Every client I have ever worked with is looking for these three characteristics when hiring a sales rep….

Grit
Drive
And a good person

At first glance, it’s like “okay yeah duh, everyone wants that”, but I do believe understanding the WHY behind the desire brings us to a new level of appreciation for the request. I want to share that with you today!

To start, the companies I work with are primarily high-growth technology companies, so these three expectations must be met not only to be successful in the role but for the organization’s ability to continue to grow.

After Angela Duckworth’s book, GRIT, The Power of Passion and Perseverance, came out I have heard the word ‘grit’ thrown around to describe ideal profiles. Grit is the courage to go after a goal, and the ability to stay on the path and not give up through adversaries and obstacles that are bound to get in the way. It’s the ability to stay positive, continually move forward, and do the work it takes to succeed.

For start-ups or companies without a household name, it takes a lot of grit to get to the goal line. You can’t be afraid of a challenge, a cold call, and must be open to lots of explanations about who you are, what you do, and why they should care. With that comes a lot of failures, and a lot of closed doors, having grit helps you get through that.

Then let’s dig into having ‘drive’. Where grit is getting down into the dirty work of achieving a goal, drive is the determination and urge to succeed that is backing that desire. It’s the part of you that won’t take no for an answer because the desire to succeed is too strong. People with drive don’t wait around to be told how to do something, they just go ahead and start figuring it out, albeit stumbling along the way, but getting there all the same.

Companies want someone with the drive because they can trust that this person will naturally have the initiative and spark every day to do what it takes to get the job done. Aka there is no hand holding here, just guiding.

Finally and most importantly, “are they a good person?” I always say people buy from people that they like. Being a genuinely good person and conducting good ethical business, is not only the foundation of doing good work, but it’s the image the company will be remembered by.

Sales reps are the face of the organization, if a sales rep does bad business or is selfish and rude, that’s how the company is going to be remembered. Making a good first impression, and having a solid reputation for how you conduct your business is essential.

So yes, these are buzz words we all hear from hiring managers, but they make sense. They truly are must-haves to achieve success, and hopefully, this paints a better picture as to WHY. 🙂