I am slowly coming to the realization that many (most?) sales hiring managers are drawn to hiring experience like a moth is drawn to light. I am seeing it play out again at one of our assessment customers. The allure is to hire a salesperson with industry experience before properly assessing their sales skills. Here are some of the common statements I hear from these hiring managers: -They will pick up on our sale quickly -They know the competition -They know the nuances of our market -They know the competition -They will step in and start selling All of these beliefs stem from the hope that the hiring manager will… Read More
Continue ReadingNews From The Twilight Zone
From CNNMoney.com: A jobless recovery? Hardly. By historical standards, the labor market is recovering nicely — job growth has started earlier than in past recessions. I guess I was unaware of how good it is out there. I think this article comes with a large serving of Kool-Aid also.
Continue ReadingJob Progress
I’m beginning to think we are becoming immune to employment reporting. A sentence from the beginning and end of a CNNMoney.com article (emphasis mine): The good news: Overall employers announced fewer planned job cuts. … Economists are expecting the report to show there were 120,000 jobs lost in August, an improvement over July’s 131,000 job loss. In a prolonged recession, I guess these pieces of information are uplifting.
Continue ReadingThe Stalled Economic Engine
You know this entire GDP reporting process is an absolute joke. This AP article indicates that the Q2 GDP is going to be revised down…a LOT: The government is about to confirm what many people have felt for some time: The economy barely has a pulse. The Commerce Department on Friday will revise its estimate for economic growth in the April-to-June period and Wall Street economists forecast it will be cut almost in half, to a 1.4 percent annual rate from 2.4 percent Honestly, if a publicly-traded company were to do this, executives would be incarcerated. How the government gets away with this propaganda is beyond me. But if you… Read More
Continue ReadingPandora’s Box Known As Facebook
There has been much discussion about the use of social networking for candidate background checks. I have always been in favor of allowing companies to search through anything posted online – it is in the public domain. However, this German law does provide a bit more detail: For example, employers will still be allowed to run a search on the Web on their applicants, de Maiziere said. Anything out in public is fair game, as are postings on networks specifically created for business contacts, such as LinkedIn. In contrast, it will be illegal to become a Facebook friend with an applicant in order to check out private details, he said,… Read More
Continue ReadingNew Phrase
I was reading this article from our local business magazine and came across this phrase which was new to me (emphasis mine): Twin Cities television viewers are most drawn to sports, comedies and dramas, and they’re increasingly using digital video recorders and other time-shifting technologies to watch their favorite programs, according to Comcast Corp.’s second annual “TV Pulse Survey.” I would argue that Taleo is a “time-shifting technology,” if you get my drift.
Continue ReadingToo Many Gerunds
From a sales ad I just read (my editing): Experience in building, hiring from scratching, coaching, training and developing the RAMs in the sale of _________ products. Perhaps this is some new interviewing technique – “If you could scratch one place on your body, what would that place be?”
Continue ReadingOf Objectivity
I preach this point from the mountaintop as often as possible so I’ll continue here – sales is the single most difficult position to hire in any company. The reason is simple, accurately predicting sales success by discerning candidate capabilities is…well, often a crapshoot. This fact is why it is imperative to use assessments to gain an understanding of what the candidate has “under their hood.” A prime example is emotional control. Successful salespeople have this trait. It is a broad term so let me put a finer point on it: This is the ability of a salesperson to maintain rational and objective actions when experiencing strong internal emotions. This… Read More
Continue Reading3 Years And A Cloud Of Dust
My apologies for co-opting Woody Hayes’ saying, but I am from Ann Arbor and couldn’t stand the guy anyway. I’m wondering what the Great Recession is going to do to resumes. What I mean is this – many people have shortened tenures nowadays (especially Gen Y). 3 years is turning into a fairly good tenure for a worker. This recession has cost millions of people their jobs. Some will have to start their work career over, essentially taking a “lesser” job and working their way up all over again. In many instances, they will have to jump from job to job to keep moving up during their now condensed work… Read More
Continue Reading10 Commandments Of Successful Sales Selection
1. Always select talent and skills over experience. 2. Do not put the entire burden of the company on this hire. 3. Do not clone yourself. 4. Do not expect to hire perfection. 5. Do not start the process unless you can hire the right candidate today. 6. Do not run the process out of sequence. 7. Do not miss opportunities to see the candidate in action. 8. Do not change the compensation plan during the process. 9. Trust the instruments more than your gut. 10. Do not assume you are the candidates’ only option.
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