A lot of employers find it hard to find and hire good people. Over the years, I have learned that good people are attracted to the company just as much as they are found by it. In order to attract “A” players, you have to be attractive. “A” players are not attracted to the same things as “B” & “C” players, yet most employers write ads that appeal directly to those “B” and “C” players.
Have you noticed? Lead stories in the news are no longer about high unemployment, a bearish stock market, lack of consumer spending, or foreclosure numbers. I noticed it and thought, “So, this is what recovery feels like.” It has been a long time in the making.
This economic recovery has been atypical because the 2008 recession was not a typical recession. What made it unique is the entire country and all industries went into it at the same time. Plus, it did not discriminate; it affected all economic classes of people. While we all went in together, the recovery happened at different times for each industry and geographic area. For some of you, the recovery may still be coming.
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:
Recently, Dr. Brad Smart, Founder of Topgrading, which is a proven method for hiring the “best of the best,” commented on my radio show, BizTalk, that the best people stayed put during the recent recession. They were not willing to make a career move until the dust settled. Well, it’s settled and in fact, the job market is picking up steam. The good news is “A” players are on the move again. The problem is that you won’t see them.
I love everything there is about movies. Recently I watched “The Samaritan,” staring Samuel L. Jackson who plays an ex-con named Foley. The movie opens with Foley being released from prison and stating;
“If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you keep on being what you’ve always been. Nothing changes unless you make it change.”