How to hire a sales representative in 10 steps

Hiring a sales representative is an important decision. A sales rep influences revenue growth, customer relationships, and team capacity — so you want to decide wisely. A thoughtful, structured process helps you evaluate candidates consistently, align expectations, and build a sales team that supports your organization’s goals.

The cost of a poor hiring decision can be significant. SalesFuel research estimates the average cost of a bad B2B sales hire is over $177,000, with nearly three months passing before the first sales call and an additional five and a half months before reaching peer-level productivity.

This guide explains the role’s responsibilities, hiring costs, and a practical 10-step process, plus provides sales-specific interview tools and Jotform resources so you can organize each stage of hiring efficiently and inclusively.

What is a sales representative?

A sales representative finds potential customers, learns what they need, and helps them choose a fitting product or service. Their work includes qualifying leads, explaining value, negotiating terms, closing deals, and following up after the sale.

Some sales representatives work primarily from an office or home, using phone, email, and video calls. These are inside sales reps. Outside sales reps spend more time visiting customers in person, often within an assigned territory.

Another option is to hire for a specialized stage of the sales cycle. Sales development representatives (SDRs) and business development representatives (BDRs) create and qualify opportunities, while account executives run discovery, demos, proposals, and closing conversations.

Hiring the right person can help your business

• Build a healthier pipeline by consistently starting qualified sales conversations.
• Strengthen customer relationships through reliable follow-up and account care.
• Bring back market insight about objections, competitors, and customer needs.
• Give leaders time back by reducing the founder’s or manager’s day-to-day selling load.

How much does hiring a sales representative cost?

The cost of hiring a sales rep includes compensation and recruiting. The BLS reports May 2025 median annual wages of $72,080 for wholesale and manufacturing reps selling nontechnical products and $104,920 for technical and scientific products; most employers use salary plus commission or bonuses, commonly tied to a percentage of sales.

Recruiting also has a cost. SHRM’s 2025 Recruiting Executives Benchmarking report lists average nonexecutive cost per hire at $1,200. Your actual investment will be higher once you include onboarding, training, software, travel where relevant, and the time a new representative needs to ramp up. Because these costs vary by role, market, and sales cycle, the next step is to compare them with the responsibilities and qualifications the position requires.

How to hire a sales representative: 10 steps

1. Define the role and your ideal candidate

Start with the business problem, not a generic title. The role should solve a specific gap, such as generating more qualified demos in a new region.

• Clarify the need: Is this a backfill, a new position, or a temporary capacity need?
• Choose the sales motion: Decide whether you need inside or outside sales, an SDR/BDR, or an account executive.
• Set practical boundaries: Note experience level, employment type, territory, travel expectations, and reporting line.
• Define compensation early: Decide on base pay, commission, bonuses, and on-target earnings before publishing the role.

For example, a founder with slow inbound follow-up may need an SDR, not an account executive for complex enterprise deals.

2. Plan your hiring process

Plan the stages before applications arrive to ensure candidates receive a consistent experience. A recruitment process can be simple: review, screen, role-play, interview, references, and offer.

• Set interview rounds: Decide how many conversations are necessary and what each should test.
• Assign owners: Identify who screens, who observes the role-play, and who makes the final recommendation.
• Use a shared timeline: Set target dates for feedback and candidate updates.
• Agree on evidence: Prepare evaluation criteria and a common questions list before the first interview.

3. Write a clear job description

Candidates should understand success before they apply. Explain responsibilities, experience, KPIs or quota, compensation, benefits, location, and work arrangement, all in plain language.

• Describe the real work: Mention prospecting, CRM updates, demos, travel, or renewals.
• Separate essentials from preferences: A long wish list buries key skills.
• Be accurate about the environment: State whether the role involves cold outreach, a long sales cycle, or shared territory coverage.
• Make applying easy: Let candidates submit a resume and relevant details through an online job application form.

An honest listing prevents a mismatch, especially when a role combines prospecting and account management. If you need a starting point, Jotform’s HR form templates can help you set up a consistent application process without building every field from scratch.

To give candidates more context before they apply, use Jotform’s file upload field to attach video files. You could also embed content directly using YouTube or Loom. A short video can explain application requirements and next steps clearly, reducing distractions and creating a more engaging experience.

4. Source candidates from the right channels

The best source depends on the role, industry, and seniority. Use a mix of channels; then track which sources bring candidates who move forward.

• Post where candidates search: Use relevant job boards and LinkedIn.
• Ask for referrals: Employees and professional contacts may know people with the right market experience.
• Join sales communities: Look for local groups, industry associations, and online communities tied to your buyers.

