Hi everyone, I’m looking for a bit of US sales hiring advice + recruiter recommendations.
B2B SaaS company, Series B. We’re starting to look more seriously at hiring sales roles in the US, particularly SDR and Account Executive / BDM profiles, and I’d be keen to hear if anyone has worked with US-based recruiters they rate for these types of roles (mostly NY, could be national across the US). Any US sales recruiters you’ve used and would recommend?
I’m also interested in understanding what’s considered normal or acceptable in the US hiring market when it comes to practical skills assessments during the hiring process for sales candidates.
In other markets, for seller / closer roles, we often include a short closing roleplay as part of the interview process. It’s usually a 10–15 minute late-stage sales conversation (part of first interview out of 2 interviews) where the candidate handles objections, reinforces the business case, and closes for a clear next step. We don’t expect heavy prep beyond understanding our company, product and customer base, which we’d expect any strong sales candidate to do anyway.
Is this abnormal and would turn away good talent in the US....or do the opposite and ensure we get the best talent?
Keen to hear thoughts and experience!