Actually sales is the very best place for random hiring. Salespeople have an expiration date that’s not always clearly visible, for one and, most importantly, luck (or timing or whatever you call it) plays a huge part in sales success. The confluence of hard work, right attitude, product and market conditions necessary for successful sales is exceedingly rare and can seldom be recreated by one individual more than once or twice. A big part of the problem, of course, is that most sales jobs change from hunting to farming, if even moderately successful; that change often corrodes hunting skills to the point of extinction. A sales rep in that position will not be successful starting again, unless his relationships survive the job change and, in truth , relationships don’t last long in today’s economy. It’ like watching ‘death of a salesman’ on speed. What can be very costly is hiring a seasoned, qualified professional whose too proud to cold call.