Top qualities/traits of sales reps

#1

What are some qualities that hiring managers are looking for in sales reps?

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#2

I’m not a hiring manager, but I have noticed that the best sales reps on my team are all often tenacious. They look for opportunities in every corner and rarely take no for an answer. I think that’s an important skill in sales, especially since so many deals can fall through if you’re not on top of it.

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#3

For me a number one skill is the ability to really listen and recognize customer’s concerns/problems and communicate to them if/how your solution is going to help them solve these problems, not just list all of your features in the hope that the customer will be convinced afterwards. If they don’t really listen, it’s a no go for me.

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#4

@andy What questions do you ask and what signs do you look for in the CV to determine whether someone is a good listener or not? I think that’s a pretty interesting point and would like to highlight it a bit more but don’t have that much work experience to be fair.

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#5

@sfegrero Just reflect on your experiences and think of a time when listening helped you identify and help someone solve a problem. It could come from any experience which involved some extend of tutoring, mentoring, customer support etc. Having the ability to showcase emotional intelligence through your experiences e.g. volunteering, taking an extra psychology class, could also be of help.

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#6

I think that being a “people” person is more or less a must for any sales person. You have to enjoy talking to people, regardless whether that is on the phone or in person. This is part of a whole package of communicative abilities, including emotional intelligence, listening, level of emotional response… Being a people person will allow you to “read” the customer.

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#7

Some very good points have been made already. When hiring (regardless of the position), in the end, it also boils down to would I enjoy working with this person and would I like to spend time with them every day.

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#8

I want to be able to see that they are quick with solving problems. After all, a sales rep is basically a problem solver, and basically every product they sell is to help solve a problem a client may have. Thus, a good sales rep should be observant, intuitive, and personable to establish a rapport with the client and help pinpoint the problems they can help solve.

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