Here is an ad item I have not seen before: **** is A Forecast Positing for Minneapolis, MN area *** Do you get the feeling that line was an internal communication? With a spelling error? Whatever the reason, it single-handedly derails the ad…and wastes the money spent on it. Any sales candidate who sees “forecast” for the position instantly knows that it is unqualified. My guess is that the funding for the position is not approved yet. The fact that I can make that assumption neutralizes the ad.
Continue ReadingHumble Ad Writing
Honestly, I came across this title to a sales ad: I make more money in a month than you make all year Fantastic! That is one humble title. As you can imagine, the ad is written in a casual, confrontational style to challenge the most aggressive sales candidates. I wouldn’t write an ad this way, but true confession – I got a kick out of it.
Continue ReadingHiring A Robot
This is an actual title from a sales ad I read this past weekend: TSM-IL (203684-022) Good grief. Unless you are hiring a specific model of robot, do not do this when writing your title.
Continue ReadingOverwritten Ads
I keep an eye on the sales employment ads looking for trends, positions, companies and prospects. I admit it. One of the aspects that catches my attention is the sheer length of some of these ads. It seems apparent that some companies simple publish their internal, HR-drive job descriptions as an employment ad. Mistake. Ads that incorporate this style read as an onerous task list as opposed to describing the opportunity and, more importantly, describing the ideal salesperson in his or her terms. The salesperson should read the ad and think to themselves, “Those are my skills, those are my strengths.” Many ads like to list the reporting requirements of… Read More
Continue ReadingThey Are Not Local
All politics are local according to the late Tip O’Neil. The same can be said of hiring which is why this employment ad is a mistake. The location listed for the sales position: Minnesota, MN I know they probably mean the entire state, but that is not the way to list it. It seems like a small detail, but it does make a poor first impression. My immediate thought was that the hiring company is not familiar with this area.
Continue ReadingThe Philosophical Ad
I’ve been reading through some sales ads and am seeing a trend regarding the introduction. Many ads are now describing their company in, for lack of a better word, philosophical terms. For instance, this excerpt is from a cell phone company’s ad: Are you ready to join _______ and Live Life in the Now?” “At ______, “NOW” is not a mantra, it’s not a demand and it’s not a time in space. NOW is a fact. It’s a lifestyle. It’s the way we conduct business with each other. And it’s the very essence of the experience we deliver to our customers every single day. We believe in the now. We… Read More
Continue ReadingTightening The Ad
I’ve been reading through many sales employment ads recently and am seeing a trend – the ads are written tighter. A couple of examples: -Minimum of 5 years of related public accounting and/or corporate sales -A minimum of two years’ business development experience in a pharmaceutical and/or CRO biotechnology, or drug development company. Nothing wrong with this approach since the candidate pool is still relatively large due to the slow economy. One thing to be sure of – the labor pool will tighten up again soon. At that point, it is wiser to move these requirements into preferences and look outside of your industry for transferable skills. One interesting point… Read More
Continue ReadingAvoidable Sales Ads
Hiring strong salespeople is just about the most difficult hire any company can attempt to make. One of the reasons it is difficult is due to the types of ads that companies use when sourcing. Here is a prime example: Detailed Description Prospect region to identify new Referral vendors Provide regional support for National Referral relationships Re-engage Referral Endorsers not assigned to current reps Introduce (Company) to Referral vendors Manage paperwork for registering Referral vendors Educate Referral vendors on (Company) products and services Manage leads received through Referral vendors Develop (Company) solutions for referred leads Complete profit assistants and proposals for referred prospects Submit orders and process paperwork for provisioning… Read More
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