4 Best Questions for Sales Representative Job Description

What is a Sales Representative Job Description

A sales representative job description is a document that provides a summary of the key responsibilities and duties of an employee in a sales representative job.

It will tell you how the person in this position helps you generate revenue and increase your business’s profitability.

Why a Sales Representative Job Description is Important

It’s important to have an accurate sales representative job description because it will tell what kind of person would be best suited for the role.

A good example, if someone was looking at hiring a salesperson for an accounting office, it would be important to determine if the candidate was knowledgeable in that area or not.

It’s also a great way for employers and employees alike to have expectations set before starting work on the job.

You can’t expect someone who has no previous experience with sales representatives jobs to go from zero-to-sixty in their first day on the job.

This is a perfect example of how an accurate sales representative job description can help you prepare for what to expect from that position and act accordingly.

In this situation, it would be important to hire someone with previous experience in accounting or finance, or at least have them work side-by-side with someone who does.

How to Create a Sales Representative Job Description

When writing the sales representative job description, you need to think about what skills are necessary for that position.

It is important to take into account the different types of accounts involved in a sales representative’s role and have all relevant information included on their resume as well.

Do not include too much detail or unnecessary duties, but leaving out important information can also be a mistake.

Also, keep in mind that everyone has different levels of experience, so it’s not necessary to put every detail down on paper or the person may feel overwhelmed and disenchanted with their new position before they even start working.

You should provide enough detail for them to understand what you are looking for in that person and they should be able to gauge if it is the right position or not.

A good job description will include details like: what kind of skills are necessary, how much experience you need, where the potential employee lives as well as other important information about their lifestyle such as work hours.

This way, both the employer and the potential employee know what to expect.

If you are looking for a sales representative who is able to work when needed, that needs not to be in an office setting, then let’s say this in your description; make sure they have all the information, so it’s clear on both ends.

So, you’ve figured out that you need someone to come on board to help sell your product. Great! Now actually hiring and coming up with a sales representative job description can be tough.

It’s a bold move that should pay untold dividends in the growth of your organization.

Every element of the hiring process from the sales representative job description, the interview, and actually training are all equally important to finding and hiring the right person for the company.

Before we get too far, we thought it would be helpful for you to grab this example sales rep hiring template (no email required!).  

The sales representative job description is the foundational element of the entire hiring process.

Sounds like a bold statement but it’s true.

Think of it in sales terms.

Do you have an ideal client or target market in mind? Do all of your marketing and strategy decisions come from that core element of information?

If not, they should and you know it.

Not only does a sound sales representative job description let potential candidates know a little about you and who you are looking to hire, but it also helps you find the right person.

Don’t look at this like a simple document that explains a few things about a job.

Consider it a rep persona and pick the person closest to your needs.

Just like finding that ideal client, you’ll have to ask yourself a few questions about who you’re looking to get in that career. 

Do you need help with your sales representative job description?

LeadFuze is a company that specializes in helping companies create their own sales representative job descriptions. We know how important it is to have a good, well-written job description for your employees and we want to make sure you get the best one possible.

Our team of experts will work with you every step of the way from start to finish so that when you’re done, not only will you have an amazing new job description but also all the tools needed to train and onboard your new hires! You can trust us because we’ve been doing this for years and our clients are always satisfied.

4 Questions to Ask for Sales Representative Job Description

Here are some questions you should ask yourself before interviewing for a sales representative job:

Question 1: What do reps do?

Whether you’re looking to hire your first salesperson, or just trying to tweak/revamp your current process—always start with what you want new hires to do.

Note: This shouldn’t be the first section of your description, but it should be the start of finding the right person.

If you handle most of the sales, it’s time to take a look at your plate and think about the things you’d like to pass off. We suggest that you don’t hand off closing right away.

Hire a development role (like an SDR/BDR) to find, nurture, and qualify leads.

Hire a development role (like SDRs or BDRs) to find, nurture, and qualify leads. Click To Tweet

Here’s why:

• More Appointments: A person dedicated to identifying prospects and weeding out suspects will lead to more quality appointments for you to close.
• Professional Look: Adding a step that qualifies leads not only creates better quality appointments, but it impresses potential clients, too.
• Slower Move: A rep that qualifies leads for you to close can be trained at a pace that’s comfortable without costing lost revenue.

Start the interview in the requirements

The interview process at LeadFuze is brutal.

We even start it in the job listing. We put an “Easter egg” into the process to weed out anyone who doesn’t pay close attention.

The requirements is a great place to do this, or at the very end of the page.

Say something like:

When emailing your resume, put ‘Blue horseshoe loves Anacott Steel’ in the subject line or your email will not be read.

