Hiring Salespeople: Why Your Company Attracts Only the Wrong Salespeople – and How to Change It

Klaus Meyer has run a successful machine-building business with EUR 8 million annual revenue for 15 years. When his best salesperson resigned, he launched a recruiting offensive: 50 applications in six weeks, 12 interviews, 2 hires.

18 months later the sobering balance: EUR 340,000 investment (salaries, onboarding, opportunity costs), but only EUR 180,000 additional revenue. The two "salespeople" turned out to be administrators of existing customers – without any hunting instinct.

"I don't understand why we always only attract the wrong ones," Klaus complained in our consulting session. "The good ones all go to the competition."

The truth is painfully simple: you send the wrong signals. Your recruiting system is a magnet for chancers – and a deterrent for real A-players.

Keith Cunningham, author of "The Road Less Stupid", puts it bluntly:

In this article I show you why your company attracts the wrong salespeople – and how to reverse the magnetic field to win real A-players.

The A-player myth: why you never get to see the best

Most entrepreneurs believe A-players are rare. That is wrong. A-players are just selective.

While you sift through 50 mediocre applications, the real sales aces are already working – at companies that set their signals correctly. They do not apply to job ads. They are headhunted, recommended or approached by recruiters.

What A-players really look for

A real A-player asks three decisive questions before every job change – in this order:

1. "Will I be able to grow here?" – A-players think long-term
2. "Am I working with other A-players?" – top performers avoid B-player teams
3. "Can I really make money here?" – salary only comes third

Cunningham identifies three questions that distinguish real A-players from chancers:

1. "What do I need to do?"
2. "How can I do it better?"

If someone on your team asks all three questions, you have an A-player in development. Chancers never ask these questions.

The reason is simple: A-players take responsibility for their results. B and C players look for excuses and external blame.

The reality in German-speaking companies

A study by the Federal Association of German Management Consultants shows: 82% of all sales teams consist of B and C players. The top 20% generate 70-80% of revenue.

An A-player at a car dealership sells on average 18 to 22 vehicles per month. A C-player just about manages 6 to 8. The difference: 300% more performance at only 40% higher payroll cost.

Yet 9 out of 10 companies recruit by the watering-can principle: as long as the position is filled. The result? A culture of mediocrity that systematically deters A-players.

The 5 signals that scare off A-players (and attract chancers)

Signal 1: vague job postings without clear expectations

A-players immediately think: "What exactly should I sell? To whom? With what target system? Which tools do I get?"

Vague postings are a warning signal of weak leadership and unclear processes. A-players avoid such companies instinctively.

Chancers, by contrast, love unclarity – they can hide behind it when results fail to come.

Signal 2: missing performance culture and tolerance for mediocrity

You mention "collegial atmosphere" and "relaxed work atmosphere" in the job posting? Congratulations – you have just scared off every A-player.

A-players do not want a wellness oasis. They want performance-oriented environments where performance is rewarded and mediocrity is not tolerated.

A prefab-house salesperson told me: "When I asked about performance goals in the interview, the boss said: 'We have no stress here. Everyone works at their own pace.' That's when I knew: this is not for me."

Signal 3: salary focus instead of performance orientation

– another A-player deterrent.

Real salespeople want variable compensation with unlimited potential. They are willing to accept a lower fixed salary for performance, if the success share is right.

A furniture chain was able to raise its A-player ratio from 15% to 68% by lowering the fixed salary by 20% and raising the commission by 150%. Result: C-players resigned by themselves, A-players actively applied.

Signal 4: weak leadership recognisable already in the interview

A-players recognise within minutes whether they are facing a real leader or an administrator. They watch for:

• Concrete questions instead of small talk: "Tell me about your best sales month – what was different?"
• Challenging scenarios: "A customer says: 'That is too expensive for me.' What do you answer?"
• Clarity about expectations: "In 90 days I expect X, in 180 days Y."

Leadership weakness in the interview = leadership weakness in everyday life. A-players prefer a boss who challenges and develops them.

Signal 5: no vision or uninspiring mission

"We sell high-quality products to satisfied customers" – yawn.

A-players want to be part of something bigger. They need a mission that drives them.

An energy consultancy team doubled their A-player applications after changing their mission: from "energy consulting" to "we help families save EUR 3,000 to EUR 5,000 per year and at the same time protect the climate."

The difference: product focus vs. customer-value focus. A-players want to solve problems, not just sell products.

Which signals does your company send?

A-players look for systematic companies, not chaos shops. If your best salesperson does prospecting, closing AND account management, you signal: "we have no idea about sales".

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The A-player recruiting system: how to systematically attract the right ones

The People Analyzer for sales applications

Gino Wickman developed a simple framework to evaluate people: GWC (Get it, Want it, Capacity).

