5 Hiring Hacks For Full Employment

Derrick MoeNo Comments

The job creation numbers are slowing down yet I don’t think that is due to a catastrophic economic slowdown.  The most recent jobs report shows that we have 50-year record low unemployment that is holding month-to-month.  The average hourly wage rate is rising at over 3%.  These factors are signs of a still-strong economy settling in to a cruise control speed for the time being. What is an ongoing problem is hiring…a problem due to a nearly full (100%) employment situation.  In fact, the latest jobs report revealed there are 6.7 million job openings and a total of only 6.4 million unemployed people available to fill them.  To say it… Read More

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Finding Sales Talent In Tight Markets

Derrick MoeNo Comments

The labor market is tight today as you assuredly know if you have been attempting to fill open sales positions.  The issue in sales runs deeper than that as you are typically attempting to find strong sales candidates.  “Attempting” is the key – many hiring managers are unsure of selecting the strongest salesperson.  How do you know they will be successful?  Are they the right candidate?  Can they sell?  Will they sell? The issue gets compounded by the fact that most sales leaders do not spend their days hiring salespeople.  In fact, most of them complete those activities on an infrequent schedule in the margins of their day as needed… Read More

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Simple Writing Tips

Derrick Moe

Harvard Business Review’s Management Tip of the Day covers 7 common writing mistakes.  This may be the most helpful thing you read today: Affect/Effect: Affect is a verb; effect is a noun. It affected him. The effect was startling. All Right/Alright: Although alright is gaining ground, the correct choice is still all right. A Lot: A lot is two words, not one. Allot means “to parcel out.” Between You and I: Nope. Between you and me is the correct phrase. Complement/Compliment: Things that work well together complement each other. Compliments are a form of praise. Farther/Further: Farther is for physical distance; further is for metaphorical distance. How much farther? Our… Read More

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Hunters Will Negotiate

Derrick MoeNo Comments

I have come across this fact with many of my customers and it always surprises me that they are taken aback by candidates who want to negotiate.  One thing that business development salespeople do is negotiate.  They live for the hunt which includes qualifying a deal and influencing the money structure to their benefit.  Generally speaking, a good hunter knows he or she is good at what they do and they also know that companies are willing to pay for their skills. That being said (or written?), hiring managers should not be put off by sales candidates who want to discuss (i.e. negotiate) the salary of the position.  Salary.com ran… Read More

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A Shorter Presentation

Derrick Moe2 Comments

Here is a great, short article from Selling Power about an ad agency’s sales call with Steve Jobs at Apple.  A taste of the setup: When Steel and his two partners arrived at Apple, they were met by two senior members of Apple’s marketing department-employees Jobs had inherited from the former CEO. "Steve’s running late," announced one of the executives. "We’ll get you up-to-speed while we’re waiting." And they ushered Steel’s group into a darkened conference room. They droned on for 2 hours as you will read.  The saving point in the article is the second Steve Jobs entered the meeting.  You’ll have to read it to see the marked… Read More

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Hiring Better

Derrick Moe4 Comments

Well, I am back from an extended summer vacation.  Ok, it wasn’t a vacation, we have been swamped which is a good thing.  Our activities have all been tied around hiring which seems to be bubbling up slightly in highly-selected areas. One thing I have noticed percolating this summer is the use of assessments.  This has been our business since 2004, but it is truly taking off now which seems counterintuitive to me.  However, I heard an interesting Wall Street Journal interview this morning where the reporter stated that companies hiring today have to make the right hire.  Each position is crucial as most companies are running with lower numbers… Read More

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Resume Writing

Derrick Moe4 Comments

I am filtering through many resumes right now and having a wonderful time examining some of the unique stylings of candidates.  Some flavor: -One candidate listed his core competencies…TWENTY FOUR of them -Another stated this, “Subject Matter Expert in dilemma analysis.” -Another misspelled his name – his name Never ceases to amaze me when sourcing.

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Selling Experience

Derrick MoeNo Comments

I have been swamped in sourcing activities recently and have decided to push some random thoughts up to the blog.  Here they are: -Selling for modern-day monopolies (like utilities) is far different than selling in the highly competitive, cost conscious marketplace.  Sales candidates with these backgrounds must be screened for their ability to qualify money.  I have found that skill set lacking in these candidates. -Why are candidates turning into stalkers?  I realize the job market is still incredibly tight, but I have come across many candidates who simply overdo it.  Sense of timing is an aptitude we assess and I am convinced it is more important now then ever.… Read More

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The Problem With Hunters

Derrick Moe2 Comments

They hunt – plain and simple.  You could say it is in their blood.  This becomes an issue when you are attempting to hire a sales hunter as I have witnessed this past week.  One of our customers zeroed in on a particular candidate who is a strong hunter, but my customer took their time in pursuing him.  In that time, he uncovered another opportunity and received an offer.  That offer was later placed on hold so he returned to my customer for an interview.  They thought he would be a great fit, but the first company came back and made him another offer along with my customer.  He went… Read More

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