Want to Hire Good AEs? Stop Talking About Your Mission

If you run a sub $10MM ARR startup and think you can recruit talented, experienced salespeople with your vision to change the world, think again.

Lots of companies begin their pitch to candidates with the phrase "We're on a mission to...."

But let's be honest, salespeople know that joining a company under $10MM ARR is very risky.

If there any any hiccups in pursuing the mission (like delays in getting product-market fit), your first move will be to reduce sales headcount.

They won't be part of the mission anymore!

So why do talented salespeople join sub $10MM ARR startups?

For career growth. They're looking for a stretch role; one that they're a fit for based on their talent even if they don't (quite) have the experience to match.

They take the risk that the quotas will be unfair or that product-market fit might not be there but they get the upside that - if things go well - they get to skip half a step in their career progression.

That's the way I made most of the moves I've made in my career.

I joined companies or departments that were early in their journey. They were willing to take a chance on someone with a little less experience than normal for the role.

That let me hit big milestones, like becoming an enterprise rep and creating a sales team, much earlier than I would have been able to otherwise.

And I've also taken some risks that didn't work out.

This matters to you for two reasons:

1. You should explicitly look for talented salespeople who are just a touch junior for the role you're offering and who want a stretch role.

They're the high-quality reps that are attracted by your (real) employee value proposition.

They're open to the risk because they value the upside.

2. Be careful about setting your minimum experience requirement too high.

If you're trying to recruit folks who have basically done that job before, that means you are offering a lateral role.

Why would someone good take a lateral role that is also high risk?

Why wouldn't they lateral somewhere with less risk?

Excessive experience requirements create the risk that you hire fools gold - reps that look good on paper but aren't.

- - -

If you liked this article, check out our article on the Hidden-Gem Hiring Process to see how to recruit great sales reps. You can also check out the P.S.I. Selling Content Page for more insights on sales communication, strategy, and leadership.

Want to build a sales process that proves value and a team that can execute? Get in touch.

For more about the author, check out Mike's bio.