This week we focus on a thorn in many sales manager’s sides but this trait is one where strength may not actually be beneficial to success in sales. Respect For Policies The ability of a salesperson to see and appreciate the value of conducting business affairs according to the defined intent of company policies and standards. A salesperson with strength in this trait generally understands the philosophies of the corporate structure and will strive to conduct business according to those standards. They will honor the concept of doing things according to the rules and regulations of the company. A weakness in this area indicates a salesperson who does not have… Read More
Continue ReadingTeam Selling Today
We are experiencing a seismic shift of the sales process as it moves from a single salesperson calling on prospects to to a team-based approach. A recent article at Selling Power lays out the roles the varies team members should play. The article comes from The Fisherman’s Guide to Selling: Reel in the Sale €“ Hook, Line and Sinker, authored by Joe DiMisa. Here are the 6 basic roles as defined by him: The Leader: This ONE person pilots the meeting or discussions. Color commentator: This person will add “color” or important facts or statistics relevant to key issues. Note taker: This person records comments, decisions, agreements, needs, and action… Read More
Continue ReadingApostrophes Are Overrated
From a resume cover letter I found online: I have been sending emails to job postings to customer service/sales positions on <job board> now for awhile and I cant figure out why it is that I dont get any replies back. Im colleges educated from a 4 year liberal arts institution… As a fellow liberal arts-educated person, I do have sympathy for this person’s plight. I think a good first step would be punctuation and proof-reading.
Continue ReadingA Thorough Verification
We are strong proponents of candidate assessments as you know from reading our blog. There is another aspect of successful hiring that we advocate and that is thorough background verifications. We have numerous customers who conduct employment, education, credit and drug verifications. In case you wondered why, Foxnews.com offers this statistic-driven headline – 1 in 12 Workers in U.S. Admit Using Drugs in Past Month: Nineteen percent of workers age 18 to 25 said they used illegal drugs during the past month, compared with 10.3 percent among those age 26 to 34; 7 percent among those age 35 to 49; and 2.6 percent among those age 50 to 64. That… Read More
Continue ReadingWhat Does Success Look Like?
Earlier this week, myself and the President of one of our customers interviewed a sales candidate. We purposely put the candidate through an extensive interview to observe his ability to handle a lengthy discussion (similar to our customer’s typical call). After putting him through the paces, we gave him the chance to ask questions of us. This time is most valuable in an interview in that it gives you insight into the candidate’s thought process during the qualifying stage in a sales process. He did quite well in his questions – he learned who the competition is, what markets he would call on, the company’s value proposition and culture (including… Read More
Continue ReadingGen Y’s Definition Of Loyalty
Interesting post on The Big Time blog regarding Spherion’s Emerging Workforce Study (emphasis mine): Emerging workers (ed.-of which Gen Y makes up the largest percentage), as defined by Spherion’s research, are employees who possess certain qualities and traits that differ from past worker attitudes. For example, Emerging workers believe loyalty is defined by one’s contribution to their employer and not tenure, and they want employers to reward them based on their performance. Amen to that. We see many sales departments, especially in large corporations, where tenure is the defining factor for retention. The old guard is almost untouchable and they actively defend their status. This culture is not conducive to… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Enjoyment Of The Job
This week we look at a trait that provides much insight into existing salespeople. There are other factors to consider in assessing a salesperson’s present state, but this trait provides a tangible red flag. Existing salespeople who score low in this trait are a definite flight risk for the employer. Enjoyment Of The Job The feeling that one€™s job is both fulfilling and rewarding and that it has a positive and useful benefit. A salesperson with high scores in this capacity will tend to view their job as more than simply a means to earn an income. They view it as a valuable endeavor that proves beneficial to others as… Read More
Continue ReadingQuestioning A Potential Employer’s Sanity
I have a weakness for poorly-written cover letters and have enjoyed Cover Letters From Hell from Killian & Co. Their latest newsletter has a new twist – candidate responses to rejection letters. Ah, new territory to expand my enjoyment. This is the one that had me rolling: Dear Madam, Here in the body and mind of [Name], we express ourselves thoroughly and as accurately as possible. We highly regard integrity and honesty and as such, only pursue those actions that are aligned with those qualities. Thus, we have found some inconsistencies in your response and we feel compelled to respond… You say that you only ‘are able to’ pursue professional,… Read More
Continue ReadingCannon Fodder In Sales Ads
A common mistake in sales ad writing is the belief that you have to cover every single responsibility in the position. This is not true and leads to long-winded ads that can actually be a deterrent to candidates. Case in point from an ad I read this morning: 15. Other duties as assigned. That’s right – bullet #15 looks like they ran out of gas so the finished the overly long list with a catch-all waste of a line. People understand there are many aspects to a job beyond what is written in the job description. If they don’t, they should work for the government. Don’t use the line listed… Read More
Continue Reading3 Years And A Cloud Of Dust
If you have been sourcing salespeople recently, you have probably noticed some short tenures among the Gen Y candidates. We are sourcing for an intermediate-level sales position that has garnered a noticeable response from Gen Y (or young Gen X) candidates. The remarkable trend is that many of the candidates have 2-4 years in each position before they move on to the next opportunity. Many of our Baby Boomer managers are questioning that “job-hopping” history. This concern is valid but it is also systemic in the younger generations. They are looking to move up in their career and loyalty to one employer is far less frequent than just 20 years… Read More
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