For more ideas, review these recruitment strategies and adapt them to your market instead of copying another company’s channel mix.

When you advertise in several places, add a “How did you hear about us?” question to your application form. Tracking this response makes it easier to see which job boards, referrals, or communities produce viable candidates.

5. Review resumes objectively and avoid hiring bias

Look for evidence that resembles your role, not a familiar company name or polished summary. Useful details include quota attainment, deal size, customer segment, sales cycle, promotion history, awards, and tools used.

• Use the same checklist: Mark whether every applicant meets the must-have requirements.
• Watch for affinity bias: Sharing a school, hobby, or background is not proof someone will succeed in the job.
• Watch for halo effect: One impressive employer or award should not outweigh missing core experience.
• Review consistently: Use pre-employment screening practices that are appropriate for your location and role.

Jotform AI Resume Screener can help compare resumes against defined requirements and create a shortlist. Jotform’s broader AI recruiting tools can support other early-stage tasks, but you should always keep people in final decisions and check screening criteria for relevance and fairness.

6. Run short phone or video screens

Use a focused 15- to 30-minute screen to confirm the basics. Cover resume details, interest, compensation expectations, availability, and nonnegotiable requirements.

• Ask for a quick career summary: Listen for their role in past results.
• Test preparation: Ask what they learned about your company and buyer.
• Confirm motivation: Find out why they are considering a move now.
• Notice communication: In a sales role, the screen is also an early sample of how they build rapport and respond to questions.

Record each candidate’s stage, notes, and next step in a shared Recruitment Tracker template. This gives interviewers one source of truth instead of relying on scattered email threads and spreadsheets.

7. Test real selling skills

A resume cannot show how a candidate listens or handles a skeptical buyer. Add a role-play, mock discovery call, or assessment that reflects your process.
Try this prompt: “You are meeting a small-business owner who says our scheduling software is too expensive and they use spreadsheets. Spend five minutes discovering needs; then explain whether our product fits.” Give everyone the same background and preparation time.

• Assess discovery first: Strong candidates ask about workflow and goals before pitching.
• Include one objection: For example, the buyer may say, “I need to think about it,” or “Your competitor costs less.”
• Observe the close: Ask for a realistic next step.
• Score the behavior: Rate listening, relevance, clarity, objection handling, and follow-up rather than judging charisma alone.

With Jotform’s drag-and-drop Form Builder, create a interview assessment form with required ratings and comment fields about the interviewee. Interviewers can submit feedback immediately after each exercise, giving your team a consistent record to compare before discussing candidates.

8. Hold structured final interviews

Final interviews work best when everyone uses the same agenda and records feedback before comparing notes. Share the agenda so candidates know what to expect.
Use behavior-based sales representative interview questions such as

• “Tell me about a time you missed a quota. What did you change afterward?”
• “How did you reach a prospect who was difficult to contact?”
• “Describe a difficult client conversation and how you handled it.”
• “What feedback from a manager changed the way you sell?”

Use a simple 1 to 5 scorecard to ground the discussion:

Leave time for questions. Direct answers about quota, lead quality, training, and management style are more useful than a polished company pitch.

9. Check references and make the final decision

References can validate observed patterns. With permission, ask former managers about performance and how the candidate worked with customers and teammates.

• Ask specific questions: What was their quota? How consistently did they meet it? How did they prepare for calls?
• Compare scorecards first: Discuss documented evidence with interviewers before making a decision.
• Put terms in writing: After an offer is accepted, use a Sales Representative Contract template to finalize agreed terms.

10. Notify every candidate, onboard your hire, and improve your process

Close the loop with everyone you interviewed, including candidates not selected. A timely update protects your reputation and reconnects you with strong applicants.

• Send updates promptly: Do not leave finalists wondering whether the process is still active.
• Build a 30-60-90-day plan: Give your new rep learning, pipeline-building, and early ownership milestones.
• Review the funnel: Note time to hire, candidate drop-off points, source quality, and feedback from interviewers.
• Refine next time: Use what you learn to improve your recruitment automation and candidate communication.

Make your next sales hire with confidence

Hiring a sales representative is not about finding the candidate with the most impressive résumé. It is about defining the role clearly, evaluating the behaviors that drive results, and creating an onboarding process so the right person succeeds. By testing real selling skills, using a consistent scorecard, and learning from every interview, you can make better decisions and build a stronger sales team.
Ready to turn your sales hiring process into a competitive advantage? Start building with Jotform for free today — collect applications, streamline candidate reviews, and move your next great sales hire from first impression to first win.