Get it – does he/she really understand the job?

• Can name concrete sales examples from the past
• Understands the difference between features and benefits
• Knows typical sales hurdles and solution strategies

Want it – does he/she want the job for the right reasons?

• Talks about customer success, not just own income
• Shows interest in development and goal achievement
• Asks questions about success measurement and performance standards

Capacity – can he/she make the job successful long-term?

• Demonstrable sales successes in the past
• Emotional intelligence in dealing with objections
• Willingness to learn and adapt

Evaluation: only those who fulfil all three criteria make it to the shortlist.

7 decisive interview questions (with expected A-player answers)

1. "Tell me about a deal you almost lost – and how you won it after all."
2. "A customer says: 'That is too expensive for me.' What do you think, and what do you say?"
3. "What was your worst sales month? What went wrong?"
4. "How would you measure in 90 days whether you are successful here?"
5. "What would we as a company have to do for you to want to stay here for 5 years?"
6. "Which question should I still ask you that I have forgotten?"
7. "Why should we take you instead of the other candidates?"

Test cultural fit: the values interview

Beyond skills, values must also fit. Test your cultural fit with situational questions:

Teamwork test: "You reach your goals, but a colleague is struggling. What do you do?"

Willingness to learn test: "When did you last improve a sales skill? How?"

Customer orientation test: "Describe a satisfied customer. What did you achieve for him?"

A-players give authentic, value-oriented answers. B/C players say what they think is desired.

Find out more about systematic KPI measurement here: [Out on August 30: the 5 KPIs + 2 killer metrics that immediately show whether your sales work]

Case study: car dealership – from 40% turnover to 85% A-player ratio

Starting point (January 2023):

• Family-run car dealership, 12 salespeople, EUR 18m annual revenue
• 40% turnover per year
• Only 3 of 12 salespeople reached their goals consistently
• Job postings attracted mainly "commission vultures"

Problem analysis: managing director Thomas M.: "We recruited by sympathy. As long as the person was nice and had 'sales experience'. The result: a culture of mediocrity."

Transformation (February to July 2023):

Months 1-2: recruiting system redesign

• Job posting completely new: vision-focused, performance-oriented
• People Analyzer implemented
• Interview process expanded to 3 stages

Months 3-4: A-player onboarding

• First 4 A-players hired (2 lateral entrants from other industries)
• 90-day goals defined
• Mentoring system established

Months 5-6: culture change

• B/C players resigned voluntarily or were consistently developed
• Performance standards transparently communicated
• Variable compensation raised, fixed salary lowered

Results after 24 months:

• Turnover: from 40% to 8%
• A-player ratio: from 25% to 85%
• Revenue: from EUR 18m to EUR 20.8m (+15.6%)
• Profit: from EUR 720,000 to EUR 1,456,000 (+102%)
• ROI of recruiting investment: 420% in the first year

Thomas M. today: "We now automatically attract the right ones. A-players recommend A-players. Our recruiting problem has practically solved itself."

Quick-start guide: your 5-day implementation plan

Day 1: rewrite job posting

• Vision instead of product focus
• Concrete performance expectations
• Emphasise variable compensation

Day 2: define interview questions

• Use the 7 core questions from this article
• Create GWC evaluation sheet
• Develop cultural fit scenarios

Day 3: implement red-flag checklist

• 10-point evaluation for every application
• Define exclusion criteria
• Establish scoring system

Day 4: communicate team standards

• Make current performance transparent
• Define A-player expectations
• Create development plans for B-players

Day 5: publish first optimised posting

• On 2 to 3 platforms simultaneously
• Activate A-player network
• Start referral programme

In 30 days you will see the difference. In 90 days you will have your first A-player team.

Why A-players leave again and how to keep them long-term, you can read here: [Out on September 16: why your best salespeople eventually leave – and how to keep them]

Your next step: from chancer magnet to A-player company

You have two options:

Option 1: keep going as before. Hope that the next salesperson is "the right one". Throw away another EUR 138,750 per C-player.

Option 2: change the system. Reverse the signals. Systematically attract and keep A-players.

Download the complete A-player evaluation sheet and the sales recruiting red-flag list now – with 47 proven interview questions, the 5-minute scoring system and the GWC method by Gino Wickman.

[DOWNLOAD: A-Player Recruiting Toolkit]

[DOWNLOAD: Sales Recruiting Red Flag List]

Have questions on A-player recruiting? Email me at office@nordsteg.at or directly book a 15-minute strategy call.

Because one thing is certain: as long as you hire the wrong salespeople, you will never reach the revenues that would be possible.