Why now is the right time to hire your next Sales Exec

We may not officially be in a recession, but there's definitely a slowdown in the economy which is affecting businesses across all sectors. And if your clients – retailers, the service and hospitality industries, leisure and travel – are feeling the pinch, so are you and you're not going to be thinking about bolstering your sales team. But should you be?

In my recent market update on LinkedIn, I mentioned that the tech sales market is pretty slow right now. Tech companies are just not recruiting. They've been biding their time to see what happens to the economy and to their clients' businesses before committing to hiring new staff.

Hire ahead of the curve and get the best candidates

But here's the thing. Now would be a great time to hire a strong new sales executive or two. You may think that well, of course he'd say that, he's a recruiter, right? But let me explain. A lot of people in the sales industry are looking for new roles and are keen to get cracking. And because there aren't many opportunities out there, you'll have the pick of the bunch. You won't have to deal with negotiating on the inflated salary and comms packages we've seen in the past. You will be able to interview plenty of good quality people to find exactly the right person for the business, someone who is going to fit the bill now and in the future.

If you wait until the economy starts to show even the slightest signs of an upturn, you can be sure that every other business will have seen it too. Everyone will be rushing in to grow their sales teams ready to take advantage of the improved market dynamics. You'll then be back to an employees' market – they'll have plenty of opportunities to consider and can start to name their price as companies vie for the best people. That's when below par sales people start to look attractive and packages go up. Worst of all, you'll probably find yourself recruiting for the same role a few months down the line when the hire doesn't work out.

Be brave and you'll be repaid with loyalty

And here's another thing. If you hire someone when the chips are down, their loyalty goes up. If you hire a sales exec at a time when the  market seems slow and uncertain, I can guarantee that they will stick with you through the next rocky patch.

So, if you want to hire a really strong candidate who will work hard for the right comms package and be with you for the long haul, now's the time to do it. Be brave. Hire ahead of the curve and you will absolutely reap the rewards.

If you'd like an informal chat about how we can help you find the right candidates, please do get in touch.