Labcast: Don’t Blow It. How to Successfully Hire a VP of Sales

If you are the CEO of an expansion-stage company, one of the most important hires you will ever make is the person responsible for driving your company’s revenue: the VP of Sales.

Unfortunately, however, many CEOs don’t know how to hire a VP of sales and struggle to fill the role appropriately. More often than not, they make fatal mistakes when selecting a candidate for the job — with potentially devastating implications for the company.

In this week’s Labcast, leading sales management strategist and talent management expert, Lee Salz, shares his insights into what the right way is to recruit and how to hire a VP of sales. Since the title has become somewhat ubiquitous, Salz explains how the process begins by understanding what a VP of sales actually does — something that can vary dramatically from company to company. He then describes how to assess what your actual needs are so that you can determine if hiring a VP of sales actually makes sense. In many cases, Salz points out, those needs are actually better met by a sales manager or other sales professional.
Assuming you do need a VP of sales, Salz offers his advice on how to hire one who will help your company succeed. He outlines what to look for in candidates across two many areas — their sales management and sales leadership experience — including what specific questions you absolutely have to ask.
If you are a CEO who is about to hire a VP of sales, this is one podcast that you absolutely must listen to.
Listen to the full podcast below:
Labcast 98_ Lee Salz on How to Hire a VP of Sales