By Jack Perry
As a sales manager, you learn quickly that before you meet the perfect salesperson, you have to kiss a lot of toads, to paraphrase the old romance cliché. You also know that when you get the right people on your team, you have half as much work to do, but if you make the wrong hiring decision, there’s not enough time in the day.
Increase your chances of successful hiring with these tips for before, during, and after the interview.
Before you even place an ad…
Start by specifically defining what you’re looking for. What does your organization need? What does your profile of an ideal salesperson look like? List 10 - 20 traits you are looking for and believe you must have. Potential employees who don’t have these qualities will be knocked out of the game. For example, if integrity is a core criterion for you, those candidates who don’t seem to have it don’t belong in your organization….you cannot change the basic characteristics of individuals.
Next, define your organization’s culture. What traits and habits will best fit into your team? A “lone wolf” type, for example, will not work well on a team that has a family-oriented attitude. Test your definition of the culture by having other team members look at it.
Consider personality tests (you can find a host of them on the market today) as an important part of the hiring process. They can help to quickly cut through the façade a candidate might present and determine how he or she will fit with the team.
Look at your competition and always be recruiting! Some companies run blind ads when they don’t need anybody just to see what comes up. People’s lives change, and you must consider what you would do if one or all of your sales team left tomorrow. Who would be the replacement candidates ? What sources could you draw from so that you’re not left in a position where you’re desperate to fill a spot?
Approach a potential future hire and say, “If your organization ever mistreats you, give me a call,” and see what happens. Indicate interest; give key points about who you and your organization are, and what your team does. Whet a candidate’s appetite, but then undersell the offer; understating the opportunity with your organization will make it an even more appealing prospect.
Look outside your own industry at other fields that have the kind of talent you’re looking for. Don’t just look within a known talent pool and industry. Where else might you find the candidates with the skills you’re looking for?
Skillfully prepare and refine your questions for candidates. Always be looking for better questions. Be aware of legal guidelines—those things you can’t ask from a legal standpoint.
What to ask and look for during the interview…
Shorter is better: a long resume indicates a history of jumping around among jobs, while a short resume shows someone who has chosen well, stayed with his or her choice, and probably performed well. A potential hire with a short resume is also more likely to have a bigger network, having stayed in place long enough to acquire a more extensive contact base.
Test sales technique with a simple process; pick up a pencil and say, “Sell me this.” Or ask the candidate to come back in a few days prepared to sell you a product or service your organization currently markets.
Consider having more than one sales team member interview job candidates. Others can help assess the candidate’s attitude, helping you determine if it’s real or fake. It’s always good to get someone else’s “take” to compare with your impressions, so consider group interviews, for multiple perspectives.
Ask questions to determine if they can handle rejection, to probe for clues about their levels of ego and drive, and to measure their level of discipline. These are all essential in excellent salespeople.
Ask, “At your prior place of employment, how would you describe your boss?” Watch how he or she explains that situation and then ask, “Were there ever any occasions where you and your boss didn’t agree? And how did you resolve that?” The person’s answer can reveal a lot about his or her work ethic.
Dig deep to determine a candidate’s level of motivation. A lot of people can do a job, but will they? How will they perform under stress when they’re up against someone who’s as talented as or more talented than they are? Are they willing, in a tough situation, to look for greater resources and resolve, to dig for more energy and push harder? The distinction between ability and motivation can be tricky and difficult to measure. In sales, obviously part of the motivation always will be money, not in an inappropriate, greedy way, but as a means of keeping score in the competition, of driving the candidate to excel. In sales, you want competitive candidates, those who will say, “Don’t say no to me!” or “I will win that contest!”
Test candidates at the very end of the interview by saying, “You know, I’m not sure this opportunity is right for you; what do you think?” Taking the job prospect away from them will show if their competitive nature causes them to fight for the position in some way.
Play the percentages; don’t fight the odds. If a candidate is waving a big red flag about his or her current situation, the odds are that person will be a challenge in the future…you will not change the stripes on a zebra.
After you’ve met the candidates…
Call references at “off” times so you can leave a message. Say, “This person has applied to be part of our team and has given you as a reference. When you have the time, please call and share your thoughts if you have anything positive to say.” If the reference doesn’t return your call, know that you have been sent a signal; the reference might have something less than flattering to say about the candidate, but doesn’t want to actually say it. This technique also lets the reference off the hook from saying anything that could be construed as libelous.
Ask a reference who else he or she knows who also knows the candidate. Take the reference the candidate gives you to the next level; you might find someone more honest than the references the candidate wants you to call.
If possible, visit the candidates’ home; meet their spouse, especially in a social situation. You can learn a lot about a person by seeing how and with whom they live.
Resist the temptation to give up and settle for second best if the process takes longer than you’d like.
Always ask for help; talk to other people who can give you input on your evaluation.
Create Your Own All-Star Sales Team
A baseball player who only hits one in every three pitches is considered a superstar, and a football player who completes only half his passes is, too. So understand that when you hire, you will make mistakes, sometimes because you have blind spots, you’re too hurried, or you’re lied to by a candidate who wants the job desperately but then realizes it’s not a fit.
Turnover is unfortunate and very expensive, but if you’re constantly looking for team members, even when you don’t need them immediately, you’ll be surprised how many great ones you’ll find. And if you commit to using these tips , your sales stars will soon significantly outnumber your “toads.”
Hiring from The Respect Factor® Series
THE RESPECT FACTOR® is a trademark of Jack Perry in the United States and other countries. Used with permission. ©2009 Jack Perry. All rights reserved
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