How to Hire a High-Performing Sales Team

 Building a great sales team isn’t just about hiring people who can sell—it’s about finding the right people, setting them up for success, and creating a culture where they can thrive.

On a recent episode of Some Goodness, host Richard Ellis sat down with David Wolf, an executive recruiter with over 24 years of experience, to unpack the challenges and best practices for hiring top sales talent. David has helped companies like Salesforce, Oracle, and SAP build winning teams, and in this episode, he shared what works, what doesn’t, and how to get it right.

Here’s what we learned.

Why Hiring Sales Talent Is Harder Than Ever

Hiring great salespeople has always been tough, but today’s hiring landscape is more complicated than ever. Remote work has changed everything—new hires miss out on the in-person learning opportunities that once helped junior salespeople ramp up quickly. Many sales leaders expect new hires to be ready to sell from day one, but without strong onboarding, they struggle to gain traction.

David’s advice? Start with the end in mind. Before writing a job description, get crystal clear on:

• What success looks like in the role
• The company’s growth stage—is it a startup? Scaling? Established but evolving?
• The reality of the sales environment—Is the role fully remote? What’s the company’s training capacity?

Far too often, hiring managers rely on young talent acquisition teams that use keyword searches to screen resumes. That means great candidates are missed simply because they don’t have the exact wording HR is looking for. Sales leaders need to be hands-on in the hiring process—they know what makes a great salesperson better than an algorithm does.

What Makes a Top Salesperson Today?

When evaluating sales candidates, David doesn’t just look at experience—he looks for traits that predict success.

• Resilience & Grit – Sales is full of rejection. The best salespeople bounce back quickly. (David loves hiring former athletes for this reason!)
• Strong Communicators – They don’t just pitch. They listen, build trust, and understand what matters to the customer.
•  Pride in Their Work – They believe in their company, their product, and their team.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset – The best salespeople treat their territory like their own business.

When reviewing candidates, look beyond the resume. David digs into career stability, past experiences, and mindsetto determine whether someone is truly wired for sales success.

Why a Growth Mindset Matters More Than a Perfect Resume

Some salespeople hit a plateau because they believe they already know everything. That’s a red flag.

David looks for lifelong learners—people who see every challenge as an opportunity to improve. The best reps start their day intentionally:
✔ Setting the right mindset
✔ Learning from past deals (won & lost)
✔ Refining their approach to get better every day

Another key factor? A healthy sales pipeline. Salespeople who only chase one or two big deals put themselves in a high-stress situation where they’re forced to push deals through too aggressively. The best salespeople balance their pipeline—big opportunities, smaller wins, and long-term plays—all to reduce risk.

Culture Fit & Communication: The X-Factors in Sales Hiring

Even the best sales hire will fail in the wrong environment.

That’s why David advises new sales leaders to assess company culture early:

• Is the product solid, or are customers unhappy?
• Does the company have a good customer success team? Sales reps need support to keep clients engaged.
• Are sales leaders coaching their team—or just directing them?

A sales VP should be a player-coach, not just a manager. The best teams thrive in open, transparent environments where wins and losses are shared.

Rethinking the Hiring Process: Be Flexible & Intentional

Most companies treat job descriptions as set in stone, but David sees them as living documents. Why? Because once you start interviewing, you may realize that the ideal hire looks different than what you originally thought.

Instead of just filtering candidates in or out, consider:
✔ What unique skills does this candidate bring?
✔ Would they add something new to the team?
✔ Is there an opportunity to adjust the role based on their strengths?

By interviewing a mix of candidates, sales leaders can fine-tune what they’re actually looking for and avoid settling too quickly.

Final Takeaways

Hiring a great sales team isn’t just about finding talented people—it’s about finding the right people for the right environment.

Key takeaways:

• Sales leaders need to be hands-on in hiring—don’t leave it all to HR.
• Look beyond experience—resilience, communication, and mindset matter more.
• A strong pipeline reduces pressure—avoid salespeople who rely on one big deal
• Culture matters—support, leadership style, and onboarding make or break success.
• Be flexible in hiring—your best hire may not be who you initially expected.

Listen to the full episode of Some Goodness now! 🎧