I have interviewed salespeople for over 35 years, and during that time I’ve developed some insights on effective interviewing methods. Here are five of my strategies that will enable you to better evaluate the salespeople you are interviewing:
Here is our preferred process at Performance Group:
One of the challenges of sales management is the constant need to improve your sales team’s performance. However, when you do invest in their development and they fail to execute on what appears to be the simplest techniques, you say to yourself, “How hard can this be?” When this happens what it should affirm is that they need additional coaching or training. The question is which one, coach or training? The reality is that some of your salespeople need coaching, some need training and some need both.
Evaluating sales candidates can be one of the most challenging tasks because candidates are trained and skilled on how to present. They know what to say, what not to say, how to read people and present the best features and benefits about themselves!
While screening may be a step in your hiring process, I propose that every step have a screening element built into it.
Tim Tebow was the Florida Gators’ starting quarterback who, in 2007, became the first college sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. In 2008, Tebow led Florida to a 13–1 record and its second national championship in three years, and was named the offensive MVP of the national championship game. The Gators again went 13–1 in 2009, his senior year. At the conclusion of his college career, he held the Southeastern Conference’s all-time records in both career passing efficiency and total rushing touchdowns, appearing second and tenth (respectively) in the NCAA record book in these categories.
Playing football in high school, I was elected to All-Conference First-String Offensive Tackle and All-State Second-String Offensive Tackle. The offers rolled in and school visits were scheduled with NCAA Division I schools. Being from Illinois and because it was close to home, the first stop was Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, which was a Division I program back then.
“We hired some salespeople and not everyone worked out,” the conversation started. Where have I heard this before I thought to myself? Oh I know… almost every conversation I’m in starts out this way. “Not unusual,” I stated, “How can I help?” “We need a pre-hire screening assessment and I heard you can help us out with that.”
The first decision a person has to make is that they are going to leave their current position. I call it the shower talk because, that is typically where I was whenever I realized it was time to move on. I have always been passionate about what I do, except when I no longer want to do it. Those were the times I took extra long showers in the morning because I did not want to go into the office. Not being motivated to do what I was doing made me realize it was time to move on. My work there was done or there was no longer an opportunity to grow. It was at the moment, I decided to leave. I did not quit that day, not even that month; I just positioned myself to accept the next opportunity when I found it.
“What does your gut tell you?” I asked my client about her potential sales candidate. She stated; “I don’t believe he would be the right fit.” “I would follow your gut,” I responded.
Two weeks later I received this email from her: I’ve decided to move ahead with this candidate. ” Despite the fact that I told him I had other candidates he persisted in his follow-up. I believe he will do very well here.”