The hiring process is a two-way street. It’s an opportunity for the hiring team to get to know prospective candidates, but it’s also an opportunity for candidates to catch a transparent glimpse into the real values, objectives and day-to-day life of the organization.
A 2021 survey from Future Forum noted that employees who feel a lack of transparency in their workplace also feel less valued, perceive less equity at work and are more likely to consider another job. Part of the hiring process is a transparency test to see if the organization walks the walk as much as it talks the talk.
For salespeople, working for a company with integrity — especially one that consistently meets or exceeds the needs of their customers — can have a deeply meaningful impact on their success at work. It allows the sales representative to be less of a marketer and more of a passionate problem solver for their customers because they know their business can deliver real results.
To learn more about why transparency and passion make a difference in the sales hiring process, Built In Boston asked Workhuman’s Laura Weisman, Klaviyo’s Jackie Mink, Nexthink’s Courtney Capozzi and SOPHiA GENETICS’ Aaron Hersum what made them join their team.
Workhuman is a SaaS HR solutions company helping companies meet today’s biggest human capital challenges.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
When I’m looking for a new role, there are a few things that are non-negotiable. The first is that I need to be selling something that I’m passionate about. I absolutely love the recognition industry, so I knew I wanted to stay in it.
The next was that I wanted an organization that had technology that delivered results for my clients that weren’t just smoke and mirrors. Workhuman delivered, and it wasn’t just my opinion but that of many companies around the world who partner with us.
Lastly, it was about the culture. I wanted somewhere that truly lived their values and practiced what they preached.
What stood out to you about Workhuman, and how has that perception changed since you’ve started?
Having worked in the recognition industry for the last ten years, one of the things that drew me to Workhuman was the data, reporting and analytics. Our industry has seen incredible growth since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Many competitors have popped up that allow companies to check the box for recognition, but few can help organizations link recognition back to business priorities.
I wanted somewhere that truly lived their values and practiced what they preached.”
Prior to coming here, I had heard that Workhuman was head and shoulders above everyone else. When I actually saw the technology myself and saw how clients use it to inform their strategies on things like DEI, succession planning, performance and the employee experience, I was blown away.
From a selling perspective, what sets Workhuman apart from others you’ve worked at in the past?
Our mindset here is very focused on team selling. We are fortunate to have a team called the “Workhuman Consulting Practice,” which is an extension of our field sales team. What this allows for is for our potential clients to talk to a variety of folks during the sales process to understand how our solution can help them. What's unique about this group is that they are made up of former HR practitioners, customer success managers and a variety of subject-matter experts, so our customers can partner with people who have likely been in a similar role as our buyers. I think this really allows us to build trust with our clients and help guide them to create programs that will impact their business.
Klaviyo empowers creators with personalized experience in e-commerce and its unified customer platform.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
A transparent sales organization with a strong product market fit. I interviewed with several companies before choosing Klaviyo, and I loved that they were transparent with me from the start about things like sales culture, their headcount goals, average attainment and what it would be like to be on the team. I had also heard of Klaviyo from being in the marketing tech industry and knew that they were bestinclass when it came to working with e-commerce brands.
What stood out to you about Klaviyo, and how has that perception changed since you’ve started?
I had heard of Klaviyo from a previous role. I knew I could confidently sell the product to e-commerce companies and feel like I was making a difference in their business.
What I didn’t realize was how much I could flex different muscles by having the opportunity to sell to new verticals like restaurants, wellness businesses and more. The opportunity to impact different types of businesses that previously weren't doing much in the way of email marketing has been very rewarding and has helped me to learn a lot.
From a selling perspective, what sets Klaviyo apart from others you’ve worked at in the past?
Klaviyo treats their sales employees as people first, which is shown in the sales culture.
I loved that they were transparent with me from the start about things like sales culture, their headcount goals, average attainment and what it would be like to be on the team.”
I’ve worked at other companies that over-emphasize the need to pressure people at the end of the month, practice questionable sales tactics, and make you feel guilty for taking off during certain times of the month. Klaviyo teaches their sales teams how to lead by selling on value and meeting our prospects where they are based on their business goals.
Nexthink helps IT teams around the world modernize the digital employee experience.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
I was looking for an innovative company with a great product and strong leadership. Nexthink is the leader in the growing market of digital employee experience, which provides an excellent opportunity for growth. As a tenured salesperson, it’s essential to have passion for what you sell, and Nexthink provides that.
What stood out to you about Nexthink, and how has that perception changed since you’ve started?
Nexthink stood out to me at first based on the digital employee experience solution itself, which focused on improving the modern digital workplace. During the interview process, each person I met with had a true passion for the company and its mission. I found the interviews to be straightforward, meaningful discussions that gave me a vision of their collaborative culture.
As a tenured salesperson, it’s essential to have passion for what you sell, and Nexthink provides that.”
From a selling perspective, what sets Nexthink apart from others you’ve worked at in the past?
Throughout my sales career, I have worked for various large global organizations that at times, can become too cumbersome. Nexthink's strategic focus enables a more agile atmosphere that drives innovation and success. Sales teams thrive in a growing environment like Nexthink.
SOPHiA GENETICS is a healthcare technology company dedicated to the practice of data-driven medicine as the standard of care and for life sciences research.
As a sales representative, what were you looking for in your next role when you started your most recent job search?
Frankly, I just wanted to have an impact. I needed to find a company whose mission I truly believed in. I had spent several years working in the clean tech and clean energy space, and I planned to stay in that industry.
However, when my son was diagnosed with cancer in 2021, everything changed. What was most important to me now was being a part of the mission to find a cure for cancer and to help treat patients like my son. So I set out to find a company that was focused on cancer but was novel in the offerings it brought to the table. I also hoped to find an innovator, a company with a broad, disruptive vision that I could share.
What stood out to you about SOPHiA GENETICS, and how has that perception changed since you’ve started?
I first learned about SOPHiA GENETICS when reading Built in Boston’s Best Places to Work list. They caught my attention with their mission to democratize data-driven medicine and bring innovative, deep machine-learning algorithms to the healthcare industry. But the serendipitous moment occurred when I was reading about their products, and saw that the specific genetic variant that caused my son’s cancer is a variant they tested for on one of their cancer panels. I knew then that somehow I was going to work at SOPHiA GENETICS.
Since I started, I’ve come to appreciate that people here care about our mission and helping others. We are not perfect, but what I respect tremendously is that when we see a problem, we fix it quickly. Many companies say they respond to issues, but few actually do.
From a selling perspective, what sets SOPHiA GENETICS apart from others you've worked at in the past?
SOPHiA GENETICS genuinely cares about helping. Particularly when you work with clinicians and others whose job it is to treat patients, they appreciate sincerity and know when you believe in what you are selling. At some point, the sale stops feeling like a sale and more like a collaboration among teammates.
When we see a problem, we fix it quickly. Many companies say they respond to issues, but few actually do.”
I think our partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering, orMSK, and AstraZeneca to bring MSK’s Impact and Access assays to the world demonstrates this level of care. These organizations needed an innovative and strong platform, but more importantly, a partner who could share in their vision to improve global cancer care.
