If you’re leading a technical sales team in construction, manufacturing, engineering or consulting you’ve probably found it harder to find great candidates over the last few years.

The old hiring playbook isn’t working as well as it used to. 

In 2026, the strongest technical sales hires don’t always look like the “safe” option on paper — and the companies winning talent are thinking differently about capability, not credentials.

Here’s what we’re seeing across the market.

1. Technical Knowledge Matters — But It’s No Longer the Differentiator

For years, hiring managers defaulted to candidates who already knew the product, the standards, the drawings, the specifications etc. Hiring from “the industry” was always considered a safe bet – even if the results didn’t always back up the theory.

Experience still matters — but it’s no longer the deciding factor.

Why? 

• It can take months to hire from within the industry
• Talent Pools are reducing with less “early talent” entering the scene as experienced candidates move up into more senior roles or retire.
• Companies are realising that it’s faster to train somebody from out of the industry with great sales skills than wait for somebody from a competitor. 

The best hires in 2026 are commercially curious, structured thinkers who can learn the technical detail quickly, not technicians who happen to be customer-facing.

The question to ask is no longer: “Do they know our product?”

It’s: “Can they sell complex solutions, navigate long buying cycles, and earn trust with engineers and decision-makers?”

2. Hire for Sales Capability Over Pure Technical Background

The top-performing technical salespeople share a few consistent traits: 

• They can ask intelligent questions without pretending to know everything
• They’re comfortable selling into ambiguity and multi-stakeholder decisions
• They understand value, risk, and outcomes — not just features

Many of them come from adjacent industries, not exact replicas of your current team. 

In fact, we’re seeing some of the strongest performers come from:

• Parallel technical sectors
• Project-led environments
• Commercial roles that required influence, not hard selling

Rigid “must-have industry experience” filters are quietly costing businesses great people.

3. What the Best Candidates Actually Want in 2026

High-quality technical sales candidates are more selective than ever — and it’s not just about money. 

What they consistently care about:

• Credibility – Is the product respected in the market?
• Autonomy – Can they run their patch like a business?
• Support – Sales enablement, realistic targets, internal alignment
• Growth – Clear progression, not vague promises
• Purpose – Being part of something that’s well-run and commercially smart

They are far less interested in:

• Big titles with no authority
• “Uncapped commission” without structure
• Chaotic businesses that rely on heroics instead of systems

In short, the best candidates want to join adult organisations.

The Bottom Line

Hiring great technical salespeople in 2026 isn’t about finding unicorns with perfect industry experience.

It’s about: 

• Backing sales capability over familiarity
• Hiring people who can learn fast and sell well
• Building roles and teams that serious professionals want to join

The companies that get this right aren’t just filling roles — they’re quietly building a competitive advantage.