T14. Recruiters Won't Do It
Sales Recruiters Don’t Know Commission Reps
What Typical Recruiters Do
There are thousands of recruiting agencies. The vast majority do technical (programmers, engineers) or administrative (admin assistant, clerical) hiring.
Few do sales.
Of those, it’s rare to find one that will do commission-only. They like to charge a percent of annual earnings and without a salary they can’t calculate their fee. As for Independent Contractors, they won’t even consider it. They don’t understand it and don’t want the perceived liability.
Recruiters are mostly order takers. You order a C++ programmer and they run ads, screen resumes, and arrange for interviews. They rely on the client to sell the job if need be. Some actually have some sales skill. These are the headhunters (poachers) that steal talent from client competitors. They will only take contracts for salaried positions.
Sales Reps Must Be Sold
If you offer salaries and benefits then recruiting is straightforward and not very difficult. You may even get enough responses to be choosy and particular. With a commission-only pay plan the rep takes on the risk. They are asked to sell for you without a salary, benefits, or even expenses. What kind of reps will take this type of job?
Entrepreneurs.
They are like you. And like me. They consider themselves in business for themselves. They are the 20 in the 80/20 Rule. The top 20% that make 80% of the sales. They are exactly the reps an ambitious company wants and needs to grow fast and capture markets.
It Takes One To Know One and To Sell One
Only a top gun closer can get a top gun closer’s attention and earn his or her respect. Without attention they will not see or read your job posts. Without respect they will not quit a going gig to sell your product..
It takes a closer to close a closer.
I’m a closer. I sell and also close sales reps on jobs for a living. I do it better than anybody in the country and I can prove it.
This is important because unless you plan on putting up the money for a salaried sales team, and you can be assured that I won’t if you won’t, then we will be going the IC commission-only route.