12 Best Places for Finding Good Salespeople

As a Sales Manager, recruiting new salespeople is often a demanding part of your job that never seems to taper off.

Do you ever find yourself wondering where to find good salespeople?

Today we are thinking beyond the job boards and sharing a list of diverse resources for finding salespeople.  You will find a mix of paid and free resources, social media platforms, events, and good old-fashioned in-person networking, too.

Where to Find Salespeople

1. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the most effective ways to grow your professional network.

As a Sales Manager, you are able to share the open positions in your organization alongside information about your company’s history and culture.  Make use of videos, images and blog posts to really stand out.

You can also easily search for salespeople who might be a good fit for your company.  Using the search bar at the top of the page, find salespeople by title, location, company and more.  As you review candidates’ profiles, LinkedIn will also suggest other user profiles with similar backgrounds.

Finally, LinkedIn makes networking a breeze.  Join one of LinkedIn’s many professional groups and connect with its members.  Be sure to personalize each message you send!

2. Tradeshows/Conferences

Serving as a corporate sponsor at a sales-specific conference or tradeshow may not only land you new customers – it can get your name out in front of potential candidates.

Corporate sponsors usually receive contact information of all the event’s attendees.  Be sure to collect business cards as well.

In your follow-up emails or social media connections, thank people for stopping by your booth and let them know you are hiring salespeople, too.

3. College Career Fairs/Alumni

Hiring for entry-level sales roles in your company? 

Be the first to discover up-and-coming talent when you recruit on college campuses.

You can even build a partnership with a university, and get involved with student clubs, organizations, and mentorship programs.

As you foster relationships, you will also create a fresh supply of sales talent consistently coming your way.

4. Facebook

Despite its algorithm changes, Facebook is still a great platform for connecting with others on a personal level.  For example, you can share your organization’s available sales positions on your own Facebook timeline and ask your Facebook friends for recommendations.  Or use the search bar at the top of Facebook to help you in finding salespeople who fit your criteria.

Facebook also has plenty of groups and organization pages you can join to connect with people in your industry.

5. Twitter

Sure, Twitter can seem noisy and feel downright overwhelming at times.  With the right strategy, however, you can search for and find good salespeople.

Begin by following the leaders in your industry.

Next, search for Twitter users who have applicable keywords in their profiles, like their job titles.

Learn the hashtags that apply to your industry and see who else is tweeting about them, then comment, like and retweet.

When someone follows you, message them to ask if they are looking for a new opportunity or know someone who is.  Create lists to organize your followers based on their interests and likes.

Do not forget to ask your followers to share your open job post, too!

6. Sales-Specific Recruiting Firms

Recruiting firms cut way down on your time spent searching and interviewing viable candidates.

But choose your recruiting firm carefully!

A high-quality staffing firm that fits your needs should specialize in sales recruiting, provide recruiting software for managing the process and be able to point to years of expertise in your industry with measurable results.

7. Glassdoor or Indeed

When job seekers want to check out a company they are applying to, they often head to Glassdoor or Indeed first.

With plenty of information about what current and former employers have to say about a company, its management team, salary, and benefits, you will want to make sure your company is well-represented.

Both sites offer a great opportunity to promote your organization’s brand and advertise open positions.

8. Your Existing Customers

We all know satisfied customers tend to advocate for your products and services.

Connect with this often-untapped network (perhaps during your next email campaign or other regular interaction) to let them know you are hiring.

They already know who you are and what you do, so let them know that you are hiring, ask for any contacts they have and encourage them to apply, too.

9. Sales Organizations

You will connect with like-minded individuals when you join sales organizations and communities.

As we mentioned, you can find many of them on LinkedIn, while others require a more formal membership.

They often provide members with educational resources, insights and training, too.

10. Meetup.com

This online community connects people who share similar interests, both professional and personal.

The local in-person meetups planned by the group organizers set this online community apart.  Use the opportunity to network and get the word out about your open sales positions.

11.  Google and Bing Ads

Capture a qualified candidate’s attention and boost your company’s brand with a standout Google or Bing advertisement.

Enlist your marketing team to think of creative ways to promote your organization and inspire candidates to apply.

12. Happy Hours

Host a happy hour or another cocktail event at a local establishment after work hours.

To make it convenient to attend, put plenty of thought into the dates and times you choose.  Give yourself plenty of time to promote the event and ask attendees to register to let you know their coming.

You want to make attending your event a no-brainer even after a long day of work, so cover the costs of the venue, some drinks and/or appetizers.

During your event, spend time connecting with as many people as possible and send a thoughtful follow-up email in the following days.

Hiring Good Salespeople

While these 12 tips tell you where to find good salespeople, you will also need to make sure you are only scheduling interviews with the candidates who are most likely to be a perfect fit.

The DriveTest® is a sales hiring assessment tool that identifies whether the sales candidates you find possess the most critical, unteachable personality trait needed for success in sales: Drive.

Drive is the passion and determination that makes superstar salespeople relentless in their quest for success.  When you identify this trait before the interview, you will only spend your time on the candidates with the most potential.

Learn more about Drive and why 80+ years of research says every top-producing salesperson must have it.