Artificial intelligence is reshaping the sales hiring process for small and mid-sized businesses, and not entirely in their favor. Candidates are using AI to tailor resumes, rewrite LinkedIn profiles, and craft interview answers designed to tell hiring managers exactly what they want to hear. That makes it harder than ever to identify who is actually qualified and who is just really good at using AI.
Joining us on this episode of Business Trends Today is C. Lee Smith, CEO and founder of SalesFuel and the author of Hire Smarter, Sell More. Smith says AI has turned hiring into a high-stakes game that puts small business owners at a disadvantage.
AI can mask who you’re really hiring
The challenge is not new, but Smith says it is getting worse. According to SalesFuel research, 38% of salespeople say they are actively seeking a new role. That means businesses are constantly competing for new sales talent.
AI has added a new layer of complexity to the hiring process. Smith says candidates now study a company’s job description, run their resume through AI, and present themselves as the perfect fit. As a result, HR teams struggle to build a reliable shortlist, and companies risk selecting the wrong person entirely.
"You're basically hiring the best AI user."
Smith says sales is fundamentally a people business, and a hiring process that leans too heavily on AI risks screening out the human qualities that matter most.
“If the hiring process does not include humans in a more important role, quite frankly, than AI, we’re missing the mark badly,” Smith said.
The cost of getting it wrong
A bad hire can cost businesses thousands. SalesFuel research puts the average cost of a bad B2B sales hire at $177,171. Smith says that number accounts for more than missed quotas. It includes the three months it typically takes to hire a replacement, the six months many managers spend trying to salvage a bad hire before cutting ties, and missed revenue opportunities in between.
Pressure to fill an empty seat quickly only adds to the problem, Smith says.
“When you’re desperate to hire, to fill a chair, you’re more likely to hear the reasons why you should hire them and totally miss the reasons why you shouldn’t,” Smith said.
Smith’s advice is to slow down.
“Sometimes the best hire you make is the one that you don’t make,” he said.
Two sides to AI in hiring
AI is helping companies move faster in the early stages of hiring, but Smith says that speed is creating its own problems. AI has made resumes and traditional hiring methods less reliable.
Smith says the solution is to build your hiring process around data. He suggests using behavioral assessments and situational judgment tests to reveal how a candidate actually behaves, not just how well they perform in an interview.
“You use data as a second set of ears, using a platform like TeamTrait or another assessment program that AI basically can’t get access to,” Smith said.
The qualities that make a great salesperson, Smith says, have not changed. Emotional intelligence and the ability to build genuine relationships still separate good hires from great ones.
A fool with a tool is still a fool
AI is no longer optional in hiring, Smith says, but it is not the finish line either. Business owners who learn to use it well gain an edge. Those who don’t risk being fooled by candidates who do. Having the latest AI hiring tools is not enough if the hiring manager using them lacks solid judgment.
“A fool with a tool is still a fool,” Smith said.
For SMBs trying to build a sales team they can trust, Smith says the technology may have changed, but the fundamentals have not.
“It’s not so much about their ability to use AI. It’s what they do with the AI after that,” Smith said.
Whether it’s a salesperson managing client relationships or a hiring manager evaluating candidates, emotional intelligence and critical thinking are still what separate good decisions from bad ones.
ASBN, from startup to success, we are your go-to resource for small business news, expert advice, information, and event coverage.
