The Top 10 Frustrations Managers Have When Hiring Salespeople
Hiring good salespeople is not an easy thing for managers to do. The recruitment process is often full of challenges that lead to frustration. We’ve come up with a list of the top ten frustrations managers face when they are expanding their sales team and actionable steps to mend their hiring process.
1. Understanding The Recruitment Process For Sales
A well-defined recruitment and selection process includes up to seven steps:
- Job Analysis
- Sourcing Candidates
- Building a Pool of Qualified Candidates
- Conducting Multiple Interviews
- Screening Candidates
- Selecting a Qualified Candidate
- Finalizing or “Closing” the Best Candidate
Managers often underestimate the importance of conducting a thorough job analysis before starting the recruitment and hiring process. This foundational step aids in precisely outlining the skills and qualities required for the sales position.
2. Effective Sales Candidate Sourcing
Obtaining top sales talent requires using the correct sourcing channels. Ineffective sourcing tactics cause many managers to struggle in their search for new salespeople. Using platforms such as LinkedIn, industry specific job boards, and professional networks can make finding the right candidates a much easier process.
3. First Impression Pitfalls
Making recruiting and hiring decisions based solely on first impressions might be misleading. When new recruits fall short of their initial expectations, leaders often feel frustrated or disappointed. Conducting structured interviews and having established evaluation criteria in place can help to alleviate this issue and improve hiring outcomes.
4. Creating A Shortlist Of Qualified Candidates
Making a shortlist of eligible applicants is an important step in the hiring process, but it can be discouraging if none of them are chosen. Expanding your criterion or going back and reviewing the original job analysis to ensure it still aligns with the needs of your business can help to improve the process.
5. Streamlining The Salesperson Interview Process
The interview process has grown more complex, which often results in the loss of top candidates. Simplifying your interview process and maintaining timely communication can improve the candidate’s experience with your business while also retaining interest from high-quality salespeople.
6. Address Gaps In Sales Experience
A major source of frustration for sales hiring managers is the difficulty in locating candidates who fulfill specific experience requirements. Rather than strictly focusing on experience levels, consider evaluating transferable skills and the potential for growth. This strategy may reveal untapped potential that aligns with your business’s sales objectives.
7. Navigating Personal Biases During The Hiring Process
The individual biases of hiring managers can influence their hiring decisions. Personal likeness or dislikeness may lead to overlooking candidates who are qualified for your sales position. One way to lessen bias during the hiring process is to involve a diverse hiring team or to use anonymous resume evaluations.
8. Manage Expectations Of Sales Candidates
Leaders frequently encounter difficulties when hiring salespeople on a commission-only basis. Many top candidates prefer a combination of commission and salary for their compensation. Being forthright and transparent about compensation structures and expectations can help to attract the right candidates.
9. Simplifying The Sales Team Recruitment Process
A complicated hiring process may turn away top applicants. You can prevent the early loss of talent and improve the candidate experience by streamlining your application and interviewing processes.
10. Assessing Fit With Company Culture
It can be difficult to find a candidate that not only possesses the necessary skills, but also meshes well with your company culture. Hiring managers often become frustrated when newly hired employees struggle to fit in with the team’s dynamics or the company’s ideals. To address this issue, it’s important to include company cultural fit assessments into your interview process. This can look like situational questions that reveal a candidate’s work style and values, ensuring they align with the culture of your company before they are hired.
Contact Business Builder Camp For One-On-One Coaching
Understand that many of the frequently expressed frustrations above are fixable. By taking a proactive approach, you can attract and retain top salespeople to drive your business forward. For a personalized approach to addressing your frustrations as a business owner, contact Wayne at Business Builder Camp for individualized coaching. His coaching is tailored to meet the needs of business owners and entrepreneurs, wherever they are at in their journey. Contact us today!