Don't fall in love with the pretty resume

‍

Just because they crushed it at Paycom, doesn’t mean they’ll crush it at your startup.

‍

& just because they can build the engine at a startup doesn’t mean they’re ready to lead at your big company.

‍

We've seen this play out with hiring managers time and time again:

‍

They fall in love with the resume.

‍

The brand name experience.

‍

The job title.

‍

But they don't dig into if this person actually possesses the skills needed for the role.

‍

When expectations aren't aligned, even top talent can flop

‍

Why?

‍

5 reasons we see companies missing on this:

‍

1. Builder vs specialist
   • At larger companies, roles are often more narrow, processes are in place, there's lots of support. In a startup, you need someone who has the ability to fly the plane while also building the plane. The required experience looks different.

‍

1. Wrong candidate profile
   • Startups often assume someone who’s led a team will naturally thrive as a founding hire. But what you really need is someone who can roll up their sleeves and do the work. Leadership and execution are different skill sets, and your first hire needs to be an executor, not just someone who’s focused on strategy or managing.

‍

1. Big brand backing
   • Let’s be honest, selling for a brand everyone knows is a different world from selling a company no one’s heard of. What worked at a big brand doesn’t typically translate to a blank slate startup(& vice versa).

‍

1. Risk of burnout
   • When you hire a leader to go back to an IC role, they take a step back, holding onto the promise of the role moving into a leadership role. We’ve seen this lead to burnout in the role over time. Hire for the role at hand, not what the role might become.

‍

1. VP of marketing ≠ VP of marketing
   • Titles can be misleading. A VP of marketing at a big logo company might manage 5+ teams. At an early-stage company, that same title might mean building and executing everything from scratch, solo. Same title, very different reality.

‍

Getting crystal clear on what success looks like in this role - before you start the search - will help you avoid the resume trap.

‍

The right hire isn't always the one with the shiniest resume.

‍

Not sure what kind of candidate your role actually needs?

‍

We can help you nail that so you don’t waste time on the wrong candidates.
Reach out here.

‍

Want more insights like this? Sign up for our newsletter here (no spam - just 2 newsletters a month).

‍

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't a strong resume guarantee a good sales hire?

A resume reflects past context — the company size, brand recognition, support structure, and resources that existed in a previous role. A candidate who thrived at Salesforce or Paycom had an entirely different environment than a Series A startup. What made them successful there may not transfer. Pursuit evaluates candidates on intangibles — their motivations, work style, and ability to operate in your specific environment — not just what's on paper.

What's the difference between a builder and a specialist when hiring sales talent?

A specialist excels within a defined process, supported by an established team and infrastructure. A builder creates that process from scratch. Early-stage companies — Series A and B especially — need builders: sellers who can prospect, close, and iterate on their own approach without hand-holding. Hiring a specialist into a builder role is one of the most common (and costly) sales hiring mistakes.

Should I hire a sales leader or an individual contributor as my first sales hire?

For most startups making their first sales hire, an executor beats a strategist. A candidate with leadership experience looks impressive, but if they've spent the last few years managing rather than carrying a bag, they may struggle to produce in an IC role. Hire for the role you need today, not the role you hope to create in 18 months.

Why does brand-name sales experience sometimes hurt a candidate's fit at a startup?

Selling for a recognized brand removes a major objection from the sales process — the buyer already trusts the company. At an early-stage company with no brand awareness, a seller must build trust from zero. These are fundamentally different skills. Candidates who've only sold for well-known companies often underestimate how much the brand was doing the heavy lifting.

How do I define the right candidate profile before I start a sales search?

Start by defining what success looks like in the role at 30, 60, and 90 days. Clarify whether the role requires building or executing, managing or carrying quota, and what prior environment most closely mirrors your own. Pursuit helps growing companies create a precise candidate profile before the search begins — so you're not wasting time interviewing the wrong people.