Finding and training new sales recruiters is a difficult but vital part of any business. As I’ve said before, these new recruits are often the best hire you can make. They have a passion and drive that cannot be taught, and that is more valuable than any acquired skill. Given a few guidelines and training, your existing core of professional sales recruiters can help bring these new recruiters up to speed.

A recent article by Dave Kahle,of The Growth Coach, outlines the beliefs that will limit a salesperson or sales recruiter’s performance. The issues he discusses are mistakes made by many professional sales recruiters, but new sales recruiters fall prey to them more often than not.

His major point is making the customer (in recruiting, the employee you are trying to hire or place) your focus, and seeing the situation from their point of view, not yours. He boils his argument down to six tips that apply to every selling situation and are words to live by for professional sales recruiters at any level:

• Engage with the right people.

• Make them comfortable with you.

• Find out what they want.

• Show them how what you have gives them what they want.

• Gain agreement on the next step.

• Follow up and leverage satisfaction to other opportunities.

With a few exceptions, professional sales recruiters are not born; they are made. What’s important to remember is that most sales recruiters are only as good as they think they are. Anyone who’s seen Annette Benning’s emotional breakdown in American Beauty remembers her mantra “in order to be successful, one must project an image of success.” Encourage your newer sales recruiters to adapt this motto to work for each of their individual situations.