Hiring salespeople in the current labour market can be a tricky endeavour at the best of times. But with competition for places higher than ever, there are some fantastic candidates out there that have the potential to not only freshen up your workplace, but also create innovative new changes to your sales desk.
So how exactly do you overcome the seemingly endless challenges involved with hiring these potentially vital future employees? This article will give you a brief outline.
How do I ensure the candidate is briefed before the interview?
It’s absolutely key to make sure the person that you are interviewing knows as much as possible about their role before you meet with them. Failing to do this might make the entire process a waste of time for both your firm and them – so it is important that you get this right.
Perhaps the easiest solution to this problem is simply to send a very concise email detailing everything that the candidate needs to know about both the job and your company. This will mitigate any embarrassing slips of the mind for the participant, who might otherwise think they are applying for a different role.
How do I filter through a large number of CVs?
Ah, the ever present issue facing hiring firms in recessionary Britain. Advertising for one role and receiving applications from hundreds of potential workers. While in some ways this is a good problem to have and shows your job is getting the marketing it needs to attract top talent, it does mean that a large number of incompatible CVs are received.
Perhaps the best way to get rid of these is to insist on a short, to the point summary at the top of candidates’ resumes, which should specifically address the main job requirements.
However, another fantastic way to get rid of this problem is to select one of the many hard-working sales recruitment agencies around the UK. Aaron Wallis Recruitment, for example, is an industry leader in placing applicants into suitable positions and deals with a huge array of large, corporate clients and small businesses.
How many candidates should I shortlist?
It really depends on individual preference, but industry leaders in the sales recruitment field recommend having around five people on a final shortlist.
However, some firms think that having around ten is better because it more adequately provides contingency in the event of drop-outs, which is especially important in the event that you are assessing candidates from other areas of the country, who are more prone to reconsider their interest in a position because of the issues involved in moving from one region to another.
How should I give feedback to unsuccessful candidates?
It is very difficult to word a rejection letter and many people new to the hiring process worry so much about being too negative they don’t even send one. This isn’t a great way to handle the situation and might make the candidate bitter about your company.
A much better solution is to very clearly state the reasons why you don’t think they are a great fit, while building in some positives about their application. It might also be worth considering letting them know you intend to keep their CV on record, but only do this for candidates that you really think have a shot at a job in the future. False hope helps nobody!