Wonder

Research Outline

Prepared for Declan D. | Delivered October 21, 2019

Top Challenges in Finding Talent in the IT/Tech Space - Part 2

Goals

To  find 4-6 additional top challenges in finding/hiring sales talent in the IT/tech space, including a brief overview of each challenge in order to understand the macro issues related to finding sales talent.

Early Findings

Poor communication between sales recruiters and hiring managerspresents a challenge when companies are finding/hiring sales talent. If hiring managers don't communicate the exact qualities and skills they are looking for in a new hire, then sales recruiters may end up recruiting someone who does not possess the qualities and skills the hiring manager is looking for.  One way to improve communication is to encourage sales recruiters and hiring managers to build relationships that enable them to work together. 
Knowing where to look for talent and using social media as a recruitment tool are definite challenges to finding/hiring sales talent. Competition for top sales talent is fierce. In today's information age, there are numerous places, both online and offline, where top talent can be recruited. Knowing how to find those places, and in the case of social media, knowing how to use them to stand apart and get noticed by the talent you are trying to recruit is a challenge many companies must strive to meet.
A potential, or even new, hire feeling that they are misaligned with the company culture is a huge challenge to finding/hiring, and keeping top sales talent. If a potential hire walks away from an interview feeling like they aren't a good "cultural fit" with the company, there is a good chance they will turn down an offer if one is made. This is especially true among millennials who view a job as more than a paycheck and pay close attention to company culture. Creating a culture and business that helps employees feel excited about their job is important because people talk. Sites like Glassdoor allow current employees to post their opinions on their workplace and allow potential future talent to read them. Good comments about workplace culture, especially by other members of the sales team, can attract the attention of potential sales talent while negative ones can drive them away. 
Creating diversity within your sales team presents a challenge. Companies want to have diverse sales teams that are better able to meet the needs of their diverse clientele but many are struggling to achieve it. Creating a diverse team does not happen overnight and requires some different approaches. Creating a culture that is inclusive and welcoming both to employees and clients and using social media to reach potential employees can be good places to start
Spotting the "fakers" during the interview process is a challenge with long-term implications. Sales professionals all tend to be outgoing, extroverted people who can sell anything, especially themselves. But not all possess certain additional behaviors and skills such as being "process-driven, assertive, empathic, methodical and disciplined" that are necessary to long-term success in sales. Being able to tell which talent possesses these skills and behaviors and which don't before hiring can make a huge difference.
Finding talent that understands and can use big data to gain insight into trends in the market is a challenge when hiring IT/Tech sales talent. This is a relatively new area of business analytics for many sales professionals and, as a result, the number of those who are good at it is limited. Sales professionals who can understand big data can use it to gain insights into the market that can be used to generate leads and increased sales. 