About Jason Howes | Sales Recruitment Expert & Author

The Story

From the trenches to the boardroom

Jason's journey began on the front lines of sales, where he quickly learned that success isn't about tricks or manipulation—it's about understanding people, solving problems, and building genuine relationships. He closed multi-million dollar contracts and managed sales budgets exceeding $100M.

After years of consistently outperforming his peers, Jason moved into sales leadership. But it was in recruiting where he had his biggest breakthrough. He realized that most sales hiring was fundamentally broken—companies gambling on candidates based on gut feel and rehearsed interview answers, only to watch 50% or more of their hires fail within 18 months.

In 2018, Jason left corporate to solve this crisis. He partnered with Objective Management Group—the world's leading sales assessment company with data from over 2 million salespeople—to bring science-backed hiring to Australia.

The result? A 91% accurate assessment process that identifies the top 20% of sales professionals before you invest a cent. No more gut feel. No more hoping. Just data-driven decisions that deliver measurable ROI.

Philosophy

What drives the work

These principles guide every engagement, every training, and every piece of advice.

Results-Driven

Every strategy, framework, and recommendation is designed to deliver measurable outcomes.

Practical

No theory for theory's sake. Everything taught can be implemented immediately.

People First

Great sales organisations are built on great people. Hiring right is the foundation.

Growth

The best sales leaders never stop learning. Neither should their teams.

Expertise

Deep knowledge across the sales ecosystem

Jason brings hands-on experience in every aspect of building and leading sales organisations.

Sales Talent Assessment

Diagnostic tools and frameworks for evaluating sales candidates
Sales Team Development

Training programs that build skills and change behavior
Sales Leadership Coaching

Executive guidance for sales leaders at all levels
Sales organisations Design

Structure, compensation, and process optimization

"Every hire feels stronger than the last. These are senior people who know their craft. They've raised the bar across the board, showing us what 'good' really looks like."

Brendan O'Shea

National Sales Manager, Knotwood ANZ

"By applying Jason's method, we attracted the right candidates, aligned them with purpose, and onboarded with clarity—making recruitment efficient, effective, and effortless."

Leo Santini

General Manager, ShapeCUT Steel, Stainless & Aluminium Profile Cutting

"It brings structure to the behavioural side of recruitment, helping validate gut instincts with data-backed testing. That gave me real confidence in shortlisting strong candidates."

Craig Armstrong

CEO, Mortim Australia

"Having utilised the Sales DNA Assessment tool for several years, I can confidently say it's one of the most effective ways to uncover both strengths and development areas in sales professionals."

Robert Fuller

GM Sales – Australasia

"Crystal Ball Recruiting gives leaders a practical, data-backed framework to attract, assess and develop authentic sellers who perform and stay."

Naomi Herzog

Principal – Business Development, Thomson Adsett

"Crystal Ball Recruiting is a must-read for CEOs and sales leaders seeking a proven blueprint for hiring high-performing sales professionals."

Peter Dallimore

ex-Director, Coastway Timber; ex-State Manager, Hyne Timber

"If you're serious about building a high-performing team, this book is your blueprint."

Jess Jorgenson

Sales Director, Veriforce

"This system flat-out works. If you want to attract top talent and build truly unstoppable teams, this is it."

Pam Foster

Head of Talent Marketing, Career Stylr

From the front lines to fixing how Australia hires salespeople