry and every business, salespeople are a vital asset. There are certain times in your business when you may need to add more reps to your sales team. But hiring is an important decision, and there are trends and factors to consider when bringing on new sales hires to build your ideal sales team. ## **When to hire** When you get to a point in your business where you can’t hit your sales goals, it might be time to hire sales reps. However, before beginning the hiring process, remember that the backbone of any successful sales hiring strategy is for team leaders to ensure it's the right time to hire. Many organizations struggle with the best time to hire a sales professional. If your sales are strong and your **business is expanding,** you may set new objectives and targets that are beyond your current team's capabilities. If that's the case, now is the time to build a sales team that is capable of handling the sales function of your business. Also, keep an eye out for progress from your initial sales reps. Have things become stagnant? Are your **current reps struggling?** If so, new salespeople can bring fresh energy to your sales team and support them. If you see good results from this, you can consider replacing some extremely underperforming sales reps by adding more fresh faces to your team. Do your company’s sales projections look strong? If your company is seeing **growth projections,** it is crucial that you strike while the iron is hot by ensuring that you have enough members in your sales team. Hiring when your company is growing corroborates that you can competently meet sales demand, offer quality services, and close as many new deals as possible. Once you have identified when to hire sales representatives, the next step is to know: ## **How and Who to Hire** ### **Identify the Job Profile** This is the foremost task you should do in the hiring process. Start by building an overview of the job profile for the salesperson you want to bring to the team. This outlines the job's key responsibilities, required skills and experience, and the employee's personality. It is the job profile that will uncover whether the candidates are an ideal fit for the role ### **Candidate Screening** Now that you have your job profile ready, it’s time to dive a little deeper and start candidate screening. Research says that the [primary cause of poor performance and turnover is poor job](https://hbr.org/2015/11/the-best-ways-to-hire-salespeople) fit. Hence, here’s what to look for when hiring: * **Behavior:** Always remember that great salespeople are relationship builders between your company and your customers. They have a direct connection with the prospects. Hence, it is important to focus on the nature and behavior of the candidate you choose. * **Market Experience:** Does the candidate have enough market experience within your field? Your first salesperson should have experience, as he/ she will be entirely responsible for forming your sales processes and culture - and you definitely want someone who has done this before! * **Resourcefulness:** In sales, the one quality that comes most handy is resourcefulness. Find someone with the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties during sales and who can think outside the box. * **Coachability:** A coachable rep has an internal motivation to improve and do better. Here is a checklist you can use to determine how coachable your candidate is: Humble, follows instructions well, hungry for feedback, and has the ability to act on the feedback. * **Teamwork:** TEAM stands for "Together Everyone Achieves More." Likewise, a sales team can only meet its target if every team member works toward the goal as a team. If a rep is hesitant or selfish to share information or sales tips with other members, you’re going to have a problem. So, choose wisely! Once you align these attributes with your specific job profile, you will have an easier time determining your perfect candidate for the sales rep’s role. ## **Focus more on Skills than Experience** While experience matters, it is not the only factor to consider in recruitment. There are [other things that matter more than experience](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswestfall/2019/12/23/why-these-3-things-matter-more-than-experience-in-the-job-interview-process/) in a job interview. One of them is skills. A highly skilled person can adapt to different situations easily, so experience becomes less relevant relative to their skills. Hence, when you reach out to candidates, don’t let their experience keep you from seeing their other skills. ## Develop an Interviewing Strategy Develop an interview strategy that includes a range of questions and techniques. It should be relevant to your job profile so you can measure your candidate’s unique traits that might be a good fit for your company. [According to a research report](https://www.brandonhall.com/blogs/eliminate-the-cost-of-a-bad-hire-it-might-be-easier-than-you-think/), 69% of companies cited a broken, non-standardized interview process as the primary reason they were unable to hire quality reps. Hence, through the interview process, gain a better understanding of their goals, interests, and approach to sales. ## Sales Assessment Tests Before sending an offer letter to any candidate, the last but most important step is to assess their abilities. Even though a candidate may appear good in an interview, nothing shows their true capabilities like a real-life test. Put them through sales assessment tests. This can validate their demonstrated traits and skills. Considering the cost of making a bad hire, it’s best to do this before signing the contract. ## To Conclude Understanding the need for a sales team within your company and defining a strong job profile are the best first steps. You have to remember that this is both tough and time-consuming, and cannot happen overnight. Thus, hire candidates who you know will make a difference in the long run for your organization. **So, Ready to start hiring?