Author Archive
Sales Hiring – Looking For The Magic Bullet
Posted by: | CommentsI received a request this week from a sales executive who wanted to know what he can give his field sales managers to help them do a better job of hiring. He was looking for the magic bullet “Do this and all your problems go away!” I wish it existed.
Hiring Advice You Should Not Use
Posted by: | CommentsI received a copy of a tool used by one of the huge online job posting companies that is supposed to help you assess a candidate. I just hope that people did not pay money for this piece of drivel because if they did they should demand a refund.
There are eight questions on the tool designed to give you better insight into the “hidden signals” a candidate can give you in the interview. First, what are you doing looking for signals when you should be gathering specific behavioral data.
When It Comes To Hiring, Ambiguity Is The Enemy
Posted by: | CommentsAnything that increases ambiguity when it comes to hiring only makes your decision more difficult. This is a principle I have taught in my training class for the last 25+ years. Unfortunately, I continue to see advice and recommendation for techniques and questions that put you in a bind.
Why “Group” Interviews Don’t Work
Posted by: | CommentsA good friend of mine who is a very experienced sales executive called yesterday to share a great story. He was interviewing for a position and went back for the second interview only to be told he would would be interviewing with 25 people simultaneously. It was a medium-sized company and they informed him that he needed to “pass muster” with all of the key players in the company.
Unfortunately, the mob mentality is not good when it comes to choosing employees.
Don’t always believe what you read when it comes to hiring!
Posted by: | CommentsThere has been an awful lot of talk recently about the changing landscape in the employment market. Unemployment rates are rising, there is a financial crisis and most people are confused about where markets are headed. As a result, a lot of strange people are coming out of the woodwork with some really crazy ideas. And, unfortunately, some of the mainstream press is perpetuating these crazy ideas.
Just yesterday I read the feature article in a major business publication titled, “The Hiring Game, New Times, New Rules.” (The fact that they use “game” in the title should be your first clue that they don’t get it.) The article outlined that, due to the current economic conditions, the power in the has shifted from candidates to the hiring managers. Idiots!!!
Do You Have the Right Employees to Take Advantage of the Coming Boom?
Posted by: | CommentsGood market. Bad market. Nothing has changed. It still remains that the only sustainable competitive advantage is the quality of your people.
No one knows when the current market problems will take a turn for the better. But, only a complete cynic believes that it won’t.
Those organizations that have prepared and have the right people in place are going to have a tremendous advantage. The CEO that takes steps now to prepare can avoid the mad scramble for people after the market does turn.
I got a call last week from a mortgage broker who needed to hire 200 new reps as soon as possible.
Five Deadly Sins Of Hiring
Posted by: | CommentsHiring good employees gives you the best opportunity to defeat your competition. In this constantly changing market, the quality of your people is the only sustainable competitive advantage. This article identifies and will help you avoid some of the biggest hiring mistakes. But, before we jump in, a quick story.
I fielded a call this morning from a prospect who is interested in our Selecting Winners program. He runs a large insurance agency and needs to hire more than 100 salespeople this year. He asked me what I could guarantee. This is certainly a reasonable question. So, I gave him my standard answer: “By using the Selecting Winners system you will have the highest probability of hiring successful employees!”
Too often, people are looking for the “magic bullet” or some other secret when it comes to hiring. The simple truth is that there is no magic bullet or secret when it comes to choosing great employees. The answer lies in applying a proven system and using it religiously.
Anatomy of a Good Recruitment Ad
Posted by: | CommentsIf you are going to attract top talent you have to use the right lure. You need to write your ads so they appeal to the person likely to be successful in your environment. And, you have to attract that person’s attention. In short, you need to use your Unique Hiring Proposition (UHP).
Your UHP simply answers the question, “Why should I work for you?” Think of it as the driving force, your mission statement for all your recruiting activity. People need a reason to work for you and your UHP supplies that reason. As a side note, your UHP also helps identify those people who should NOT work for you.
With your UHP in hand, you need to view attracting candidates as a sales problem. How do you go about attracting prospects for your product or service? First, you identify what a good prospect looks like. What interests them? Where do they live? What do they read? What do they do for fun? Where do they congregate? Once you know all this, then you can determine the best way of raising their interest. Finally you present your product in an appealing way and try to close the deal.
Recruiting is no different.
The Business Owner’s Most Important Decision
Posted by: | CommentsImagine this situation. You are competing against two other firms for the same piece of business. One firm is the 900-pound guerilla in your market, and the other is a competitor of about the same size. You have the best technology, the big company has the most market share and brand recognition and the third competitor has the lowest price. Who gets the business?
Why Not “Why” Questions
Posted by: | CommentsFor years, I have been preaching in my Selecting Winners workshops that you should never ask an interview question that begins with “why”. This goes against the grain of so much of the common wisdom on the subject. That alone should tell you it makes sense! Just kidding.
But seriously, there are a number of important reasons supporting the ineffectiveness of “why” questions. In this article, you will learn the pitfalls of “why” questions and how to ask much more effective alternates.