Common job requirements/responsibilities for sales reps

• Communication Skills: Sales reps of any type need both excellent verbal and oral communication skills. Emails and phone calls make up the day-to-day actions of anyone in these roles.
• Flexibility: The bulk of the activities takes place during “business hours”, but CEOs and decision makers work odd hours and sometimes want to talk early (or late).
• Education/Experience: Some sales roles can be entry level and only require a certain amount of education (e.g. B.A. in Marketing). Others may require experience in a certain role (e.g. closers).
• Location: So many roles (in tech especially) are telecommute. Specifying where you want your employees to work has become an important requirement.
• Presentation Skills: Different from communication. Your reps will be representing your brand and products. Creating and delivering presentations will be crucial to acquiring accounts.
• Organization Skills: Reps will need to acquire, develop, and maintain relationships with contacts in an effort to sell your products/services.
• Quotas: After a certain period of training time, reps will need to produce. Alerting candidates of this reality may sound redundant, but it needs to be said upfront.
• Software Knowledge: Comprehension or experience with software is a must in sales. CRMs, Lead Gen tools, email, site CMS, and other tech will be regularly used.
• Detail-Oriented: There are a lot of details to keep track of in a sales role. From names to appointments, reps always need to keep things clear in the head.

Question 2: Who are your reps?

This section has less to do with what your reps will do, but more about who they really are.

How they conduct themselves.

Handle pressure.

Look at life.

Of course, you won’t be able to see if they actually meet these requirements until you talk with them. And that’s okay.

This section of your job posting is more for you. Again, the sales representative job description is just as much for you as it is for your candidates.

(Image via Anna Clarkson on LinkedIn)

When you speak with potential reps, make sure to have your ideal traits in mind by listing them here.

Common Traits of Successful Sales Reps

• Motivated: You will not get anywhere in sales if you aren’t motivated. Both by the end goal (sales qualified appointments, acquired accounts, leads generated) and by the future (i.e. moving up the ladder, making more money).
• Professional Appearance: Dress code or no, there are right and wrong ways to look in how you dress and present yourself.
• Coachability: How a person handles coaching can almost be directly related to how long they stay with a company.
• Effort: Someone may be motivated to succeed without having that drive to get things done. The work has to equal the want.
• Detail-Oriented: There are a lot of things to keep track of during the work week. Calls made and emails sent to dozens of people every day.

“Motivation will almost always beat mere talent.” — Norman Ralph Augustine

Question 3: Who is your company?

Once you have the needed traits and skills listed, you’ll want to think about the company a bit.

You aren't just trying to put a body into an empty role. You want talent. Click To Tweet

Examples of traits reps love

To attract the best, you’ll have to do some selling on your own. Those on the job market today are mostly younger folks who are likely to leave a job only a couple years after starting.

You’ll have to be honest about your business while creating interest in it. There are a few things that your culture can provide to attract and keep the best.

• Openness: Depending on your size, the founder could be “available” to everyone working under the same roof. If workers can express their ideas and concerns, it goes a long way.
• Credit: Red tape and poor ethics ruin companies. If someone comes up with the best idea, it needs to be used and that person given credit.
• Opportunity: The ability for anyone to “move up” is one thing, but a company that provides enrichment and training will keep people longer.
• Good Deeds: Share things your company does to make the world a better place. It’s become a non-negotiable in today’s social society.

If you don’t currently provide these basic needs for today’s workforce, you may want to figure out how you can start.

Bonus Resource: Here’s a great post on attracting talent through culture.

Question 4: What does your company do (for reps)?

The talent you want to hire cares about the world, but they care about themselves, too.

Startups are bending over backward to give workers an ideal place to do their job.

You may feel like you’re creating a preschool complete with slides, snacks, and play areas, but your business will become a magnet for top workers and you’ll have your pick of talent.

(Image: OfficeSnapshots.com)

No, you don’t have to take out a loan and put in a swimming pool. But there are some things you can do to show that you care for your employees beyond paying them a good wage + benefits.

Examples of goodies reps love

• Snacks: Watercolors are cool but outdated. How about going to Sam’s Club and picking up some granola bars and a Keurig?
• Open Workspace: Cubicles may be the best option, but if they can be avoided please don’t force your staff into working from a cage.
• Flexibility: Adding a “work from home day” or other loose schedule options could make the difference.
• Above Average Benefits: Here at LeadFuze, we offer 3 weeks of vacation in the first year and 4 starting at year two. Some companies do unlimited time off if the job gets done.
• Free Tech: Apps, devices, and other features that your staff has access to for both business and personal use is a great “selling” point.
• Health Options: Gym memberships and some other healthy options could be a great way to attract this very health-conscious generation.

Conclusion

The sales representative job description should be detailed.

The potential employee needs to know what is expected of them and the employer should have all the information about who they are hiring.

This way, it will make a more enjoyable experience for both parties and there won’t be any surprises later on.