I remember 5-6 years ago we would consider a benefits discussion from a sales candidate a bit of a red flag. If the candidate was asking about benefits early in the process, we became suspicious that they were looking to retire on the company’s payroll.

Oh how times have changed. The fact that more of this cost is being pushed to the employee makes this topic a valid one for early in a hiring process. We still prefer to have candidates discuss the commission plan, market position and value proposition, but benefits are a real cost in the equation.

From Inc.com comes this article with survey results that are not surprising (emphasis mine):

…81 percent said health-care costs were up significantly in the past year, according to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a New York-based trade group. About a quarter of respondents said employees will end up shouldering more of these costs. Others strategies included offering high-deductible consumer-driven plans, changing health-care providers, or reducing the level of employee benefits, the survey found.

Employee health-care costs have risen by 5 to 20 percent in the past year alone, respondents said.

If you have a strong benefits package, it would be wise to introduce it early into the discussions with final candidates. If your offering is less than strong, do not worry about it. More companies are changing (downclicking) their packages every day.

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Longer sales cycles require salespeople and sales managers with abilities that match that time horizon. This week’s trait is important for any sales position that is asked to navigate an extended sale.

Long Range Planning
This is the ability to identify long-range goals and design realistic plans to attain them. It is the ability to see the big picture and then determine the direction to take and resources to use to attain future goals.

A salesperson with strength in this capacity is able to effectively €œsee into the future,€ forecast needs and comprehend how certain situations or procedures will meet those needs.

A weakness in this area might be due to a salesperson€™s being too €œpresent€ oriented. They spend more time on solving current problems and attaining immediate results than they do on eyeing future problems or needs.

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