Winning Top Talent in a Tough Market: How Sales Leaders Can Hire Smarter

If you’re a sales leader right now, the market’s throwing you curveballs from every direction. Economic uncertainty. Margin pressures. Buyers holding tighter to their wallets. But there’s another storm front brewing—and it’s inside your own four walls:

The battle for talent.

I’m talking about the A-players who don’t just hit quota…they redefine it. The ones whose pipeline hygiene makes your CRM look like a fine-tuned engine. The reps who, in Carlos Garrido’s (Sandler Miami's CEO) words, “show resilience long after most people give up.”

And guess what? They’re in shorter supply than ever.

According to recent coverage from the Wall Street Journal, even as some industries pull back on hiring, others are fighting tooth and nail over a shrinking pool of top talent. Layoffs and hiring freezes are shuffling the deck, but that doesn’t mean great sellers are cheap or easy to land.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

→ Average sellers are plentiful. Top sellers are rare. And rare is expensive.

Yet we’ve seen it time and again: companies convinced they “can’t afford” great talent…while quietly bleeding far more cash into missed deals, pipeline gaps, and manager time spent dragging underperformers across the finish line.

So, what’s the move?

Scarcity is actually your opportunity—if you’re willing to hire smarter.

Stop Selling Jobs. Start Selling a Mission.

One of the biggest gaps I see in hiring processes is how sales leaders pitch the role. They talk about:

• The comp plan

• The company’s growth

• How great the culture is

All fine…but generic.

Carlos often tells teams:

“People don’t quit companies. They quit managers. They quit missions they don’t believe in.”

Your job market message should feel as targeted as your sales prospecting. When top sellers are evaluating offers, they’re subconsciously asking:

• Will I matter here?

• Will I have tools and leadership to succeed?

• Is this a place where I can grow?

Start selling your mission, not just the job. Be specific:

• How does your product change your clients’ businesses or lives?

• What’s the big goal your team is chasing?

• Why does your culture matter—especially in tough markets?

It’s not about hype. It’s about clarity. And the clarity is magnetic to great talent.

Know Your ICP—for Hiring

Sales leaders obsess over defining their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Yet when it comes to hiring, many settle for:

“We want someone experienced…a hunter…good with CRM…a team player.”

That’s not an ICP—that’s a wish list.

Great hiring starts with a precise Ideal Candidate Profile.

Ask yourself:

• What behaviors define my top performers today?

• What values are non-negotiable in my culture?

• What sales situations do we face that require unique strengths (e.g. long cycles, technical sales, high-velocity environments)?

• Where are my current gaps? Is it pure activity? Consultative depth? Executive presence?

This is how you avoid expensive mis-hires. As Carlos puts it:

“Stress reveals your real process—and shows you where to get stronger.”

Hiring is no different. The more precise your target, the faster you’ll spot the right talent—and the clearer your interviews become.

Interview for Skills and Mindset

Here’s a hiring tragedy I see too often:

✅ Candidate interviews beautifully.
✅ Says all the right things about sales process.
✅ Great resume, solid numbers.

Then… they hit real-life resistance, and crumble.

Because technique alone won’t save a rep who lacks grit, emotional control, or curiosity.

Carlos often shares:

“The journey to sales mastery takes consistency…and patience to keep going long after most people quit.”

Your interviews need to test for mindset, not just resume highlights.

Ask situational questions like:

• Tell me about a time a deal completely fell apart. How did you handle it?

• What do you believe separates a seller from an order taker?

• What’s your approach to managing fear or frustration on a cold call?

You’re not just gathering answers—you’re testing for vulnerability, reflection, and ownership. Because that’s who survives the volatility we’re all facing.

Why You Might Actually Need to Pay More

Let’s rip off the band-aid:

Top sellers cost more. But they’re also cheaper than turnover, pipeline gaps, and missed forecasts.

This is the hidden “skills tax” Carlos talks about—the revenue gap between an average rep and a great one. And it’s massive. Many sales leaders have no idea how much revenue they’re leaving on the table by avoiding a higher base salary or stronger variable comp.

Ask yourself:

• What’s the real cost of my open seat each quarter?

• How many deals go unworked or lost because we’re running lean?

• How much margin am I eroding discounting deals my A-player might have closed at full price?

The right seller can pay for themselves many times over. In volatile markets, that’s not a luxury—it’s survival.

Don’t Just Fill Seats. Build Your Bench.

Finally, hiring shouldn’t be episodic. The best sales leaders treat talent like pipeline:

• Keep your recruiting muscle active, even when not hiring

• Build a referral network of other sales pros who know your standards

• Nurture passive talent who might be ready in six months

Because when turbulence hits—as it inevitably will—you’ll be the leader with options while competitors scramble.

Here’s the bottom line:

Markets might tighten. Salaries might rise. But great sellers will always be out there—and scarcity is your signal to differentiate, not despair.

Start thinking like a marketer. Sell your mission. Know your talent ICP. Interview for mindset. And invest like your revenue depends on it…because it does.

Ready to stop hiring on hope—and start hiring with precision? See how our Performance Edge program helps sales leaders build talent pipelines and close the “skills tax” for good. Learn more about Performance Edge.