Every time I’ve managed teams, hiring sales reps has been one of the trickiest decisions I’ve had to make.
And the same applies to any recruiting manager, regardless of their department (Marketing, Legal, etc.).
I’ve more than once witnessed the temptation to play it safe.
In summary, hire someone from a competitor’s team with a proven track record, someone who can start and become productive almost from day one.
Ever seen the following in a job board?
“Company specialized in X (technical specialty), seeking candidate with a Master’s degree in Engineering (with this exact specialty), with a minimum of 10 years’ experience in this exact domain, to hold a position of VP Sales”.
On paper, it seems logical:
• They know the industry.
• They’re immediately operational (read: “no real need for us to build a strong onboarding program”).
• Maybe they’ll even bring customers with them.
Sounds perfect, right?
Think again.
Being sharp and resilient are qualities your team and your company should never run of.
Keeping in mind that today’s trends and market conditions are different from what they were just a year ago, with these ambitions in mind, I’ve seen the search for “cloned” talent often backfire.
Why?
Because some key realities are often overlooked, and I’ve witnessed many examples of each.
1️⃣ Every company is different. Yours as well.
Past success in one company doesn’t guarantee future performance in another.
Culture, structure, and processes vary, and they directly impact performance.
2️⃣ Plug and play is an illusion.
Ramp-up is inevitable.
The learning curve hits everyone in a new job.
3️⃣ False confidence.
Knowing your industry or a similar portfolio doesn’t equal potential.
Success depends on the match between the person, the company, and the market.
4️⃣ Client loyalty to an individual isn’t automatic.
A new sales reps that brings former customers in? a fantasy hardly turned into reality.
Previous clients worked with a person as part of a company. Moving to a new organization may not open the same doors.
5️⃣ A new hire who’s an expert in similar products? What about being an expert in the function itself?
Knowing your products inside out, is that the main quality you seek in a sales rep?
How do you assess their sales skills during the interview process and their ability to deliver on their main mission?
Stop cloning: rethink how you recruit sales talent!
So, how can you change your perspective?
✅ Bringing in fresh minds can be a valuable addition:
- They challenge assumptions and bring new perspectives.
- They may have already experienced, and successfully solved, business challenges your company is only starting to face.
Transferable skills from other (compatible) industries can accelerate transformation.
But be warned: recruiting outside your comfort zone requires investment.
Visibility, onboarding (!), integration, and cultural adaptation all take effort.
✅ The key is to focus on potential first, not just experience.
Look at what someone can learn (e.g., your portfolio) versus what they cannot learn (e.g., posture and professionalism).
Then consider similarities in sales-cycle complexity, client contacts, and industry types.
Does your company sell CRM solutions?
Is your immediate ambition to source candidates from your direct competitors?
What about considering candidates from other complex software environments (document management, BI, etc.)?
They are also experienced in long and complex sales cycles, and they engage with the same companies and contacts within client organizations.
And once they receive the proper training on your portfolio (as part of a strong onboarding program), they will pick things up quickly.
✅ Your business is in constant evolution.
Your portfolio, your clients, market trends, and more are in constant evolution.
What worked five years ago might be outdated today, including the profiles you’re after.
Don’t focus too much on the past—focus on what’s to come instead.
✅ What about the job specs?
When recruiting a VP of Sales who will manage middle managers who themselves manage sales reps, where do you draw the line between being an expert in building a strong sales engine and being an expert in the product portfolio?
✅ Recruiting isn’t the finish line, it’s just the start.
Creating the conditions for success post-hire is essential to reap the benefits of innovative recruitment. Invest in your onboarding.
In today’s fast-changing market, playing it safe won’t get you ahead.
Stop cloning. Hire potential.
