What Recruiters Want You to Know About Your Next Sales Job

When it comes to making a smart next move in sales, clarity matters more than ever. Knowing what you want — and understanding what hiring teams are looking for — can make all the difference. 

So we turned to the experts: Kayode “Ky” Oduwaiye and Anthony Berardis, two members of Cox’s talent acquisition team who recruit sales candidates and know exactly which skills are in highest demand.

Here’s what they had to say about what recruiters are expecting from sales talent right now and what makes Cox a great place to build your sales career.

Top qualities Cox recruiters look for in sales candidates 

Strong sales candidates bring more than experience to the table. Cox recruiters prioritize candidates who bring the right blend of skills, mindset and drive. Here are the qualities that rise to the top:

1. Business acumen 

Can you connect solutions to real business outcomes and speak confidently with senior decision-makers? That’s what senior recruiter Anthony Berardis looks for when interviewing sales pros.  

“When I’m looking at salespeople and the types of things we’re working on here, they have to have conversations with high-level, C-level leaders,” Anthony said. Whether they’re talking with CIOs, CTOs or CFOs, top sales pros know how to frame technology in terms of efficiency, impact and value — and clearly articulate how it helps a business move forward. 

2. Technical know-how  

Top sales professionals build their reputation by earning their customers’ trust. But they build their credibility by truly understanding the technology behind the solutions they sell. 

For example, salespeople “need to be able to understand and explain architectures, integrations and cloud models at a high level,” Anthony explained. Even with a dedicated pre-sales technical team, sales reps benefit from knowing the language and concepts themselves. 

Senior recruiter Kayode “Ky” Oduwaiye adds that showcasing your creativity in how your leverage technology is just as valuable. Top candidates will know how to leverage tools like Salesforce, ZoomInfo or AI applications to work smarter, reach new prospects and explain technical solutions in a way that makes sense to business leaders. 

“We’re in a digital age, and I think AI is super important as we think about any avenue of work, especially sales,” Ky said. “So, how do you utilize these programs to think outside the box?” 

3. A consultative approach

Strong salespeople sell. Standout salespeople advise. They listen closely, understand their customers’ challenges and position themselves as trusted advisors. Anthony said he looks for “demonstrated discovery skills and the ability to map customer pain points to the solutions that we offer.”  

The best sales candidates approach each conversation with a solution-first mindset, focusing on solving real business problems instead of simply pushing a product or service. 

4. Executive communication and presence 

Sales professionals need to be able to tell a clear, concise story, present ROI cases confidently and think on their feet during conversations with C-level executives. “Executive presence is something that's hard to teach,” Anthony said. “You either have it or you don’t.” 

The best candidates communicate in a way that earns trust and credibility with senior leaders, combining poise, clarity and confidence in every interaction. 

5. Account planning expertise

Success in enterprise sales requires strategic thinking and relationship-building that lasts. “We look for candidates who can multi-thread relationships and navigate procurement or legal processes in Fortune 500 environments,” Anthony said. “Some of these enterprise cloud deals can take anywhere from six to 18 months to close.” 

Top sales professionals plan with patience and purpose. Whether expanding existing accounts or pursuing new opportunities, they map a clear path forward, cultivate trust over time and turn prospects into loyal, long-term customers. 

6. Closing with confidence 

Top sales candidates don’t just start conversations — they know how to finish them.  

“You can have a great personality and talk to anybody, but how do you essentially close the loop and bring the conversation full circle?” Ky said. 

He adds that he sees this same behavior in interviews: “A lot of the best sellers ask for the job, similar to how they ask for the sell. They’ll say, ‘Hey, I really enjoyed talking to you. I’m really interested in this job. I would love to kind of go to the next round to talk to the hiring manager about what I’ve done and how it relates to this role. What do the next steps look like?’” 

In other words, the strongest candidates are proactive, confident and clear about why they’re the right fit. 

7. Strategy and discipline 

Hitting quotas is one thing. Explaining how you hit them — and how you sustain that success over time — is what sets top candidates apart. 

“It’s one thing to say, ‘I’ve been killing it at 120%.’ That sounds great, but how did you get there?” Ky said. “We know it didn’t happen overnight.” 

Be ready to clearly walk through your process, daily habits and strategies that help you consistently perform. Being able to articulate that story demonstrates not only results, but also discipline, planning and the ability to replicate success. 

8. A proactive mindset 

Recruiters look for sales candidates with a strong competitive drive. They approach their work with energy and initiative, always pushing forward to achieve results. “Healthy competition is always important,” Ky said. “The best sellers are motivated to win for their team, for themselves and for their families.” 

What sets Cox apart as a top employer for B2B and tech sales? 

Here are some of the reasons recruiters say Cox stands out to sales candidates:

1. Workplace culture

“I think the culture that we have across our businesses is amazing,” Anthony said. “We work really well together between PMs, engineers and sellers, too. So, if you pass the baton, you can trust that it’s going to be a clean pass.” That collaborative, supportive environment helps salespeople feel confident in their day-to-day responsibilities.

2. Revenue opportunities and variety of products

Salespeople at Cox get to sell multiple solutions across a range of industries, which opens the door to diverse opportunities and strong earnings potential. As Anthony explained, “There are many sales jobs where you’ll sell one or two products, and some years may be great, some years may not. We offer a long list of solutions, so there’s a lot of opportunity to sell different products.”

3. Great benefits

Cox offers benefits that really stand out, including medical and dental coverage, a 401(k) and generous PTO. These perks give employees peace of mind and support both their work and personal lives. “Cox has really good brand recognition for offering excellent benefits comparatively in the market,” Anthony said. 

4. Stability

With 127 years in business, Cox provides stability that’s rare in today’s market. For salespeople, this means focusing on growth and clients without worrying about volatility.

The most successful sales careers are built with intention. Knowing what recruiters value most right now gives you an edge in deciding where to invest your time and talent next. 

Ready to take the next step in your career? Explore our latest sales job openings at Cox.