| How many times has this scenario played out in a | | | | Their preference is for a position in which most of |
| company? The candidates resume indicated that | | | | their talents are engaged. This desire manifests |
| he had extensive success in our market and had | | | | itself in their activities involving more than simple |
| progressed in each of his positions. When we | | | | selling. They may become interested in marketing |
| brought him in for an interview, he was a good | | | | plans, product development, customer service and |
| communicator, likeable, well-groomed and focused | | | | so forth. These broad interests and activities will |
| on our industry. We hired him and he was an | | | | dilute their sales effectiveness since they end up |
| absolute stiff. He wouldnt call leads, he couldnt | | | | spending time on non-sales activities. |
| qualify prospects and he never closed a significant | | | | The mitigating factor here is whether there is a |
| deal. We fired him 12 months later. The only | | | | skills path for the salesperson to follow within the |
| reason why we waited so long was because his | | | | company. If the salesperson is provided an |
| forecast was loaded with large opportunities that | | | | ascending path with a reasonable time window, |
| were perpetually 45 days away from closing. | | | | they will often grow into a larger position of |
| This expensive scenario is all-too-common in | | | | responsibility within the company. Unfortunately, |
| corporate America today. Yet, companies | | | | this path is not always available within the hiring |
| continue to follow the same hiring process when | | | | company. |
| looking for solid salespeople. To quote Albert | | | | If the abundantly talented salesperson is not |
| Einstein, Insanity: doing the same thing over and | | | | rewarded by the material trappings of success, |
| over again and expecting different results. | | | | and the position rewards them materially, they will |
| Successful sales hiring requires 3 main focal points | | | | seek out a new opportunity which requires a |
| for success work experience, objective | | | | broader talent set. Hence, hiring these sales |
| assessment and in-person abilities. I would rank | | | | candidates into a misaligned position may lead to |
| them all at 30% importance and leave 10% to | | | | short-term success but is often doomed by a |
| other fit factors (compensation, writing ability, | | | | short-term tenure. |
| travel, etc.). | | | | --Right Talent-- |
| The focus of this article is the objective | | | | The Holy Grail of hiring is finding the right talent |
| assessment portion of the decision and, | | | | for the position. Most companies approach this |
| specifically an item that is often presumed talent. | | | | goal with a belief in hiring the salesperson with |
| Talent is a fuzzy word. What that means is that | | | | extensive experience in their industry and an |
| you could ask 10 different people to define it and | | | | abundance of talent. Experiential hiring is an entire |
| you would receive 10 different answers. In the | | | | article unto itself. But the right talent is the target |
| context of this article, lets define talent as a | | | | and finding it requires an often overlooked step |
| persons natural aptitude a characteristic feature | | | | profiling the sale. |
| of their abilities. To be clear, talent is different | | | | Profiling the sale involves defining the parameters |
| than skill. | | | | of one typical sale. Some criteria to consider: |
| Our hiring process allows us to measure a | | | | -How many initial contacts are needed to |
| candidates talents and compare those talents to | | | | eventually close one sale? |
| the positions requirements. This gap analysis | | | | -What is the monetary size of an average order? |
| provides insights into a candidates abilities that no | | | | -How much time is spent selling new accounts vs. |
| interviewer could ascertain even after hours of | | | | existing accounts? |
| interviews. Talent is deep seated and in conducting | | | | -How long is one typical sales cycle? |
| these assessments, we consistently encounter 3 | | | | These are just a handful of questions that paint |
| levels of talent. | | | | the picture of what talents are most effective |
| --Wrong Talent-- | | | | within the requirements of the position. The |
| This sounds simple; the candidate simply does not | | | | important point is to first understand what is |
| fit the position since they lack specific talents. No, | | | | needed before trying to tackle what talent is |
| wrong in this context refers to a misalignment | | | | available. The key point in this process is simple |
| between the talents of the sales candidate and | | | | you cannot ask a new salesperson to do |
| the requirements of the position. | | | | something 10, 20 or 50 times (closed deals) if you |
| The most frequent example we encounter | | | | cannot define for them how to do it once. |
| involves a candidates empathy. A sales position | | | | The right talent requires strength in the specific |
| for a quick, 1 or 2 call close sale typically requires | | | | areas defined by profiling the sale. Yet, there is a |
| a candidate with lower empathy aptitudes. The | | | | follow up piece to this information that has to be |
| salesperson needs to be quick, concise and | | | | pursued how does the candidate use the talent? |
| dispassionate. The salesperson will have a short | | | | An attribute of the right talent is the ability to |
| window to qualify a prospect before closing them | | | | effectively apply that talent. We often state that |
| or moving on to the next prospect. | | | | just because a candidate has a talent, it does not |
| Conversely, a relationship sale, with an extended | | | | mean that they use it. The application of their |
| sales cycle, requires a candidate with more | | | | talent can only be discerned by asking specific |
| developed empathy aptitudes. This sale requires | | | | questions during the interview portion of the hiring |
| rapport, even a friendship-building talent that will | | | | process. |
| steadily move the prospect through the sales | | | | Selecting a salesperson with the wrong talent will |
| cycle to a successful conclusion. | | | | lead to the quickest exit of any newly-hired |
| If you hire the salesperson with less empathetic | | | | salesperson. This salesperson may attempt to |
| aptitude and place him in the relationship sale, you | | | | prolong the inevitable, but their misaligned talents |
| will see him cover much ground but close few | | | | will force a separation. |
| deals. Typically, these salespeople attempt to push | | | | Selecting a salesperson with an abundance of |
| the prospect faster than their decision process will | | | | talent may work in the long run as long as the |
| allow. This approach has an unsophisticated | | | | salesperson is challenged in multiple areas. The end |
| clumsiness to it when viewed firsthand. | | | | result in this situation most likely will be the |
| Salespeople with strong empathy talents rarely | | | | salesperson moving on either into a greater |
| succeed in the quick-close sales role. They | | | | position within your company or to another |
| over-empathize with their prospects and tend to | | | | company which offers a greater challenge. |
| draw out the sales cycle well beyond two calls. | | | | Selecting a salesperson with the right talent |
| This approach has a slow softness to it that leads | | | | requires a detailed profile of your sale. That profile |
| to few closed deals. | | | | becomes the blueprint which is then used to |
| --Abundant Talent-- | | | | define the candidates with the right blend of |
| This level of talent is the most difficult to | | | | talents for success in the position. This analysis |
| comprehend. Essentially, an abundance of talent | | | | can only occur with a combination of objective |
| will often lead to a short tenure for the | | | | talent assessment followed by an interview to |
| salesperson. An abundance of talent means the | | | | pursue the findings of the assessment. |
| salesperson has many natural aptitudes and is | | | | If you define the specific talents your sale |
| searching for a position in which to apply these | | | | requires, your search for the right talent will lead |
| many talents. These salespeople can grow weary | | | | to the strongest sales candidates. |
| of a position even when they are excelling in it. | | | | |