Guest post written by Erica Bell of Business.com
Across many industries, sales positions have a high turnover rate. Don’t let your business be a part of that. When hiring someone new for your sales team, each decision and question during the application process is crucial. Businesses want to recruit the best and the best want to work for great companies that will allow them to contribute and grow as a professional. And if you’re a candidate, understanding what a recruiter is looking for can better prepare you for the interview. Whether you’re getting ready to hire a new sales representative or interview for a position, here are a few things you’ll want to pay attention to during the interview process.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Even if the candidate in question doesn’t have direct sales experience, they could still be the perfect person to fill the open position. Someone who has experience in marketing or customer service could be just what your business needs. Here are a few questions you should consider to determine whether or not this interviewee has the experience that will benefit your business most.
- What qualities are the sales team currently lacking and does this applicant fill that void?
- What expertise can this applicant bring to the table and how can they use it to contribute to overall company development?
- In past roles, was this candidate able to easily adapt to change and grow as a professional, thus contributing to company growth?
- Does this candidate see us as a long-term employer? Do we view this candidate as a long-term employee?
PERSONALITY TYPE
Lately, it seems more and more businesses are focusing on developing their company culture for greater success. When hiring a new sales representative, spend some time focusing on the personality of each applicant. The personality of each new hire must integrate well with those already on your team, but allow this new employee to contribute something new. More and more, employees want to feel as though they are making a difference and contributions to company culture are a part of that.
- What is our company culture and will this candidate be able to fit within and contribute to it?
- Where can we, as a company, benefit in terms of culture should we hire this applicant?
- Will this person be able to work well with supervisors/managers as well as peers on a day-to-day basis?
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Communication skills are perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when hiring someone for a sales position. If someone doesn’t have the experience you’re after or the perfect-fit personality for your company culture, it may be that they have the communication skills necessary to make up for other areas where they are lacking. Sales, after all, are about effectively communicating with other departments and customers to help the company turn a profit. Ask yourself these questions:
- Will this person be able to communicate our business’s messages to leads well while listening to prospect oppositions?
- Can this person communicate effectively with others in the office to voice their needs, expectations and difficulties?
- Can this person problem-solve quickly and communicate their solution well? (This will be necessary when they hear “No” while on the phone.)
Hiring a sales representative isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary. When hiring a sales team, look at where your business has fallen short in the past and look for a candidate that excels in those areas. You’ll want to focus on their experience, personality and whether or not they can communicate effectively and efficiently. Recruiting and hiring new employees isn’t easy often, but asking yourself these questions about each candidate can help make the process smoother. Not every business will have the same needs so spend some time self-evaluating your sales team and what type of candidate will help make it better.
Are you an applicant looking for a sales position? Acquirent is hiring. Take a look at our open positions to see if we’re a good fit.
Erica Bell is an online copywriter for lead generation company Business.com. She covers a range of topics such as sales training, marketing and employee management. Find Business.com on Facebook!
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