ManageSmarter has a great article titled, The Ideal Job Candidate: Myth or Reality? that touches on a subject that we have posted on many times.  I cannot begin to tell you how many conversations we have around this subject with clients and prospects.  Jeff Schmitt has 3 points he writes about when it comes to hiring.  As a a hiring manager, I would recommend that you keep these points in mind as you begin a hiring process:

1. Examine yourself. Look at your recruiting effort. Are you still reposting that same job description after another fruitless round of interviews?  Unfortunately, this doesn’t change one element: the problem is you haven’t adapted. You are still holding on to your unreasonable expectations.
2. Revise your expectations. Too often, we reduce candidates to cardboard cutouts. We specify predetermined years of experience in certain roles in certain industries. Maybe it is time to step back and examine those expectations.
3. Support new hires. To reap these rewards, you need a strategy. Pinpoint the learning curve and initial challenges this hire will face—and mitigate them. Provide ongoing training and mentoring for support. It was a grueling process to bring this hire into the fold—have a plan for developing and retaining this asset. Too often, we are looking for a right fit at the start. We don’t recognize that an employer-employee relationship is no different than marriage, requiring two committed partners willing to work, grow and persevere through adversity and disappointments.

Very seldom are you going to find the ideal candidate for the position so setting the expectations early in the process is a must.  Too many times experience working in the industry is viewed as the great differentiator in determining who is a good candidate and who is not.  Yes, candidates with experience will have all the right lingo for your industry, they will have an understanding of your product and of your customers/prospects, but this has to be weighed against the bad habits they may bring with them too. 

The author gives these suggestions when looking at your expectations:

• People Skills and Charisma
• Track Record of Success
• Creative Thinking and Problem-Solving
• God-Given Talent
• Enthusiasm and Energy
• Technical Knowledge
• Cultural Diversity
• Life-Long Learning

This is a great starting point, but in sales I recommend that you take this further by defining your sale.  Start by looking at how a typical sale goes down in your company.  Think of it this way – if you can’t understand how one sale is made, how can you expect a salesperson to do it repetitively.  Here is an article that will start you down the right path to understanding your sale and helping you set realistic expectations for your next salesperson.

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