We learnt these lessons in sales hiring while building one of the fastest-growing start-ups in India.

1. 10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT
IN A FAST GROWING START-UP
SAURABH SENGUPTA
SALES DESIGNER

2. STOP LOOKING FOR “ROCKSTARS” SALES REPS ON
THE FRONTLINE
SELLING IS NOT TAUGHT IN GRAD SCHOOL OR B-SCHOOL. HIGHLY LIKELY THAT
THEY WEREN’T TRAINED IN SELLING IN THE PREVIOUS JOBS.
JUST LOOK FOR SINCERE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESILIENT AND HAVE BEEN IN A
SALES JOB BEFORE. AND THEN TRAIN THEM TO THRIVE IN YOUR SYSTEM.
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

3. IF YOU HAVE A BUDGET OF 1 RUPEE,
HIRE 2 REPS FOR 50 PAISE EACH
RATHER THAN 4 REPS FOR 25 PAISE
MOTHER OF “COUNTER-INTUITIVENESS”.
MORE IS NOT MERRIER ON THE FRONTLINE. ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE SELLING
A MODERN, DISRUPTIVE PRODUCT. AND THE COMPANY IS IN EARLY TO MID-
STAGE.
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

4. THE AVERAGE RECRUITER RELIES TOO MUCH ON
THEIR GOD GIFTED “GUT-FEEL” TO HIRE SALES REPS
RECRUITER’S “GUT-FEEL” DOES NOT SCALE. THE HIRING PROCESS HAS TO BE
DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT IT CAN BE REPLICATED ANYWHERE AND BY ANYONE.
ALSO, RELYING SOLELY ON INTERVIEWS TO HIRE SALES REPS WILL COST YOU
MANY GREAT HIRES.
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

5. RECRUITMENT IS SALES
IT’S A DEMAND > SUPPLY MARKET WHEN IT COMES TO FRONTLINE SALES REPS.
A SALES REP’S FIRST LOVE IS USUALLY THE PRODUCT. TALK ABOUT WHY BUYERS BUY YOUR PRODUCT,
WHAT THEY LIKE AND WHAT THEY DON’T. THAT EXCITES SALESPEOPLE.
NOTE: SALES REPS CAN SEE THROUGH WISHY-WASHY TALK ON ORGANIZATION CULTURE. THEY READ
YOUR GLASSDOOR PAGE BEFORE INTERVIEWING.
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

6. (FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE)
STOP ASKING CANDIDATES TO SELL YOU A PEN
OR OTHER 20TH CENTURY INTERVIEW PRACTICES.
THERE’S PLENTY OF LITERATURE AVAILABLE ON PREDICTIVE SALES
HIRING METHODS. USE THEM.
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

7. DON’T EVALUATE A CANDIDATE’S NEGOTIATION
SKILLS WHEN THEY NEGOTIATE FOR COMPENSATION
YOU’D RATHER TEST THAT WITH A ROLE-PLAY WHICH IS MORE PREDICTIVE.
ALSO, THEY ARE GOING TO BARGAIN HARD TO MAXIMISE THEIR FIXED
COMPONENT IRRESPECTIVE OF THE VARIABLE COMPONENT. SURVIVAL
INSTINCT AT WORK. DEAL WITH IT.
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

8. YES, THERE’S A DEARTH OF QUALITY SALES TALENT
IN OUR COUNTRY
AND IT’S NOT THE CANDIDATE’S FAULT.
ARE YOU GOING TO CRIB ABOUT IT? OR DEAL WITH IT? DECIDE. YOU HAVE A BUSINESS TO
RUN.
HIRING SALES REPS TODAY IS A “BUY-THEN-MAKE” DECISION. INVEST IN TRAINING THEM.
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

9. THE AVERAGE RECRUITER CAN’T DEAL WITH THE
ASSERTIVENESS OF SALES REPS
BE WARY BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE TERMED AS “ARROGANCE”.
BE SURE TO CHECK WHO THEY ARE REJECTING. DON’T BLINDLY TAKE
THEIR WORD FOR IT.
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

10. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS AN ACCOMPLISHED
SALES LEADER DOESN’T MEAN THEY ARE GOOD AT
HIRING
HIRING REQUIRES “SELLING” AND “BUYING” SKILLS. MOST PEOPLE ARE ONLY
GOOD AT ONE. BUILDING BOTH SKILLS TAKES PRACTICE.
TRAIN YOUR HIRING MANAGERS AS HARD ON INTERVIEWING AS ON SALES
PITCHES.
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

11. MILLENNIALS AND GEN-Z ARE OKAY WITH BREAKS
BETWEEN JOBS
IF YOU JUDGE THEM FOR IT, YOU MIGHT BE MISSING OUT ON SOME
AMAZING TALENT
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10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER

12. SALES DESIGN INC.
WE CONDUCT WORKSHOPS ON DESIGNING YOUR SALES HIRING PROCESS FOR SCALE
SAURABH@SALESDESIGN.CO.IN
10 SALES HIRING LESSONS WE LEARNT IN A FAST GROWING START-UP SAURABH SENGUPTA, SALES DESIGNER