More women in sales
Sales is a man's business? Not at all, although the figures still make a different claim. Research shows that the percentage of women in sales is probably somewhere around 25 to 30 percent. In management positions, this figure is even lower. However, a professional headhunter knows very well that women have many strengths that are extremely valuable, especially in sales.
Women in sales are underrepresented. B2B sales landscapes, in particular, are still a male domain. This is true at least for large parts of Europe. In the USA, on the other hand, things look quite different. Here, many women hold the very top positions. The multitude of companies on the other side of the Atlantic are proven right by their success. That's why professional headhunters in Europe recommend that their clients consider female applicants even more strongly for sales positions. There are plenty of reasons for this.
At least as successful as men
We know from the USA that mixed teams in sales are more successful than male monocultures. The reason for this is the different characters and characteristics that men and women bring to the table. If they work together, this leads to better results. For example, women are more empathetic than men. This may sound a bit cliché, but it is a proven fact. So are women's more pronounced skills in relationship management, active listening, compromise and conflict resolution. Or to put it another way: Women tend to be better communicators and therefore more than an optimal fit for sales teams. In fact, in many cases, they also prove to be better leaders.
Headhunters in sales are aware of women’s qualities
Why, for example, do traditional German car companies rely on female sales directors? Because women, with their qualities, are also first-class leaders in sales. According to a study by management consultants Zenger Folkmann, for example, they are well ahead of their male colleagues in the areas of "taking the initiative" and "determination," among others. Professional headhunters in sales are, of course, aware of this and also rely on women in their search for top talent. The only regrettable thing is that the applicant rate of women in sales is still very low. This bears the question: Why is that?
Stereotypes still play a role
Research in Germany shows that the image of sales still needs improvement. When people say sales, they often mean cold calling, door-to-door canvassing or telephone harassment. The truth is quite different and the job much better than its reputation. After all, sales is about optimally managing customer relationships and recognizing opportunities. In other words, areas where women can make full use of their strengths. But other arguments are often used to explain the low application rates among women. For example, the fact that women in our society are conditioned to always shape their careers with family planning in mind. In addition, there is also a lack of high-quality training programs at universities.
In addition, Clemens Nau, CEO of salesjob, the company specialized in sales headhunting says: "Maybe we should just stop looking at sales from a gender perspective and catering to stereotypes. Sales is not a purely male domain per se. It would be much better to focus on the more or less different strengths of women and men and to decide according to these aspects. Whether it's a woman or a man is then not the crucial question."
We would be happy to discuss with you personally how salesjob can support your company in finding an ideal candidate.