One of the most integral parts of any business is the sales team. If you don’t have a qualified group of people to sell your products and manage your accounts, you’re probably not going to be in business very long. What makes hiring a sales team so difficult is that though the sales team is one of the most important teams, it can be extremely difficult to be able to identify and hire a good sales person. Here are a few of the most common mistakes that business owners make when they’re hiring people for sales jobs.

1. Hire based on experience.
One of the biggest mistakes that business owners make when they’re hiring people for sales jobs is just looking at experience. Sure, it might seem like a good thing that someone has 10 years worth of sale experience, but there’s a reason he or she is looking for a job. Sales is not for everyone and some people don’t know when to quit. If there are a lot of different companies on a person’s resume, it’s probably because he or she isn’t a good salesperson.

2. Do all the hiring yourself.
Another mistake that small business owners make is doing all of the hiring completely by themselves. It’s a time consuming process and because of that it can force business owners into making rushed decisions and hiring people who may not be completely right for the job. Getting a little help from sales recruitment firms can make the process go a little easier and get the right candidates.

3. Relying on a first impression.
Another thing you should not do when you’re hiring for sales jobs is rely on a first impression. Again, since a small business owner’s time is pretty limited, it can lead him or her to make quick decisions and not explore as much as he or she could about the candidate. Good sales people have a number of specific qualities that can’t necessarily be judged adequately upon a first meeting.

Have you ever made any of these hiring mistakes? Feel free to share your experience with us in the comments section below.