A couple of weeks ago we posted about a monster.com random interview question generator. One of the strange questions posed to candidates was “Why is there fuzz on a tennis ball?” I kid you not, we are getting hit on that topic. So, being the broad-ranging resource that we are, I had some fun with the search engines and found a simple answer: The fuzz increases the wind resistance, which slows down the ball and helps the players to volley (hit the ball back and forth without stopping) longer. Without it, the ball would fly off the court after every serve! The fuzz also helps players control the ball, by… Read More
Continue Reading76 and 44
One topic for which we write extensively is the upcoming worker shortage (see here). Obviously the economy will not stop, but there will be a real battle for talented employees. The Working Wounded Blog from abcnews.com makes an interesting statement that companies will have to go beyond salaries and stock options to secure the best talent. They will need to focus on the corporate environment to make it pleasing to the employees. Based on the facts listed below, I think he is hitting a topic that will be at the forefront shortly (emphasis mine): The key numbers for the U.S. work force for the next 10 years are 76 and… Read More
Continue ReadingChopping Down Trees
Monster.com has an amusing, quick-read article about sales demonstrations gone horribly wrong. The example is predictable, but funny nonetheless. Hidden inside this article is a reference to a tremendous Abraham Lincoln quote: Abe Lincoln once said that if he had eight hours to chop down a tree, he would spend the first six hours sharpening the saw. That euphimism is applicable to prospecting for new customers in today’s world. Today, cold calling requires a salesperson to have, at a minimum, a cursory knowledge of the company and their basic business model. Salespeople who cold call without that basic knowledge have sales careers that are already circling the drain.
Continue ReadingThe Tightening Market
Strangely the economic news seems to have a hard time making it in to the mainstream media. In case you missed it, unemployment is down to 4.6% which is the lowest it has been since July 2001. We have entered our 34th straight month of manufacturing expansion – the longest stretch in almost 20 years. The labor market has tightened dramatically and finding strong candidates is becoming more challenging. We endorse the approach of looking for talent that will transfer into the needs of your position. When we define a sale, we build a blueprint of the skills, aptitudes, motivations and style that will be the best fit for successfully… Read More
Continue ReadingKeywording a Resume
CareerJournal posted an article titled Finding the Right Keywords to Get Your Resume Noticed. As you have probably noticed, we are on a crusade to stop companies from making initial candidate decisions based on resumes only. We go to great lengths to parse a resume for key information. We have our own keywords and, more importantly, key data that supports their claims. Notice this section of the article: Although many keywords are industry specific, Mr. Block says, certain phrases are important to almost all companies. They include “communication skills,” “problem-solving,” “team work,” “leadership,” “resource optimization,” and “image and reputation management.” “Business development” might be one of the most important of… Read More
Continue ReadingQuick Ad Tip
We are sourcing for a handful of different positions right now (more than just sales positions) and are seeing an interesting trend. The major job boards (CareerBuilder and Monster) are most active on Tuesday. We post our ads on Tuesday and receive most of our responses on that day and the next day (Wed.). The smaller, niche sites seem to be more active on the weekends – mainly Friday afternoon and Saturday. Keep that trend in mind next time you post an ad.
Continue ReadingSales Trainer’s Perspective
I am not familiar with Mark Giganti but I am enjoying his interview at Landing the Deal. Giganti comments on common sales management mistakes: “Most managers I begin training are just at the point where they begin managing people with the “golden rule” philosophy: “Manage people as you would want to be managed. But I try and get them to see that gold isn’t good enough anymore…they need to get to the “platinum rule” philosophy: “Manage people as they need to be managed.” There’s a big difference. “Also, I see a lot of professionals who like to ‘manage from the hip’. No plan, no real reason for doing what they… Read More
Continue ReadingAnecdotes – The 30 (or 10) Second Commercial
It is Friday therefore it is time for another hiring anecdote. I was phone screening sales candidates for a high-tech company and I asked a candidate to give me a quick 30-second commercial of the products and services he had sold. I asked him to frame his experience in the context of how it fit the requirements of the position. At least he was quick. His 10-second response was: “Well, I have sold everything from cow manure to satellite TV.” He never did answer the second part of the question about tying in his experience to the requirements of the position. I know – if he could have effectively tied… Read More
Continue ReadingManaging a Sales Team
Keys to Managing a Sales Team is a quick read from the abcnews.com career center. The article has hands-on advice (which we like) that cut to quick of effective sales management – at least in a limited scope. One item I want to pull from the article: Do you adapt to their style? I had a boss who never wanted to visit my work space; we always met in his office. Are you like that? It’s important to make your coaching more about the workers. Find out how they learn the best and what topics they think are the most important to discuss. The more you make it about your… Read More
Continue ReadingAn Employee’s Market
The economy is roaring after 5.3% growth in GDP last quarter. We have recently started tracking this monster.com index and it appears to be quite accurate. The takeaway stat: The index, which Monster said is a strong predictor of overall U.S. demand for workers, is up 25 percent over the past year.
Continue Reading