In our practice, closing a Head of Sales vacancy in 25–30 days is only possible when the client is not "looking for a star" but has a clear understanding of the role profile. In a case with one of our clients, we presented 12 candidates in 3 weeks and reached an offer significantly earlier than 30 days, even though the position was complex and the sales department manager had to personally sell for the first 2 months—something that is very negatively perceived by most candidates.
What Worked
- Specific formal requirements (B2C experience, managing 10+ managers, personal sales plan);
- Good financial motivation: fixed salary of $2,000 + KPI;
- Rigorous initial screening by competencies.
At the final interview, all candidates were strong and met the requirements, but, for example, 3 candidates were rejected not because of experience but because of management style—an authoritarian manager did not fit the team. This saved the company 3–4 months of a bad hire. This is exactly what systematic Head of Sales recruitment looks like, not a chaotic review of resumes.
Closing a Head of Sales Vacancy: A Process That Actually Works
Closing a Head of Sales vacancy accelerates when the recruitment cycle is not extended. In this project, the client provided feedback within 36 hours. The offer was formed immediately after the final meeting. The timelines for closing manager and top-management vacancies very often depend directly on the speed of decision-making.
3 Steps We Used
- Initial interview with cases on funnel and unit economics.
- Verification of management decisions through situational tasks and numbers/results from previous employers.
- An agreed offer without "let's think about it."
What Can Hinder You
- Delayed feedback → candidate accepts another offer;
- Vague KPI → conflicts in the first 2 months;
- Lack of an adaptation plan → termination during probation.
Mistakes when hiring a Head of Sales are often related to the absence of work on the company's HR brand. A great company does not always guarantee queues of strong candidates. In my practice, hiring a Head of Sales without a structured process stretches to 90 days and can end with a candidate who leaves after 3 months, causing damage to the company.
Where to Find a Strong Head of Sales and How to Close a Vacancy Quickly
The question of where to find a strong Head of Sales is not solved by a single channel. When it comes to searching for a sales department manager, mass posting on job portals works in 20% of cases and only if you have above-market salary and remote work. To find stars, you need to use different channels and cold outreach.
Effective Sources
- LinkedIn with targeted outreach;
- Cold search on job sites;
- Telegram channels and professional communities;
- Recruitment agency for sales with its own database.
When the Method Works
- Competitive salary;
- Clear expectations from the candidate;
- Clear profile of formal requirements.
When It Doesn't
- "Find us a universal genius";
- Lack of budget;
- Internal conflicts in the team.
How to close a vacancy quickly? Systematic recruitment and the right funnel—that's exactly what professional recruitment of a sales department manager looks like without dragging into a quarter.