When I work with sales teams and we open up their pipeline, more often than not it’s loaded with deals. Millions inThe start of 2026 has been busy with sales interviews for new hires across many of our clients. One thing that continues to blow my mind as I scan resumes and cover letters is how many “sales” people don’t include a single number, dollar figure, or percentage anywhere on their resume.
Sales is one of the easiest professions to measure. Even the smallest organizations have numbers, results, and outcomes tied to performance. Yet many candidates think a word salad is somehow more compelling than saying something like, “I increased sales from $1M to $2.75M in 12 months,” or “I grew new logo customers from 50 to 67 in Q1 and Q2 of 2025,” or “I increased revenue in my division by 125% in 2024.”
When we review a sales resume, we are looking for proof that you can sell. Nothing communicates that faster or more clearly than numbers.
Once we start working closely with these companies, we also have to rethink how candidates’ sales ability is tested and verified. The reality is that most sales reps worth their salt can talk confidently for 60 minutes, adapt their communication style, and generally make you like them.
Those are all good traits. But they don’t prove sales skill. They simply mean someone is pleasant to talk to.
Sales is a competitive sport, and results matter.
When I say this, I often get pushback from owners, especially in family businesses, who value the culture they’ve built and don’t want an ego-driven salesperson to disrupt it. I get that. Culture fit matters. Values matter. You absolutely need to be able to see yourself working with this person.
But it doesn’t stop there.
They also need to prove their ability, their track record, and their desire to win. Both things can be true. You can hire someone who fits your culture and is driven to make things happen.
In interviews, push for real results. Ask candidates why those results aren’t on their resume. Have them walk you through deals they’ve won. Where did the lead come from? How did they overcome objections? How did they ask for the business and close it? Ask for their current sales story or cold call messaging. Ask their favorite discovery questions. Ask how many new logos they’ve brought on and whether those leads were self-generated or inbound.
Push hard. Make it a little uncomfortable.
How they handle that pressure is often a good reflection of how they’ll represent your brand in difficult sales conversations.
Many of you know I’m a fan of assessments. They aren’t perfect, but they help tell part of the story when hiring. More importantly, they guide better interview questions, especially in areas where a candidate may naturally be weaker or more hesitant. That matters a lot when hiring for hunter roles that require drive, resilience, and assertiveness.
Assessments like PI, PXT, DISC, or Hogan aren’t the be-all and end-all, but they provide useful insight into potential risks and blind spots before you make a hire.
Bottom line: don’t hire salespeople based on gut feel, good vibes, or great conversation alone. Push for recent, real-world evidence and data that prove they can bring in new business or meaningfully grow an existing book.
Cheers,
Kyle Jager
