Recruiting and selecting salespeople based on age is a “joke”

Why It's Normal to Hire Salespeople Aged 60 and Older

Recruiting salespeople is an art in itself. Drive, passion, ambition, and other motivating factors are often difficult to discern from a resume. A resume provides insight into a person’s work history and, of course, immediately reveals their age. And while that almost always evokes a certain feeling, selecting candidates based solely on a resume leads to a narrow perspective.

Figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) show that nearly 20% of the Dutch population is over 65 years old.

There is a huge demand for skilled salespeople, but the general sentiment is often that companies would prefer not to hire salespeople who are 55 or older.

Understandable or unfounded?

Not too long ago, we received a request from an IT organization.

They were looking for an experienced salesperson who could start immediately and required little or no training.

In addition, he or she had to have knowledge of a specific platform.

We posted the job opening and received a video from a 63-year-old candidate who was a perfect match. At least, that's what we thought.

The sales management team at this organization immediately rejects the person in question, but when we then bring up the points below, the conversation takes a 180-degree turn.

After the first conversation, the entrepreneur lets out a cry of surprise and says, “What energy for someone his age!”

Every person is unique, but the same cannot be said of their year of birth.

Three reasons why this employer had reservations—and why hiring this sales professional and embracing “good old-fashioned” sales is a very logical choice.

“A resume, just like a photo, is just one perspective”

Mindset

“Everything used to be better.” It could easily be a saying that many employers believe reflects the mindset of most experienced employees.

The reality is that a fixed mindset has nothing to do with age; rather, it’s primarily a certain outlook on life.

Being a salesperson is who you are, and that’s who you’ll be for life. If you have a sour or bitter disposition, there’s a very small chance you chose a career in sales of your own free will—or you ended up in a gilded cage early on.

If an experienced salesperson applies for a job and their mindset is still focused on “winning” and their drive remains unchanged…

So what's stopping you?

In this particular case, there was also some special evidence.

This seller is starting his own business after turning 60—and we’re not just talking about registering with the Chamber of Commerce as a self-employed person.

Performance

An experienced salesperson earns a higher salary and has higher expectations regarding retirement benefits.

Here, too, this may be an important consideration for many professions, but it is far less relevant to the sales profession.

Salespeople earn a lot of money when they perform well, and that is reflected in the way their salary is structured.

However, he’s asking for a base salary that’s in line with the other salespeople on the team, and he knows it’s all about performance. Bring on that bonus.

According to research, people aged 55–65 are more likely to be sick, weak, or nauseous. But let’s not make it more complicated than it is.

Ultimately, we're talking about a difference of 3–5 sick days per year.

Attendance is also a poor measure, but for salespeople, the rules are completely different. As mentioned, what counts is performance.

Will you reach your target in 200 workdays or in 100 workdays?

It doesn't really matter.

Payback Period

The term “onboarding” is gaining popularity, and the importance of standardized processes and a standardized approach is widely recognized. And yet…

Often, a salesperson isn't fully productive until after 3 months, but according to the statistics, the likelihood that they'll stay longer than 3 years is very low.

According to HubSpot, the average tenure of a salesperson is only 18 months.

And now back to our candidate.

What are the chances that he'll start looking for another job and begin planning his career?

Nothing.

And what are the chances that he’ll want to stay until retirement? Very high. In addition, he’s ready to hit the ground running thanks to his acquired knowledge.

In other words, the payback period is many times better than that of a young salesperson.

Are you looking for a top salesperson with the right mindset? Contact us and get immediate insight into a person’s mindset, drive, and energy.

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