I have a weakness for this topic so I was pleased to read today’s ERE.net article titled Results-Focused Interviews. Remember, these are all questions that people submitted to the website as their best questions to use in an interview. I am not making these up: “If a spaceship were to land outside this office and you were asked to get in, would you? Why?” (Is an acceptable answer, “Because they had a ray gun?”) “Am I a good interviewer? Why or why not?” (Well, if you have to ask me, maybe we ought to switch chairs.) “If you were a part of a car, which part would you be and… Read More
Continue ReadingCommunication Blindness
Anyone who has managed salespeople knows how difficult a task that can be. We see it often in companies where clouded communication occurs daily. I think most of you could name numerous situations throughout your career where management communication simply broke down or worse, did not even occur. SellingPower.com’s article – There€™s No Communication Around Here! – dives right into this topic. Clear communication covers many transgressions. We’ve posted about this topic numerous times since it is so important. In case you had doubts: The latest Watson Wyatt Communication ROI Study found that companies with effective communication practices have a 19 percent higher market premium and a 57 percent higher… Read More
Continue ReadingFocus On Your Selling System
SellingPower.com offers up an interesting article in their CRM newsletter – Is CRM Really Improving Sales Productivity? The short answer is no for a handful of reasons. One item resonated with me: Mike Bosworth, author of the bestseller CustomerCentric Selling (Wiley, 2005) argues that the sales process must be adapted to customer buying processes prior to being automated. But that€™s not what€™s happening. Instead, when sales managers see sales productivity dropping, they€™re likely to turn to CRM in an attempt to make their existing, traditional process more efficient. That€™s like stepping on the accelerator when you€™re heading for a cliff. He’s right – there is no reason to automate a… Read More
Continue ReadingA Year Of Sense
Today marks The Hire Sense’s first anniversary so without much pomp and circumstance, let’s get a proper perspective: Most modern calendars mar the sweet simplicity of our lives by reminding us that each day that passes is the anniversary of some perfectly uninteresting event. -Oscar Wilde We may have to use that quote every year on this date! Thanks to all of our readers and to the acquaintances we have made through this expanding channel.
Continue ReadingSimple Sign Of A Schmoozer
I’m working through many phone screens today and came across a respondent who displayed one of the hallmarks of a schmoozer. A question I often like to lead with is some variation of this: “Give me an overview of your skills and how they would fit into this position based on the ad that you read.” A simple question that assumes they are familiar with the ad. Yet, you would be surprised how often the candidate does not have the ad in front of them or how little they remember from the ad. Some respondents are wise enough to state they don’t have the ad in front of them so… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Toughest Positions To Hire
CareerBuilder.com’s article Today’s Hardest-to-Fill Jobs lists the top 10 hardest-to-fill jobs. First, a little background: According to a recent survey by recruitment firm Manpower Inc., the answer is no. The survey says 41 percent of U.S. employers are struggling to find qualified job candidates because of a lack of available talent. And then the top 10 positions: 1. Sales Representative2. Teacher3. Mechanic4. Technician5. Management/Executive6. Truck Driver7. Driver/Delivery8. Accountant9. Laborer10. Machine Operator Yes, sales rep is the most difficult position to hire. There are always sales candidates available, but it is far more difficult to identify the right salesperson. We can help.
Continue ReadingThe Mature Hiring Trend
We’ve been talking about the talent shortage topic for some time and it is only going to become more prominent over the next decade. The Christian Science Monitor offers this story – ‘Age friendly’ workplaces on the rise – that defines a growing strategy – making your company culture more “age friendly.” Here’s why that approach is so important: Already, 10,000 baby boomers are turning 50 every day, a trend the US Census Bureau says will continue for the next decade. As the age for collecting full Social Security benefits climbs to 67, and as some pensions become less secure, more people will need to keep working. But many employers… Read More
Continue Reading5 Futuristic Jobs
This is fascinating – CNNMoney.com has a short slide show presentation in their article 5 Dream jobs of the future. They are: Disease Mapper Robot Programmer Information Engineer Radiosurgeon Second Life Lawyer Yes, that last one is correct. Here is part of the description: Count Stevan Lieberman among the virtual world’s earning elite. Instead of trying to practice purely virtual law–which few if any lawyers have turned into real money–Lieberman has taken a hybrid approach, using Second Life as a meet-and-greet area for new clients, who then take their real-world legal needs offline. And since he took in $7,000 in fees in the first two weeks after hanging up his… Read More
Continue ReadingThis Is A Hobby?
I just read through a local business weekly that had a profile of a power player CEO. Her bio says she is married with 3 children all under the age of 3. The first thing listed under her hobbies section: Spending time with her family I know, this is probably just semantics, but spending time with your family is a hobby? I generally think of rollerblading, hunting and traveling as hobbies. Your family is more important than work and I would characterize family life as more than a hobby. Again, maybe it is just semantics, but certainly not how I would state it.
Continue ReadingA Not-So-Dynamic Ad
This is the closing sentence from a long, detailed sales manager ad I read this morning: For full job details, to apply online, and to learn more about our dynamic organization, please visit our website at www.company.com and search for Req ID# XXXXXX. “Search for” a req on their website? I followed the link and it simply takes you to the home page of their rather extensive website. I went 5 clicks deep into the site and still did not find the specific job listing. Don’t do this. It may work for web developer positions, but not for sales positions.
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