What does it mean for you as a hiring manager? Simply put, depending on your industry, finding the perfect candidate may be nearly impossible right now. You can’t hire someone who isn’t available. Therefore, your focus should be on maximizing the return on investment (ROI) from the available applicants.
This means quickly and confidently assessing what they can bring to your sales organization. Ensure you’re seeking answers to these three questions during the selection process:
- How much can they produce? While the bottom line is crucial, don’t let unrealistic standards rob you of hiring opportunities. You never want to hire someone likely to underperform just to fill a position. However, don’t overlook candidates who aren’t currently top-tier. Aim to build a solid team, leaving room to develop average performers into strong contributors.
- How soon can they produce it? Hiring for potential can be either a sound strategy or a costly mistake. You might be tempted to take on a promising but unproven employee as a “project,” especially when the labor pool is shallow. It’s a gamble that can pay off if you’re realistic about the odds. Depending on your tolerance for delayed results, a middle-of-the-road performer who reaches full potential in 90 days may be a better fit than a rock star who takes six months to ramp up. Ensure your expectations for progress are clear, and the level of productivity you expect is worth the wait.
- How much will it cost? Developing sales talent requires time and money. Some new employees will quickly justify your investment, while others may never do so. Be realistic about the amount of training or retraining a new hire will require. The experienced sales ace you just hired may have excelled at face-to-face selling, but how well will they adapt to selling primarily via video call? Consider the costs involved in finding out.
In a tight labor market, you may need to streamline the attributes you’re evaluating. This doesn’t mean lowering your standards; it means focusing on the most mission-critical behaviors of a successful salesperson. Probing for personality traits and work styles can help differentiate among applicants, but remember that the best predictor of future performance is past performance.
Look for a track record of measurable success. Seeing “team leader” on a resume is promising, but how did that translate into closed sales? Listen to how candidates describe their selling process. Do they mention specific activities like prospecting, networking, and following up, or do they use vague terms like “building relationships” and “creating value”?
Finally, avoid holding out for the very best. Instead, look for candidates who seem coachable and teachable. In the long run, these employees will provide the best return on investment, regardless of economic conditions.
We can help! Our diagnostic tests are designed to identify salespeople who will consistently and effectively navigate the entire sales cycle, from prospecting to closing. Let us show your organization how to find and retain the best salespeople in today’s challenging market.
