We have been sourcing for a handful of sales positions around the country this past weekend and we are starting to see some potential movement of strong candidates. What I mean is that there is some contraction about to start among large sales forces. Some strong salespeople will be pushed out in the contraction which makes for an excellent time to expand or upgrade your sales team.
Revenue-generating positions are always a priority no matter what the economy does. A slowdown generally pushes companies towards cost-saving maneuvers which is good for sales hiring – some good salespeople are going to be squeezed out.
One example is a candidate we recently talked to who is starting to actively look for a new opportunity. He works in the specific territory for a national company, but the company is going to eliminate some under-performing salespeople. They are then going to combine territories and have fewer sales reps cover more territory.
This candidate is going to have his territory combined with a more tenured rep. They are both selling at the same high level and are paid comparable salaries. The candidate is going to be told he will take on a territory in another geographic location so he will have to move his young family. He has no interest in that move and has no other options with his company. Hence, he is looking. Actively.
These types of situations are going to play out in greater frequency for the remainder of this year. Good salespeople will become available. Now is the time to upgrade or expand your sales team.