Resources

Back in 2021 I wrote an article about why it was so hard to hire salespeople for your business (link)

This year, it’s even harder.

Below I’ll share some insights into why it’s so challenging to hire great salespeople today – and what you can do about it. 

Australia has a structural shortage of workers

Australia’s official unemployment rate is predicted to fall below 4% as staff shortages bite.

The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the country’s jobless rate fell recently to 4%, and is forecast to drop below 4% during the next 12 months – representing the lowest our unemployment rate has been in over 50 years.

“We have seen a pick up in business conditions and hiring intentions,” said Craig James, chief economist at CommSec. “This is consistent with other recent indicators that point to a strengthening economy.”

However, a report released last month by the ANZ Bank found that businesses were still struggling to find workers despite the improving economic climate.

The survey revealed that almost three quarters of businesses had experienced difficulties finding workers in the past six months and nearly two thirds said they were having trouble recruiting skilled employees.

Sales as an industry needs to attract more people

Sales as an industry need to attract more people. Industries such as finance, technology and mining are competing for talent, and sales as a dedicated profession need to better nurture its own talent. We need more people choosing a dedicated career in sales, and this isn’t reflected in options at universities.

The problem is that most universities don’t offer degrees or courses focused on sales. If you want to study sales, it’s likely that you’ll need to study business or marketing instead (and vice versa). This means that by default, students who want to pursue a career in sales often end up studying something else first, then moving into sales later on in their careers. This does mean that we’re missing out on some of the best candidates who would otherwise have chosen a career in sales right out of university if they’d had the choice.

People with sales skills have a lot of good job options

If you’re a great salesperson, you have more options today than ever before.

The structural shortage of top talent means that the best salespeople are receiving multiple job offers. The fact that it’s a buyer’s market for talent means that great salespeople can negotiate their way to better compensation and benefits packages.

A lot of companies are becoming more competitive with their offers for salespeople. Many companies are introducing various perks, awards, and flexible working options to help them attract the right people. Your company needs to have a strong EVP (employee value proposition) to attract salespeople.

The required skillset for salespeople is becoming more complex

The required skillset for salespeople is becoming more complex. Sales is more integrated with marketing and more visible through deeper technology and analytics. As buyers have become more empowered and aware, the role of salespeople has also become more nuanced.

Sales teams need to be able to navigate the complexity of the buyer journey, which means they must be able to adapt to multiple roles at once while working across multiple channels, interactions and products. They must also be able to understand all facets of a customer’s lifecycle, from lead generation to close – while also providing value-added services throughout the process.

How can you hire the right salespeople for your business?

Sales is a tough profession and the need for qualified sales candidates still continues to rise. It’s not going away and it’s something business leaders will have to take seriously in the future. Australia has got a lot of work to do if it wants to solve its skills shortage problem.

One of the most important pieces of advice for sales leaders is to not try and do it alone. You need to bring in experts who are dedicated to constantly finding and engaging with the best salespeople, to help introduce you to the best people in the market.

If you are looking for support in making your next hire then reach out to the team at www.btasales.com.au