Selling Power’s Hiring Newsletter takes a look at assessments used in the hiring process. This is a topic near and dear to our hearts in that we assess sales candidates with online tests. One paragraph jumped out (emphasis mine): According to Whittle, the average test runs around $200, but there were some tests that tacked on extra costs for interpretation up to $600 to $900 extra. Her company usually conducts the tests after at least two behavioral interviews to save time and costs. However, Whittle reminds us – the cost of testing is nothing compared to the cost of a bad hire. “We conduct the tests to validate what we’ve… Read More
Continue ReadingA Needed Trait – Resourcefulness
I’ve been dealing with many different sales candidates of late and one thing that is starting to stand out – a candidate’s resourcefulness. This trait comes shining through on some candidates and is little more than a dull luster on others. The less resourceful a salesperson, the more wary you should be in considering their candidacy. This trait has always been important in sales. Resourcefulness feeds networking, prospecting, qualifying and competitive knowledge. Recently I have encountered a couple of candidates who just plain lack this ability. The lack of resourcefulness shows up in not finding email addresses or cell phone numbers. One salesperson wasn’t able to recall the position for… Read More
Continue ReadingQuality Of Hire Requires Objectivity
Ere.net offers up an excellent Kevin Wheeler article that explains how gut-level hiring occurs. Here is the crux of the problem: Interviews are examples of how easy it is to abandon the tools of objectivity, the scientific method, logic, and the rules of evidence, for our “gut” or for “chemistry.” While there is considerable evidence showing that testing candidates is far more likely to predict successful performance, we still rely almost exclusively on interviews. Though numerous researchers have pointed out the need to gather a variety of data about a candidate, we generally settle for an application form and an interview. Why are we so resistant to testing and other… Read More
Continue ReadingWhat’s Your Bar Personality?
The Memorial Day weekend is here so why not kick off the unofficial start of summer with an “assessment.” You can take the short assessment at SalesHQ. Here is my result: Friendly Regular You’re at home in the bar…but dancing is not so much your thing. Casual conversation, light flirting, or live music is your ideal night. You enjoy a nice beer and a good glass of wine, occasionally a cocktail. This is a great lifestyle for a hard worker like you! Yeah, we won’t be using this assessment in our hiring process.
Continue ReadingIt Ain’t Experience
BusinessWeek.com discusses recruiting strategies based on who you are trying to attract in Recruiting Today: What Are You Promising? There are some excellent examples of different programs initiated by different companies. However, this one jumped off the screen: In some cases, offering young employees a unique opportunity can have special appeal. DHL, which used to hire only experienced salespeople, offered nine recent college grads a shot at sales last year (and a comprehensive training program to support the move). The company, which is expanding the program this year, says the program not only attracted nine top candidates, but the new hires generated more revenue and more shipments per sale. Many… Read More
Continue ReadingDirector Of Career Mobility
Another good article here from WSJ titled New Career, Same Employer. The gist of the article: Ernst & Young LLP last year named Nancy Harley director of career mobility for the Americas, a new position designed to help employees of the accounting firm move into new roles. “The longer someone stays intrigued and challenged, the longer they’re going stay with the firm,” Ms. Harley says. Observers say employers are creating or expanding these programs to improve retention rates in a competitive job market, particularly as Baby Boomers begin to retire. The initiatives typically include Web-based programs for evaluating employees’ career goals and suggesting relevant paths. Interesting title – director of… Read More
Continue ReadingWho Needs Validated Assessments?
Especially when you can simply look at someone’s shoes. This Yahoo News story has to be an April Fool’s joke: Mindset Media, a media company that examines personality traits of different consumers, found that people who buy more than three pairs of sneakers a year are 61 percent more likely to have the qualities of a modern leader. These qualities were defined as having ideas and vision, and a style with others that is both inclusive and decisive. The survey of 7,500 people, using market research group Nielsen’s online panel, found multi-sneaker buyers were 50 percent more likely to be very assertive and 47 percent more likely to be spontaneous.… Read More
Continue ReadingSimulation Training And Hiring
Lee and I recently attended certification training for one of the assessments we use and found the training to be quite good. The part that made it memorable is the fact that we were asked to use the assessments in real-life scenarios. That type of training sticks, according to the Wall Street Journal’s Simulation Shows What It’s Like to Be Boss: That realistic feeling is a big reason companies such as NetApp use simulations to help train managers in complex subjects such as strategic thinking. Experts say adults absorb information better when they use it, not just hear it. There is a quote from earlier in the article that is… Read More
Continue ReadingAssessments Shorten Interviews
I’ve read many sales technique articles recently that discuss how to approach a prospect. Salespeople are expected to have a cursory knowledge of the company itself, it’s market and, to some extent, whether or not they have a solution that may be a fit for this prospective customer. Gone are the days of cold calling a prospect and asking what it is their company does. I think everyone can agree with that paragraph. So why do companies still expect hiring managers to go through the added discovery of sorting out communication styles, motivations and skill sets? Granted, most managers want to verify these items, but assessments provide a starting point… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Cost Of Underperforming Salespeople
Here’s an interesting little article I stumbled across this morning from Seacoastonline.com titled Get the most out of your sales team. The premise is simple and accurate – nonproductive salespeople are the bane of any small (or large) business. A nonproductive sales team is among the top common dangers that cause many small businesses to fail. Analyzed studies reveal that a large percentage of small businesses are unsuccessful because of underperforming sales people who bring in, at a minimum, 50 percent less revenue than top performers, according to researcher Dr. John Sullivan, professor of Economics at San Francisco State University. … Studies indicate that a common reason for poor performance… Read More
Continue Reading