I have spent the last 19 years of my life as a medical device recruiter and have observed the following devastating mistake being made by numerous hiring managers.
Hiring below average candidates because the candidate has the appropriate industry background.
Recently I observed a small, early stage company hire several sales reps that had the appropriate experience (they sold a similar product to the same customers) but these reps were not top performers. To make matters worse, not only were these reps not top-performers, many of them had personality flaws and have become HR nightmares.
I understand why a hiring manager would want to hire a candidate that is familiar with their products and customers. They need little or no training and can have an immediate impact. If you can find candidates that have the appropriate experience and are top-performers, then hire them! The problem is that a lot of below average candidates get hired, because they have the right experience, but they are not top performers.
How do you resolve? If you can’t attract top performers with the exact experience, then it is best to open the criteria and hire a rep that has the intangible attributes necessary to perform at high levels.
Many hiring managers ignore the fact that a smart, likable, driven sales rep can learn a new product in a short period of time. It is better to hire someone with potential than to hire a middle to bottom third performer with the right experience.
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