Remember the stereotypical ‘slimy sales’ person from the 1980s and 1990s? Well, they’re making a comeback… and it’s dragging down the quality of candidates we’re seeing for sales roles today.
Back then, aggressive sales tactics were the norm, especially in high-pressure industries like car sales, real estate, and finance. The pushy, unscrupulous salesperson became a lasting stereotype, reinforced by movies, TV shows, and books from that era.
Unfortunately, this outdated approach is re-emerging, and it’s not doing anyone any favours.
When it comes to hiring for sales roles, we’ve noticed some troubling trends that are worth your attention – especially if you value honesty and integrity in your team.
The reality is, many candidates applying for sales roles are missing the mark in ways that should make us all take notice.
- Struggling to Answer Questions: It’s astonishing how many candidates can’t answer basic questions about their sales experience. These aren’t tricky questions, just the fundamental ones.
- Misleading Information: Alarmingly, we often see sales candidates providing false or exaggerated details. They leave out jobs, fudge time periods or sales figures, and can’t even provide accurate dates for their previous roles.
Even more concerning, many are quick to blame their last employer for their poor performance – when, as a salesperson, isn’t it their job to sell?
- No KPIs: A lot of candidates don’t know their sales targets or key performance indicators (KPIs) – or worse, they never had any.
Whether their employer sets KPIs for them or they take the initiative to set their own, KPIs are essential. Without them, how can they measure their own success as a ‘salesperson’?
- Poor Attitudes: We’ve even encountered an alarming amount candidates recently who react poorly when asked about their qualifications – some being easily offended and rude, completely dismissive or outright abusive.
This behavior contradicts what we expect from a good salesperson, where honesty and professionalism should be non-negotiable.
- Lazy Appearance: It’s astounding how many candidates show up for sales role interviews in a t-shirt, unshaven, and looking completely unprofessional – like they’ve put no effort into their appearance at all. It’s as if they just don’t care.
And here’s the kicker… marketing is starting to outplay sales in many cases, simply because they’re more strategic and transparent. The traditional sales approach, especially when it’s built on exaggerations or half-truths, is becoming less effective and more damaging.
If you’re hiring for a sales role, these are red flags you can’t afford to ignore.
It’s more important than ever to find candidates who are not just good at talking the talk… but those who also walk the walk with integrity.