How to Set Realistic Sales Quotas for New Hires

Giving a new rep the same quota as an experienced colleague usually means either quick discouragement or a permanently unreachable target.

Base it on historical data — how long it typically takes a new hire to reach full productivity
Ramp the quota up gradually over the first few months, rather than assigning the full amount from day one
Separate learning metrics (e.g., number of calls made) from outcome metrics early on

A realistic quota doesn’t mean lower standards — it means a target that motivates rather than discourages from week one.