There is no shortage of candidates, yet finding good salespeople remains a complex task, particularly when recruiting junior profiles. Why is it so challenging? Perhaps the skills of these young candidates no longer align with today’s expectations? The role of a salesperson has undeniably evolved over the past 10 to 15 years.
Nowadays, a junior salesperson must be proficient in digital tools such as CRMs, master social media, and personalise their client approach. They must also be comfortable with remote selling, data analysis, and even content creation to enhance their professional image. In other words, alongside new behavioural skills, advanced technical knowledge, marketing expertise, and strong communication abilities are now essential.
The real challenge for businesses? Attracting and retaining these versatile profiles while adapting to the expectations of this new generation. Here are some key strategies to achieve this.
Understanding the New Generation’s Needs to Attract Them More Effectively
Junior sales professionals have different expectations from the previous generation. To attract these profiles, businesses must understand their needs and craft an offer that resonates with them. While salary remains an important factor, it is not the only one. These young professionals seek a flexible work environment, opportunities for development, and roles that offer a sense of purpose. More than ever, they value work-life balance and well-being. They expect a supportive workplace that recognises their efforts and is led by empathetic and people-oriented management.
To attract these candidates, companies must rethink how they engage them, creating job offers that highlight these human aspects. It is as important to emphasise the quality of the role as the environment in which it will be carried out. To enhance visibility, companies should also explore alternative recruitment channels, particularly social media platforms frequented by this generation.
Adopting a Comprehensive Assessment Approach for Junior Sales Candidates
Many businesses still rely too heavily on academic qualifications when recruiting salespeople, overlooking candidates with non-traditional backgrounds but valuable new skills. There is often too much emphasis on technical competencies, which can always be developed through training and experience. As a result, key behavioural traits and motivation—essential elements of a salesperson’s success—are frequently neglected. Recruitment failures are often linked more to a poor assessment of these human factors than to a lack of technical knowledge.
To attract junior sales profiles, companies should focus on motivated candidates with high potential, even if they lack a specific sales background. Three psychometric tests can assist in this process:
- A sales aptitude test to assess a candidate’s innate or emerging potential in sales roles. The Sales Profile-R is one of the few tests capable of evaluating a candidate’s potential, even without prior experience.
- A personality test to identify key sales-related traits such as natural persuasion skills, the ability to thrive in competitive environments, and strong listening skills.
- A motivation test to determine what drives these junior candidates—whether it be financial incentives, personal achievement, a sense of purpose, status, or workplace culture. This helps to tailor the job role to enhance engagement and long-term retention.
Investing in the Onboarding and Development of Junior Profiles
Junior professionals, as frequently highlighted, place great importance on human factors and workplace well-being. They also seek alignment between their personal values and company culture. To ensure a successful and lasting integration, businesses must offer an onboarding process that is meaningful to them and meets their expectations.
For instance, mentorship programmes, continuous training opportunities, and personalised support can significantly boost their motivation, fostering a strong commitment to their role and the company.
Additionally, by evaluating their adaptability to a sales environment from the outset and anticipating the skills they can acquire, companies can implement tailored development programmes. This accelerates the integration of new salespeople while investing in their long-term potential.
By moving away from traditional evaluation methods and focusing on the commercial potential of this new generation, businesses will find it easier not only to attract these profiles but also to support their growth. This approach effectively meets both the expectations of new sales professionals and the strategic needs of the company.