** _"A proficient, well-behaved sales team is a company’s most significant asset - and an incompetent one its biggest liability."_ [ Schedule a Demo ](https://incentivatesolutions.com/schedule-a-demo/) ## About Author ![](/_astro/Sujeet_Pillai_1_CsSqCeL.width-300_OBCJ7.webp) Sujeet Pillai [](/authors/sujeet-pillai/)[](https://twitter.com/sujeetpillai) As an experienced polymath, I seamlessly blend my understanding of business, technology, and science. ## Subscribe to our newsletter! Sign Up [![logo](/img_astro/incentivate-white.svg)](https://incentivatesolutions.com/) [](https://www.facebook.com/IncentivateS)[](https://twitter.com/IncentivateS)[](https://www.linkedin.com/company/incentivatesolutions/) 3 Germay Dr, Unit 4 #1947, Wilmington DE 19804 \+ 1 724 6480558 Office No.201B, 2nd Floor, Beta-1, Giga Space IT Park, Viman Nagar, Pune - 411014, Maharashtra, India +91 88206 02697 info@incentivate.in Platform [Automated Incentives](https://incentivatesolutions.com/sales-commission-software/) [AI Guided Coaching](https://incentivatesolutions.com/ai-guided-coaching-in-incentives/) [Performance 360](https://incentivatesolutions.com/sales-performance-reporting/) Solutions [Sales Operations](https://incentivatesolutions.com/role/sales-operations/) [Sales Team Leadership](https://incentivatesolutions.com/sales/) [Finance](https://incentivatesolutions.com/finance-accounting/) [Human Resources](https://incentivatesolutions.com/role/human-resources-performance-management/) [For Insurance](https://incentivatesolutions.com/industry-pages/insurance-incentives-and-commissions/) [For Retail](https://incentivatesolutions.com/industry-pages/retail-incentives-software/) [For SaaS](https://incentivatesolutions.com/industry-pages/saas-commission-software/) [For Medical Devices](https://incentivatesolutions.com/industry-pages/medical-devices-sales-compensation-software/) [For Financial Services](https://incentivatesolutions.com/industry-pages/financial-services-incentives-management/) Why Us? [Why businesses prefer Incentivate over other solutions](https://incentivatesolutions.com/why-us/) Customers [Our Customers](https://incentivatesolutions.com/customers) Insights [Blog](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/) [Glossary](https://incentivatesolutions.com/glossary) [Case Studies](https://incentivatesolutions.com/success-stories/) Company [About](https://incentivatesolutions.com/about) [Careers](https://incentivatesolutions.com/careers) [Get in Touch](https://incentivatesolutions.com/contact/) Get Started [Request a Demo](https://incentivatesolutions.com/sales/) [Talk to Sales](https://incentivatesolutions.com/contact/) Pages [Collection Incentives](https://incentivatesolutions.com/collections-based-incentives/) [Agency Channel](https://incentivatesolutions.com/improve-your-agency-channel-performance/) [Incentive Compensation Software](https://incentivatesolutions.com/incentive_compensation_software/) [Commission Calculator](https://incentivatesolutions.com/commission-calculator/) [Sales Reporting Software](https://incentivatesolutions.com/sales-reporting-software/) [Sales Performance Software](https://incentivatesolutions.com/sales-performance-management-software/) [Compensation Analytics Dashboard](https://incentivatesolutions.com/compensation-analytics-dashboard/) [Tiered Commission Calculator](https://incentivatesolutions.com/tiered-commission-calculator/) [Total Compensation Calculator](https://incentivatesolutions.com/total-compensation-calculator/) [Sales Growth Calculator](https://incentivatesolutions.com/sales-growth-calculator/) Learn [On Target Earnings](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/a-to-z-of-on-target-earnings-ote/) [Commission Pay](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/what-is-commission-pay-and-how-does-it-work/) [Sales Quotas](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/what-are-the-types-of-sales-quotas/) [Variable Pay](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/the-complete-guide-on-variable-pay/) [Top-down vs Bottom-up Approach](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/top-down-vs-bottom-up-approach-which-goal-setting-method-works-best/)   [MBO Bonus](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/the-mbo-bonus-definition-examples-and-tips/) [Spiff Program](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/whats-a-spiff-program-definition-examples-when-to-use-dos-and-donts/) [Sales Force Effectiveness](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/importance-of-sales-force-effectiveness-and-how-to-measure-it/) [Sales Commission Structures](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/8-most-common-sales-commission-structures/) [Individual Incentive Plans](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/individual-incentive-plans-pros-and-cons-of-individual-incentive-plans/)   [SaaS Sales Compensation Plan](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/guide-to-saas-sales-compensation-plan/) [Group Incentive Plans](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/group-incentive-plans-types-examples-and-suitability/) [Distributor Incentives](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/how-to-incentivize-distributors/) [Payout Curve](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/a-guide-to-design-payout-curve/) [Cash vs Non-cash Incentives](https://incentivatesolutions.com/blogs/cash-vs-non-cash-incentives-all-you-need-to-know/) © 2026 Incentivate. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy](https://incentivatesolutions.com/privacy-policy) | [Sitemap](/sitemap/) We use cookies We use cookies to improve site. Some cookies are necessary for our website and services to function properly. Other cookies are optional and help personalize your experience, including advertising and analytics.You can consent to all cookies or decline all optional cookies. Without a selection, our default cookie settings will apply. I agree I decline