One of the reasons we are so adamant about assessing sales candidates is to know what motivates and rewards the person. Once identified, these factors can be explored during a face-to-face interview. There is one reward that requires an in-depth discussion with any sales candidate who possesses it – Status & Recognition. This salesperson is rewarded by prestige, social acknowledgement and tangible trophies. Let me be clear – this is a strong reward structure for a salesperson. However, when it is over-amplified, it becomes a detriment. I have a friend in sales who has this issue. He is incredibly knowledgeable about his complex product line. He speaks about it on… Read More
Continue ReadingRFI?
Unbelievable. I have been solicited in a disgusting, disturbing manner. Read this (my emphasis): This request for information (RFI) shall not be construed to be a Request For Proposal (RFP) and no agreement/contract will be entered into with/awarded to any vendor based on responses to this RFI, and it shall in no way be considered as authorization by <company> for vendors to undertake any work. Nothing in this RFI shall be construed as a commitment to issue a RFP. Response to this RFI will not create any obligation. Neither <company> nor vendors answering this RFI shall be bound by any aspect of their response to this RFI. RFI? Yes, I live… Read More
Continue ReadingThose Millennial Misfits
The Herman Trend Alert touches on the ever-popular Gen Y/Millennial trends and traits in their most recent email (sorry, no link). The perception of this generation still needs some improvement…drastic improvement (emphasis mine): Recently JobFox.com conducted a poll of recruiters with predictable results—Millennials were judged to be the least effective performers of the four generations now in our workplace. A paltry 20 percent of the responders characterized them as “generally great performers”. Compare this statistic to the 63 percent who said Baby Boomers (43 to 62 years old) were great performers and 58 percent who gave high marks to Gen Xers (29 to 42). True confession – I have a… Read More
Continue ReadingMind Your Address
It just doesn’t seem so difficult to figure this out, but candidates keep using their personal email addresses that seem to date back to their college days. Of course, there wasn’t email when I was in college…different story. Here is one I came across today: shovelhead@yahoo.com Unbelievable. Instead of considering his candidacy, I am left with thoughts of the potentially peculiar shape of his head.
Continue ReadingThe 7.2 Flu
Today’s announcement of 7.2% unemployment is remarkable in a bad context. Yet, I do appreciate the AP writer’s opening sentence (my color): The nation’s unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest level in 16 years, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs. Dramatic, wouldn’t you say? Look, it is bad and most people realize that fact, but this type of fear-mongering is over the top. How about the third graph: For all of 2008, the economy lost a net total of 2.6 million jobs. That was the most since 1945, when nearly 2.8 million jobs were lost. That was the first half; here is the second half (can’t… Read More
Continue ReadingProof There Is No Proof-Reading
Just when I thought companies had finally taken my advice and started proof-reading their employment ads I come across this title: Build Enginerr Of course the ad states this requirement (emphasis mine): –Excellent written, spoken, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to communicate ideas in both technical and user-friendly language. I suppose the descriptor “excellent” is all relative.
Continue ReadingWe’re Back…
Ok, we never really went anywhere, we just took the holidays off and enjoyed a time of relaxation. Now the new year is upon us along with what I consider the best selling time of the year. From now until Memorial Day, companies are implementing plans, purchasing equipment/services and focused on business. It is a window for any salesperson to start strong on their 2009 quota. This year definitely will challenge many salespeople as the worldwide economies have been in a funk. However, sales still occur. One thing about being a successful salesperson – you have to have passion with controlled emotions. I’ve seen salespeople allow themselves to get into… Read More
Continue Reading2009 Prediction Time-Talent Management
The Herman Trend Alert offers up some expected predictions, some insightful ones and some surprising ones for 2009. Here is one that falls in the expected/not surprising category: 1. Certain Skill Sets Continue to be in Short Supply. In spite of the global economic slowdown and massive layoffs, certain skill sets are in short supply. All but the most short-sighted employers will continue to respect talented workers in all fields for their contributions. I don’t think that is surprising at all, but not all companies subscribe to that approach. Here is an insightful prediction: 3. Fear and Apprehension Reduce Productivity. As we have written about some months ago, there is… Read More
Continue ReadingThe End Of The Keyboard
Nothing like the end of the year and the obligatory futuristic predictions. Yahoo offers a story that predicts the end of the keyboard as we know it: “Talk and touch are common technology interfaces. People have adjusted to hearing individuals dictating information in public to their computing devices. In addition ‘haptic’ technologies based on touch feedback have been fully developed, so, for instance, a small handheld Internet appliance allows you to display and use a full-size virtual keyboard on any flat surface for those moments when you would prefer not to talk aloud to your networked computer.” The idea is to incorporate this technology into a cell phone to make… Read More
Continue ReadingBBD-Pay For Customer Service
BBD=Bad Business Decision. I am always amazed that companies want to charge for customer service, but obviously it must work for them. I can see where computer customer service is a difficult thing since you often have uniformed end-users. However, this abcnews.com story is over-the-top (my bold): Many consumers are used to getting customer service on the phone from international call centers, but now some companies are offering domestic aid for a price. I just laugh when I read it. Extra charges for domestic support just seems insulting to me as a consumer. Again, I may be really out of touch on this one. The article continues with worse news:… Read More
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