Focus on the most important criteria ONLY. Try isolating two or three of the most important characteristics that you view will have the maximum bearing on the candidate's ability to do the job.

• Sales background
• Technical background
• Demonstrated achievement
• New business skills
• Ability to manage an account
• Willingness to travel
• Contacts
• Takes a consultative approach to selling
• Understands long sales cycles
• Higher than average energy level
• Willing to withstand rejection
• Stability
• Intelligence
• Aptitude
• Attitude
• Etc.,etc.

Give Serious Consideration to Candidates Who Have the Following

• Show proven capability to do the job
• Show achievements
• Demonstrate interest in the job
• Radiate enthusiasm
• Ask logical questions
• Answer questions asked
• Prove how past experience and special knowledge will help your company
• Get to the interview on time
• Dress appropriately
• Have good manners and are not condescending
• Appear able to work with co-workers
• Give present employer adequate notice when resigning
• Provide professional references on a timely basis

Specific Knockout Factors

• Changes positions or residences frequently
• Recent divorce or death (within one year)
• Failure in their own business within last year
• Financial pressures
• Ill health or on drugs, alcohol, etc.
• Accident prone
• Perception as position is a comedown, rather than an opportunity

Be Wary of Candidates Who

• Quit a job without adequate notice
• Accept salary terms and then try to up the offer
• Are pompous during an interview
• Dress improperly or are poorly groomed
• Can not show achievement at former jobs
• Can not supply verifiable references
• Will have to commute a long distance to work daily -- unless accustomed to doing so
• Will have to do substantial out-of-town travel and are unaccustomed to such travel
• Reveal confidential information
• Are willing to violate a contract with a former employer
• Lack enthusiasm
• Lie about material factors
• Appear angry during an interview
• Did not take the time to find out about your company
• Seem to know very little about the companies they worked for in the past
• Take too long of a time to think over an offer
• Talk badly about former employer
• Request that you match a counteroffer from their present employer

What to Look for in a Resume

Signs of achievement and patterns of stability.

What to be Wary of in a Resume

Obvious gaps in background, overabundance of qualifiers (i.e. "knowledge of" "assisted with"), trivia in the personal section, and sour grapes (bitter self righteous tone).