Peter “Pistol” Brooks is Saleslogic’s resident boomerang, having left in 2015 and returning to us in 2017. Peter has proven himself as a hot-shot, hence the nickname “Pistol Pete”. He kindly agreed to be this month’s Recruiter Profile and give us his take on working in the competitive space of sales recruitment in London.
How’d you get into sales recruitment?
Having got my very first job after my degree at my university, I was keen to make the move to London. I was looking for a job that was fast-paced, with great earning potential. I went through a graduate recruitment agency’s sales team, who placed candidates into both Recruitment and Software sales jobs. I initially thought I would be better suited to Digital sales jobs, but following a day of interviews and psychometric testing, it was clear my path would be better focused on IT sales recruitment. They introduced me to a number of IT sales recruitment agencies and being a specialist in the field, I had no hesitation in accepting the offer from Saleslogic when it came.
Why did you choose recruitment?
I have always been very competitive, and working in a role which is commission based was always going to suit me well. My ability to build relationships and to consult with each candidate on different levels is what pushed me towards IT sales recruitment rather Software sales jobs.
What was your idea of recruitment before you got into it?
Like most, it was a basic understanding of the high-level things – “I am looking for Software sales jobs” or “I am looking for IT sales recruitment agencies”, which led to interviews with that Recruitment Agency’s clients. Simply put a facilitator for a candidate to find a new job.
What’s your idea of it now?
It’s a lot more in depth than I could ever have imagined. Many more stages of the process than I thought. It is very much a 2-way street, it is not simply about having a pool of jobs to find candidates for, but you have to source new clients to match with high-quality candidates you are already working with.
What’s something about recruitment that you think might surprise people?
Recruitment agencies take a lot of slack when things go wrong, and candidates and clients alike have a strange perception that the recruitment agency does not want a placement to take place. Candidates or clients take time themselves to make decisions, to provide availability, to decide whether to move forward or not and if one piece of the puzzle goes out of place, the whole process falls down. This process is glued together by the recruitment agency, and we try our best to ensure it all goes smoothly, not the opposite.
Is recruiting for saas sales jobs different to recruiting other roles?
Yes, very different– speaking from my experience within the Leisure industry the two processes are different in many ways. Technology is developing at such a quick rate, and it’s not just about the experience someone has on the CV which determines if they are a good fit or not. Many different SaaS solutions are transferable to others, which generate more opportunities for candidates to find new Software Sales jobs, but it means the recruiter has to have an open mind when speaking to each candidate.
Favourite type of sales recruitment?
SaaS is the keyword in the space at the moment, the majority of the roles I recruit for are within the SaaS space or at least some sort of Software. Within that, Digital sales jobs are probably my preferred area, purely because the results of their technology are normally more visible to the customer and slightly easier to relate to. IT Sales Recruitment is an interesting market, and whilst I have spoken to some good candidates from the space, I haven’t worked with as many clients from that area to date.
Strangest client/candidate interaction so far?
One of my very placements. The candidate was moving down from up north to London, and we met at our offices. He came to sign his paperwork and everything went well, and then at the end of the meeting he turned to me and asked to borrow £10 in order to get the train home – it was bizarre, to say the least.
Best advice for a candidate looking for a role?
If you’re serious about finding a new role when you are currently in employment, make sure you are genuinely able to commit to a process. Have the flexibility to attend interviews, respond in a timely manner to the recruiter, because a quick process with both parties freely communicating provides the best chances for a successful placement.
Favourite moment working at Saleslogic so far?
There have been so many, signing my first deal, earning my first promotion, achieving 3 promotions back-to-back will always be a big achievement of mine.
Many thanks to Pistol Pete for his time!
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