Hiring managers often get caught up in the search for the “perfect” candidate for their enterprise software sales positions, which is almost like getting caught up in the search for a needle in a haystack. You may get lucky once in a while, but the odds of finding a candidate who meets 100 percent of your expectations is next to impossible.

Leaving a job vacant while hoping for the perfect candidate to arrive is an expensive mistake. It forces existing staff members to shoulder the brunt of the extra work, and it means spending more money on – often futile – recruitment strategies.

The harsh reality is often difficult to hear: top salespeople are employed. They either have jobs that they love, or they searched for a job and found one quickly.  In order to attract the right people, who are not only good at their jobs but who fit in with the existing team, hiring managers must abandon the notion of the “perfect” candidate and focus on improving their existing recruiting processes.

Build a Talent Pipeline

Just as your sales team must have a pipeline of incoming business, hiring teams must have a pipeline of potential new candidates. Don’t wait until a job opening appears to try and build a talent network. Start today. Get out to professional networking events and join groups on LinkedIn. Develop an employee referral program. Do whatever you have to in order to start making new connections with professionals who could become potential candidates down the line when a position opens up.

Focus on Training and Development

Not every new hire will have all of the skills you’re looking for in an enterprise software salesperson. Investing in their ongoing training and development can help you create the ideal employee over time. Training and development also helps you improve your retention rates.  When you show an interest in helping your current sales staff grow and develop as professionals, they will be less likely to leave. Employees who understand where they fit in to the big picture are more engaged with their jobs.

Understand the Marketplace

Many employers slap job postings on major websites and hope that the perfect candidate will see it, respond to it, and land in their lap. This rarely happens. Hiring managers must understand what is going on in the marketplace at all times. They have to know how high demand is, so they know how many hours to devote to the candidate search. They have to know where top sales talent hangs out online and in person, and they need to be there. They also need to have a firm grasp on the salary and benefits packages that others in the enterprise software niche are offering so that they are sure to remain competitive.

Developing a Strong Recruiting Strategy Takes Time – And Good Partners

Most hiring teams don’t have the time to overhaul their recruiting process to help them attract high-quality candidates with each opening, and every vacant sales position means lost revenue for the organization.  A strategic staffing partnership can help enterprise software companies recruit and retain a strong sales team.  Strategic Search Solutions knows enterprise software sales. We are a niche firm, which means we have immersed ourselves in the industry. We have cultivated a strong pipeline of candidates, we understand the marketplace, and we can help you develop strategies to keep talented salespeople on board once you’ve made a hiring decision.  For more information on our proven processes, we invite you to contact us today.