Myth Busters: It’s Tough to Find Female Sales Talent

I’m often asked how to create more diverse sales teams and frequently hear from hiring managers lamenting the lack of female sales talent applying for their positions. Although sales has traditionally been perceived as a male-dominated profession, in truth, there are MANY female sales leaders— your job posting just likely isn’t appealing to them.

With over 80% of Fortune 500 companies implementing rigorous diversity initiatives,
it’s more important than ever to ensure you’re engaging in strategies to attract the right talent.

In this great post from Cynthia Barnes, the founder of the National Association of Women Sales Professionals, she outlines the 6 common mistakes companies make when they’re trying to hire women in sales:

1. Your social media presence is an advertisement for “bro culture”
2. Your job description lacks gender neutrality.
3. Your interview panels lack diversity.
4. Your sales leadership team all looks the same.
5. Your hiring and on-boarding practices promote isolation.
6. Your recruiting materials are an advertisement for the culture you’re trying to change.

Read on for Cynthia’s take on each one of these mistakes… and learn how to course correct. Is it tough to find female sales talent? As it turns out, with the right strategy, not so much. This myth is busted!