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
Continue ReadingThe Problem With Hunters
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
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 ReadingThe Slow Fade Of Strong Salespeople
It has been a hectic week of crashed computers, new blogs set up, new video integrations, business deals, etc. Suffice to say, I have been worn out by the myriad of tasks. In the middle of this busy week, I talked to a strong salesperson I know who has been quite successful in an industry that normally would suffer during this economy. Unfortunately, he is starting to fade in his current position. What I mean is that the company is grinding him down to where he is looking for another opportunity. The main reason is disgustingly simple – he can successfully close deals in this economy, but his company struggles… Read More
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