I mentioned the new Salesopedia JobsCentral board earlier today. As part of that board’s launch, I had the chance to record a podcast with Clayton Shold from Salesopedia and Jeremy Miller from LEAPJob.com. We talked about a handful of sales hiring trends, Generations X & Y and our predictions of where we see the market going in the next 5 years. It was a good, lively discussion and worth your time to listen. Please click here to listen to the entire podcast.
Continue ReadingNew Sales Job Board
I’m a bit late in posting on this, but Salesopedia has launched a new job board dedicated to sales positions. The niche job board market is one we have been dabbling in for the past year and are finding it to be far more fruitful than the large boards. I have no doubt that Salesopedia’s JobCentral will be a tremendous tool for sourcing top sales candidates. We have already signed up and have our first ad running on the board. Check it out when you have a moment.
Continue ReadingTitle Troubles
Part of our service to our customers is to help them write an effective offer letter to their top candidate. We adjust some words based on the candidate’s style, motivations and rewards to make the offer talk more directly to their preferences. One thing crossed my mind recently in regards to sales titles. Many times we see some of our smaller-sized customers providing “big” titles for the new salesperson. The obvious goal in some instances is to provide more title and less money. That works in banks but not so much for B2B salespeople. Nonetheless, here is an example of where the title can cause trouble. We have a customer… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Case Against Cloning
I had an interesting, quick call this morning with a suspect who was interested in our assessment tools. His question involved cloning, specifically, why not clone his top salespeople for a benchmark. We don’t benchmark in our hiring process or assessments. The presumption is that you can find a clone of your top people. Bad assumption since people are the ultimate variable. Beyond that, there are other variables that affect this approach. 1. The Ideal Sale. We start all assessments by profiling your typical sale along with your ideal sale. The present-day realities of a typical sale must be defined. However, we also profile what would be ideal in your… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Role Awareness
This week we focus on a unique trait in that it is usually low amongst jobseekers. They are confused or unclear about their current role and looking to find clarity in their next role. This fact is the reason why we stress a strong onramping program for all new sales hires. A clear program immediately sets the parameters of their new role – something that was most likely missing from their previous position. Role AwarenessThe ability of a salesperson to be aware of their role in the world or within a given environment. This is the ability to understand the expectations placed on a position and to clearly see how those expectations… Read More
Continue ReadingCreativity In Selling
Much of the filtering that occurs in sales hiring incorporates the all-too-familiar standards of industry experience and college degrees. The interview follows a step-by-step history of their career much like the old TV show This Is Your Life. The candidates have learned the proper rote responses to most of the questions. It is a dull process that leads to marginal results. But what about creativity? Creativity often gets overlooked or ignored in sales hiring. “Creativity belongs in marketing.” “Salespeople should be money-motivated, driven hunters who complete one-call closes.” Boring and antiquated. Creativity is the overlooked, undervalued aspect of selling that can be the differentiator between an above-average salesperson and a… Read More
Continue ReadingA Good Way To Handle Degrees
Reading through sales ads this morning, I came across this line: Bachelor€™s degree preferred but not necessary with qualified experience. I think that is a good way to frame the requirement. I would not want to prohibit a strong sales candidate from applying because of a degree requirement.
Continue ReadingDefining Experience
Quick hitter – say a candidate has worked at a particular company for 5 years. When phone screening and interviewing them about that experience, it is important to determine if they have 5 years of unique experience or 5 years of the first year over and over. That is a twisted sentence, but I hope you get my point. We’ve run into this issue with salespeople in previous positions. Did the salesperson grow in the position over their tenure or did they simply perform the same tasks repeatedly over their tenure. Don’t underestimate the importance of this distinction. We’ve seen decent salespeople go “stale” over time and, in most instances, it… Read More
Continue ReadingWhat Can You Learn From A Resume?
I’ve run into this resume issue many times and have realized I may be missing the boat here. When I look at a resume, here is what I believe I can learn: -Work History – Obviously, where they have worked, positions they have held, successes they have achieved, how long they have earned a paycheck in an industry. Oh, and it is probably embellished. And next-to-impossible to completely verify. -Education – I can find out where they attended college, what degrees they earned and whether they graduated magna or summa cum laude. And this is the section that contains the most falsehoods on any given resume. The information must be… Read More
Continue ReadingBackground Screening Stats
According to a recent article in Workforce Managements Newsletter, almost as many employees are discharged for poor performance as those who leave for better pay or for personal reasons. The National Association of Professional Employer Organizations, an Alexandria, Virginia-based group found about 70 percent of companies say job candidates omit relevant background information €œoccasionally or frequently.€ A fairly high rate especially if you are not conducting some type of background check. We have been very consistent here at The Hire Sense encouraging you as an employer to run background checks on all final candidates. If you aren’t performing background checks today, I hope the latest statistic will prompt you to… Read More
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