Sales Job Descriptions

When hiring for explicit sales roles, it’s important for you to understand your own sales process and how your customers buy from you.  With that information, you can be sure to target sales professionals likely to excel in your environment and exceed your sales goals.  Remember that different sales roles do require different skill sets and expertise.  Business development reps or inside sales reps are likely following a phone-based sales model while account executives andley account managers may be much more involved in a consultative, solution approach.  Sales management or specialty roles like sales engineers typically require specific expertise in sales training and product-specific or industry-specific knowledge.

For many sales jobs, whether tele-sales based, local or travel-based, you’ll want to target individuals with prior, quantifiable sales experience.  While applicants may come from different sectors or have followed different sales methodologies, strong candidates should be able to share how they can bring their skills to your specific markets.  In your sales job descriptions, be clear about the type of sales role as similar titles can mean different things in different industries and different companies.  For companies offering a technical product offering or targeted to a specific corporate buyer, be clear with the level of technical or industry knowledge that’s necessary for the role.  Regardless, focus on those candidates that can demonstrate strong communication, presentation and negotiation skills.  Build your job description that highlights the unique aspect of the sales opportunity that will excite the applicant.