Sales Recruitment

How to Hire a Telesales Executive in the UK (2026)

High-volume phone sales. Hiring a Telesales Executive who keeps the numbers up.

By Mark Wilkinson, Managing Director of Coburg Banks

Mark has spent over 30 years in recruitment, placing sales people from SDR up to Sales Director for SMEs across the UK.

Telesales is a numbers game and a resilience game. High volume, quick calls, plenty of knock-backs. You're hiring for energy, consistency and a thick skin more than a long CV.

⚡ In short

A UK Telesales Executive usually earns £22k-£28k base plus commission. These roles fill quickly, often in 2-4 weeks. Coburg Banks recruits them with no fee until your hire starts.

£22k-£28k

Typical base salary

2-4 weeks

Time to hire

48 hrs

To first shortlist

12 wks

Replacement guarantee

What to look for in a Telesales Executive

Energy and pace

Volume roles reward people who keep dialling. Look for genuine drive and a bit of natural buzz on the phone.

Bounce-back

Rejection is constant. The good ones shrug off a bad call and move to the next without a dip.

Clear on the phone

Warmth and clarity down the line matter more than a polished script. Listen for someone easy to talk to.

How to run the hire

1. Be clear it's high volume.
Set the activity expectations up front so there are no surprises.

2. Score for energy and bounce-back.
Weight stamina and resilience over a polished script.

3. Move quickly.
This is one of the fastest roles to fill.

4. Hear them on the phone.
A live call task or role-play tells you more than any interview - you want energy that lasts past call ten.

5. Offer a path.
Show that strong performers can move into other sales roles, which keeps the good ones.

How much does it cost to hire a Telesales Executive?

Fees typically run 12-16% of first-year base salary, agreed and capped upfront.

You pay nothing until your hire starts. Commission usually sits on top of the base, which is what motivates strong performers in a volume role.

How long does it take to hire a Telesales Executive?

Usually 2-4 weeks - one of the quickest roles to fill.

The pool is broad, so we move fast. The value we add is screening for energy and resilience that lasts past call ten, not just a strong first impression.

Do you recruit whole telesales teams?

Yes - we handle both single hires and larger phone-room builds.

Hiring a group together helps with shared onboarding, a bit of competition and a consistent standard. We'll manage the flow so you interview steadily rather than all at once.

Is telesales a stepping stone to other sales roles?

Often, yes. It's a proving ground many businesses promote from - into field sales, account management or team leadership.

Showing that progression helps you attract better people and hold on to the ones who turn out to be strong.

What does a Telesales Executive do?

A Telesales Executive sells over the phone at volume - working through call lists, handling objections quickly and closing or booking outcomes.

It's a numbers-and-resilience role: lots of calls, lots of no, and steady energy across the day. Warmth and clarity on the phone matter more than a scripted pitch.

What should I ask a Telesales Executive at interview?

Try:

Make a mock call to me now.
How do you shake off a run of bad calls?
What keeps you going through call fifty? and What's worked for you in getting past a gatekeeper? The live call is the real test.

External citations

Sources:
- REC
- ONS Labour Market
- Coburg Banks Trustpilot

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