The job description that you create for your available sales position will be critical in determining the types of applicants you receive. Many people believe that the narrowing down of applicants begins once you receive and review applications, but you can actually eliminate many unsuitable applications by constructing your job description effectively. Furthermore, a well-written job description can also later serve as an evaluative tool once the candidate is hired.

1. Assess the challenges your sales team faces in order to derive a list of critical skills and qualities that candidates will need to possess.
What do you value in your sales team? What are some of the qualities that make your best sales reps so successful? Be sure to look at what kinds of qualities and skills are needed to face the challenges in your specific business and sales environment. For example, “ability to generate own leads independently”, might be something that not all sales reps are used to, depending on the sales process at their former companies; but if this is how it works within your sales team, then you should look for candidates who can handle that challenge, and include this on the list of skills. 

2. Determine the academic and professional experience requirements by comparing that of your top sales performers.
Once again, consider what your best sales reps have under their belts in terms of degrees, training, and certification and how critical their academic qualifications were in their success. Likewise, evaluate how many years of sales or industry experience is necessary for the candidate to thrive within this position.

3. Outline the main function, primary responsibilities, and work conditions.
At some point, a detailed analysis of the position should be conducted to determine the key accountabilities and tasks involved. This should be constantly updated as the sales and company processes evolve. List these functions and tasks in as much detail as necessary to convey the scope of the position. Be sure to also include any relevant working conditions such as travel time, the nature and frequency of client meetings, etc.

Use CPSA’s sales job description templates to get an idea of format and points to include:
- SALES MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
- SALES REPRESENTATIVE JOB DESCRIPTION
 
4. Define reporting and compensation structure.
Clearly indicate who the candidate will report to and how this fits into the company’s structure (e.g. which department, what their main purpose is). How much detail you choose to delve into when it comes to compensation is up to you. Keep in mind that a good compensation plan may be a strong attractant for great sales candidates, so if you are truly offering competitive wages, then you may want to flaunt it.

5. Post your well-written job description on niche jobs boards as well.
While you may be inclined to post your newly-constructed job description on every job board there is, you may want to consider being more selective in your posting. By making use of niche job boards (like salesjobscanada.com) that specifically target sales professionals, you are more likely to get applications that are relevant and worth reviewing.

Click here for information on how to post job opportunities on SalesJobsCanada.com.

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