Why Performance-Based Recruiting Produces Top Sales Performers

Why Performance-Based Recruiting Produces Top Sales Performers Copyright © 2005 Alan Rigg 80/20 Performance http://www.8020performance.com



Many recruiting ads and job descriptions include "knockout
factors" that can actually screen out QUALIFIED sales candidates.
One example is a requirement that candidates have an
undergraduate degree, a graduate degree, or a degree in a
specialized field of study such as Engineering. Another example
is a requirement that candidates have a minimum number of years
of sales experience.

When my customers' recruiting ads and job descriptions include
these types of knockout factors, I like to have a little fun with
them. I say something like:

"(Name), imagine that I have two candidates for your sales job
opening. One of them has both the college degree and the five
years of sales experience that are listed as minimum requirements
in your recruiting ad. The other candidate doesn't have a college
degree, and she only has two years of sales experience. But, she
has relationships with DOZENS of C-level executives that are good
prospects for your company's products and services. She could
easily book FIFTEEN APPOINTMENTS during her first week on the
job. Which candidate would you prefer?"

As you might expect, my customers always choose the candidate
with the relationships. That is when I have to deliver the bad
news:

"(Name), unfortunately you will never see this candidate, because
she is being screened out by your knockout factors!"

If you want to improve the overall quality of your sales
candidate pool, shift your focus AWAY from education and
experience and TOWARD performance-based measures. How will you
measure your new salespeople's performance during their first
thirty, sixty, ninety, and 180 days? What ACTIVITIES will you
expect them to perform? What RESULTS will you expect these
activities to produce, and in what TIME FRAME?

Here is an outline for a recruiting process that focuses on
performance-based factors:


1. Write a Performance-Based Recruiting Ad: As you construct
your ad, consider the following questions:

* What kinds of companies or organizations are good prospects
for your company's products and services? Your ad should
state a preference for job candidates that have existing
relationships with these kinds of companies and organizations.

* Who are the most productive people (job titles) for your
salespeople to call on? Your ad should state a preference
for candidates that have existing relationships with people
that have these titles, and/or a proven ability to prospect
successfully to people at similar levels.

* What specific sales production (such as pipeline dollar
volume, sales dollar volume, etc.) do you expect your new
salespeople to produce during their first 90 days? Make
this expectation crystal clear in your recruiting ad!


2. Scrutinize Resumes for Accomplishments: Smart salespeople know
that RESULTS SELL. When these salespeople prospect, they talk to
potential prospects about the results their companies have
produced for customers. When they write resumes, they write about
the results they have produced and their other accomplishments
(awards, recognition, etc.).

3. Conduct Telephone Screening Calls: For candidates that have
interesting resumes, schedule a 20-30 minute telephone screening
call. This will give you an opportunity to ask performance-based
questions related to two critical performance factors: the
candidate's RELATIONSHIPS and their PROSPECTING ACTIVITIES. Here
are sample screening call questions:

* Who do you know that might be a prospect for our company's
products and services?

* What relationships do you have that could be leveraged for
appointments during your first few weeks on the job?

* What activities do you typically include in your prospecting
plan?

* What percentage of your time do you spend on each activity?

* What results have these activities produced for you in
the past?

* How long did it take before you started making quota
consistently in your current job?


4. Assess Qualified Candidates: For candidates that pass the
telephone screen, gather OBJECTIVE information about their
talents via specialized sales assessment tests. The most
effective sales assessment tests go beyond personality and
behavioral traits and examine attributes such as Learning Rate
and Reasoning Ability.


5. Conduct In-Person Interviews: Now you are prepared to conduct
thorough, performance-based interviews. Why? Look at the
information you have collected! For each candidate that you are
going to interview, you should have in your hands:

* A resume that lists key ACCOMPLISHMENTS

* PERFORMANCE-BASED information collected during a telephone
screening call

* OBJECTIVE information about talents critical to sales success

If you ask performance-based questions and clearly outline your
expectations for new hire sales performance, you will attract
FEWER POOR CANDIDATES, as some will de-select themselves. You
will also attract MORE STRONG CANDIDATES, as they will no longer
be screened out by invalid "knockout factors". The end result
will be a steady improvement in the overall quality of your sales
organization.



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Alan Rigg is the author of How to Beat the 80/20 Rule in Selling: Why Most Salespeople Don't Perform and What to Do About It. His
company, 80/20 Performance Inc., supplies specialized sales
assessment tests and consulting to help organizations build
top-performing sales teams. For more sales and sales management
tips, visit: http://www.8020performance.com