These lists seem to come out on a regular basis with different results. Yet, I’m a sucker for a list so I read them. The one consistent piece of information I read is that compensation is often overrated. People may say they changed jobs for a better compensation package, but usually it is some other factor driving them out of their current job. I’m not sure that holds up well in sales. The top reasons people have changed jobs: Downsizing or restructuring (54 percent); Sought new challenges or opportunities (30 percent); Ineffective leadership (25 percent); Poor relationship with manager (22 percent); To improve work/life balance (21 percent); Contributions to the… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Gen Y Workplace
From CollegeRecruiter.com: Generation Y a/k/a Millennials promise to: Hold only productive meetings. Hallelujah! Shorten the workday by focusing on productivity. Bring back administrative assistants — even if Gen Y pays for them out-of-pocket and even if they’re virtual. Redefine retirement by taking multiple mini-retirements. They’ll find real mentors by teaching older workers about technology and in return be guided through office politics. Put human back into human resources. Promote people to management based on their managerial skills, not their seniority. Continue to value what their parents have to offer because Gen Y respects their parents and their parents respect their Gen Y children. Trade off potential raises and promotions for… Read More
Continue ReadingBe Conservative On The Compensation
I read this line in a sales employment ad this past weekend: Actual Year 1 average earnings – $100,000 – $200,000 ++ REALISTIC A $100K spread? You know, this type of line is an immediate red flag for a jobseeker. It may be true, but most salespeople will be skeptical. They will put a multiplier of <1.0 on the number. The sad part of this ad is that it was posted by a sales recruiting company. The best bet in these ads is to be somewhat conservative on the compensation and keep a tight range on the potential.
Continue ReadingThe Gasoline Tipping Point
$4.50 here in the Twin Cities. According to this Pioneer Press story: And if the price hits $4.50 per gallon, more than half of the commuters in the Twin Cities said they’ll be looking at changes in their daily commute. The survey found commuters are most aggressive about looking for options in Atlanta, Dallas and the Twin Cities. They are slowest in San Francisco. The gas price is a strong lever in sales recruiting right now, but you have to be prepared to discuss the reimbursement side of the equation. We have noticed a definitive upclick in the discussion of mileage reimbursement/car allowance. In fact, this topic is coming up… Read More
Continue ReadingAlways Be Interviewing Salespeople
From Inc.com’s Sold! blog (my highlighting): The number one mistake in building and maintaining an effective sales team is a flawed hiring process. While there are many elements to consider, my first concern has always been to interview constantly. Always look for exceptional people in and out of your industry. Here are some of my other suggestions for hiring: • Pass on experience and look for people who show some element of emotional intelligence and personal magnetism. • Interview each person at least three times before you send them to another team member. • Prepare questions that take the applicant past normal responses. Get them to solve a sample problem,… Read More
Continue ReadingEven Big Companies Make Mistakes
This is from a sales ad for a large U.S. company: Qualifications To be considered for this role, candidates must meet the following criteria: Bachelor Perhaps that is a truncating problem, but I am feeling left out as a married man.
Continue ReadingCustomer Service Hall Of Shame
Here is a list you do not want your company to be on. From MSN Money: That reality is borne out in the results of MSN Money’s second annual Customer Service Hall of Shame, a ranking of companies with the worst customer service, based on a nationwide survey commissioned by MSN Money and conducted by Zogby International. The winner, or is it loser? Whatever, it is no surprise: AOL Time Warner A remarkable 47% of people who had an opinion of AOL’s customer service said it was “poor.” Analysts said that rating may have something to do with its effort to transition from an Internet service provider — where it… Read More
Continue ReadingTrophy Hires
Some companies focus on hiring from their competition almost exclusively and I am not exactly sure why. I realize they believe they are bolstering their sales department while depleting their competition’s. But taken too far, this approach becomes a detriment to a successful hiring campaign. I’ve seen it with one of our customers who has become infatuated with hiring someone away from a certain competitor. His desire to do so is driven by the fact that a third competitor recently hired someone from the second competitor. It doesn’t matter if you tracked that last sentence, the fact of the matter is still the same. I now refer to this approach… Read More
Continue ReadingDefinition Of Insanity-ATS And Sales Hiring
According to Albert Einstein, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. According to a recent post on Recruiting Trends and a 2007 survey from DDI & Monster regarding corporate hiring systems: Less than 50% stated that they were satisfied with current selection systems. At least two-thirds expressed dissatisfaction with the efficiency of hiring systems, even with access to automation technology to help organize and track applicant information. From our experience in the sales world, I would have to say those dissatisfied numbers are much higher when it comes to the results of their hiring system or process for salespeople. So why not… Read More
Continue ReadingAs The Job Market Churns
Quick-hitter article here from HotJobs.com – Good-Paying Jobs Are Ample, But Training Is Critical. The article is a fast read and worth your time, but here is what caught my attention: The job market is always churning. About 7 million workers lose or leave jobs each quarter and, when the economy is growing, more than 7 million are added to payrolls. Companies hiring right now include makers of aircraft and medical equipment, shipbuilders and refiners of petroleum and sugar. At the same time, losses continue to sock the textile, apparel, auto and other industries. 7 million jobs churn each quarter. That is a staggering number and helps to define what… Read More
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