Finding and recruiting great pre-sales people is hard.
The best pre-sales people (call them Systems Engineers, Solutions Consultants, Technical Pre-Sales, whatever) are the ones with a deep understanding of technology, products and architecture, who can also articulate the value of those products and technology in solution focused, business oriented language to non-technical audiences. The very best do that so well that they end up earning that coveted "trusted advisor" status. Customers then naturally want to engage and consult with them on important strategic decisions, even when those decisions don't involve the products or technology that the employer of the pre-sales individual is selling. Their respect within the customers they serve is legendary.
Possessing both technical skills and business acumen is such a rare find that the best pre-sales people are hard to find and even harder to recruit. Most hiring managers don't even know where to look to find great pre-sales people because they are few and far between, in high demand, and often very well looked after by their existing employers.
In my opinion, the best place to start your search for great pre-sales people is with your customers. Ask your existing customers which pre-sales people from other vendors they have engaged with in the past and would highly recommend. If your customers would happily recommend them, then they must have performed exactly as you would want them to with that customer, meaning it's a very safe bet they'll be the right person for your business too.
