I’m a sales recruiter, and 2 of my best hires were weak interviews. Here’s why I gave them jobs anyway.

• Gregg Salkovitch transitioned from sales to running a sales and recruiting company.
• He reflected on hiring two candidates who bombed their interviews, but ended up as top performers.
• He said it's important to give people a second chance and the opportunity to explain themselves.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gregg Salkovitch, founder of Right Choice Resources, a recruiting company based in Chicago. His identity and employment have been verified by Business Insider. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I used to be a top sales performer, but one day I had a midlife crisis and wanted to try something different.

Sales recruiting combined two things I loved — helping people and being passionate about sales. I wanted to get into it, but it felt like nobody would take a chance on me. I basically had to start my own company because nobody would hire me.

I founded a sales and recruiting company called Right Choice Resources. We focus on hiring anyone from a junior-level salesperson to a sales leader.

I recently reflected on my background and remembered a couple of people who reminded me of myself at my last company. They didn't really have the right background — and they both bombed the interview — but I think they had the right skills.

Poor interviewers

The first candidate had to give a presentation, and he read off notecards the whole time, word for word. It wasn't a good presentation. He just sat there reading. I could have read his note cards just as well.

He also had nothing special about his application. He had no bachelor's degree and was a job-hopper.

When we asked why, he said, "I'm a perfectionist. I really want this job. I don't want to miss anything."

The second candidate was nervous and shaking throughout the entire interview.

But he kept going through the interview process. He showed up early to every interview, acted professionally, took notes, asked questions, and sent thorough thank-you letters. When we said he seemed nervous, he said he really wanted the job.

We decided to take a chance on him. He was a college athlete, which we always like for sales roles because athletes are used to working in teams and tend to be competitive. We figured he just needed some at-bats and he would be fine.

He was still a bit nervous when he started the role, but he was incredibly gritty and did whatever it took to get the job done. If you were going to make 50 sales calls, he would make 100. He was a high performer, and his work ethic was an A+.

Six months after those interviews, both candidates were in the top 10% of sales performers of our company.

Why I gave them a chance

When I see a concern, like job-hopping or reading off of notecards, the most interesting part is asking the candidate, "Why?"

There's usually a good reason. For example, after I got to know the first candidate well enough to ask him why he didn't finish his degree, he told me he had to drop out of school to earn money and take care of his single mom, who got sick.

Everybody has a story.

I also used to be really nervous in interviews. It's nerve-racking to talk to a bunch of people who are 20 years older than you when you're new to the interview process.

We still put a lot of weight in the interview process and use that time to ask about any concerns or reservations that we have. We also have dealbreakers, like swearing on the call, not doing research beforehand, interrupting the hiring manager, or leaving without asking any questions.

In general, though, the interview process is tough, and sometimes people need a second chance.

Somebody might not be a clear fit on paper, but they might still be a great salesperson. I know from personal experience that the biggest challenge is finding somebody who will give you a shot. I like to give others the benefit of the doubt.