Ep.78 How to Hire Salespeople When Scaling: From Generalist to Specialist Roles
February 4, 2026
Learn how to hire the right salespeople to scale your team by defining roles clearly, assessing actual skills not stories, and using a proven three-step interview process.
How to Hire Salespeople for a Scaling Sales Team: Avoid Common Hiring Mistakes
Scaling your sales team requires more than posting job descriptions and hoping for the best. In this episode, the Sales SOS panel reveals how to hire salespeople who can actually do the job, not just talk about it.
Topics covered:
- How to leverage existing relationships and referrals when scaling sales
- Defining sales roles: Moving from generalist to specialist positions
- Common sales hiring mistakes and how to avoid them
- The three-step sales interview process: Questions, scenario assessment, and coaching response
- How to assess actual sales skills vs. listening to success stories
- Account management vs. sales roles: When to split these functions
- Creating a sales hiring process that yields consistent results
- Why top performers from big companies often fail at smaller companies
- How to evaluate if candidates can prospect, not just manage existing accounts
Key questions answered:
- How do I hire my first salesperson?
- What should I look for when hiring salespeople for a scaling team?
- How do I interview salespeople effectively?
- What's the difference between account management and sales roles?
- Why do so many sales hires fail?
- How do I know if a salesperson can actually do the job?
- Should I hire specialists or generalists for my sales team?
Learn the proven hiring framework to build a sales team that scales without constant turnover.