| The process of recruiting sales people is like no other | | | | The most difficult part of recruiting for most |
| process in your organization. Most mistakes are made | | | | organizations is conducting an honest self assessment |
| by relying too much on sales history. Sales history is | | | | of its flaws, both current and past, plus challenges |
| like the disclaimer on stocks: "Past performance is not | | | | related to things such as hiring, ramping up, and |
| necessarily an indicator of future performance." That is | | | | developing sales potential. The organization needs to |
| why you must implement a systematic recruiting | | | | create a checklist of issues addressing: |
| process to fill the most mission-critical positions in your | | | | 1) what titles in an organization must they visit, |
| organization. | | | | 2) support sales people will receive, |
| An organization must do five things to execute a | | | | 3) type of sales whether conceptual or complex, |
| systematic recruiting process and successfully recruit | | | | 4) sales plans, |
| sales superstars. | | | | 5) learning the market, |
| 1. Identify | | | | 6) training during the first 90 days and one of the most |
| 2. Test | | | | critical |
| 3. Qualify | | | | 7) accountability. |
| 4. Search | | | | Once you build a checklist, you must honestly assess |
| 5. Interview | | | | what flaws & challenges are below mastery for |
| These steps are often not executed effectively in | | | | the organization. Justifying your answer becomes the |
| most organizations today. The cost in wasted time | | | | next column in your checklist. For instance, if training |
| and resources for this process to be out of control is | | | | during the first thirty days is not an issue, you need to |
| estimated to be $450,000 for organizations and | | | | evaluate why not, if it is an issue, and why it is an issue. |
| $150,000 per sales candidate. | | | | Everyone from the CEO to Human Resource |
| Identifying the best sales candidate, the first step, is the | | | | professionals and the VP of Sales should complete |
| foundation and focus area of the five steps. This step | | | | their checklist individually, then come together as a |
| in the process can be further divided into four areas | | | | group, discuss each item, and agree upon results. |
| as follows: | | | | The last area to review is ensuring the organization |
| 1)Compatibility with the way you compensate, manage | | | | has researched what level of sales experience it |
| and go to market. | | | | required for success. For example, will you need an |
| 2)A close match with your organization's culture. | | | | entry level sales person, some experience, an |
| 3)Inventory the past, present and future flaws and | | | | experienced sales person, senior level, or executive |
| challenges in your recruiting, the ramp up program and | | | | level sales person? Each level of candidate will |
| subsequent hiring results. | | | | possess a certain combination of selling strengths, skills |
| 4)Ensure you understand each candidate's selling | | | | and weaknesses. Each candidate will have severity |
| strengths, skills and weaknesses. | | | | attached to each of their major sales weaknesses |
| Area one, reviewing a candidate's compatibility with | | | | indicating that certain combinations may prevent |
| your organization begins from a structured list of | | | | development or may not even be trainable. |
| questions preferably delivered via an EEOC- | | | | The best practice to accomplish this objectively is to |
| compatible sales candidate assessment before the | | | | contract with a company that provides this information |
| interview. Questions such as who does the closing: the | | | | for your organization.. This information can then |
| percentage of time selling "new" versus selling "old": | | | | become a road map for a shortened ramp up time, |
| amount of pressure on sales performance: pricing: | | | | sales development and coaching by your sales leaders |
| people the sales person should call: and other specific | | | | after they are hired. |
| areas of compatibility must be answered before an | | | | This last criterion in the process naturally leads to the |
| interview. Caution is advised if compatibility is less than | | | | second most important issue you must consider when |
| a 65% match, particularly on the top five issues. | | | | hiring a sales superstar. The second issue in hiring a |
| Next on the list of criteria to identify a sales super star | | | | sales superstar is to test each candidate via a simple |
| is organization culture. The best way to achieve this | | | | licensing agreement against what the organization |
| objective is to benchmark the behavior, values and | | | | identified to be successful. The most successful |
| attributes the position requires. You are essentially | | | | organizations conduct this testing before they waste |
| asking: "If this sales position could talk what would it | | | | time sorting through polished resumes and staged |
| say about the values necessary to stay motivated in | | | | interviews. |
| your organization, what communication styles does the | | | | In closing, it is crucial to remember this: do not leave |
| candidate need to bring to the job and what talents or | | | | any of these four areas within the identifying process |
| attributes are necessary for superior performance in | | | | to chance. To do so will result in high turnover, a |
| this particular sales role?" Your organization can then | | | | complacent sales team, longer ramp up time, and |
| compare the candidate qualities to this baseline and | | | | underperforming recruits. |
| determine how closely the match. | | | | |