How To Hire Salespeople
(Who Will Be Engaged)
By Glenn Fallavollita, President of Drip Marketing, Inc.

• Word Count: 481
• Time To Read: 1.9 minutes @ 250 words per minute

An engaged sales team can and will have a direct impact on your company’s bottom line, as they are the ones who will:

• Produce high-quality results.
• Strive for improvements to sales processes and procedures.
• Search for solutions to a customer’s problem.

In your search for building an engaged sales team, it is in your best interest to recruit employees who will have the best chance of being engaged.

The Average Hiring Process In America Takes Approximately 23 Days.

When a company needs to hire a new salesperson, there are many associated tasks that account for this time:

• The job is posted.
• Resumes are gathered.
• Candidates are selected.
• Phone interviews are completed.
• The final group (of candidates) is interviewed and job skills are assessed.
• The final candidate is presented an offer. 

Depending on the size of your company, and the position requirements, a second and/or third interview is done before a final candidate is chosen. The process takes, on average, 23 days; however, the actual time with a potential new salesperson is typically just a few short hours. 

Answer This: How Can A Hiring Manager Determine A Candidate’s Engagement Level?

Before a salesperson is hired, the sales manager typically spends an hour talking with a candidate.  To help you avoid a candidate who will be more engaged than disengaged, you need to do the following: 

• Ask About Their Interests Outside Of Work – Does your candidate have outside interests in their life?  All experts agree that one’s passion for outside interests will carry over into their professional career.
• Ask Why Questions – Ask “why” questions instead of “how” and “what.” Remember, it is more important to know why they did something versus how something was done.
• Make Sure Other Staff Members Interview Your Final Candidates – Always include members of staff, or other managers, to be part of the interview process.
• Observe Someone’s Body Language During The Interview Process – Ask yourself this: Does the candidate get excited when they describe a problem they solved? Do they project confidence? Do you hear the excitement in their voice? If the candidate does not give you confidence in their critical thinking skills, you may not want them on your team.
• Use Assessment Tools/Resources – I recommend using third-party behavioral analysis assessment tools to help determine if someone will fit into your culture.  And by comparing the results of a candidate to your current staff, you can conclude whether or not they would be a possible fit for your business.

Executive Summary: Make sure you use effective strategies and tactics to hire someone who will have a greater chance of being an engaged salesperson. As I advise all of our clients, your businesses cannot afford to hire the wrong salesperson – especially when the average turnover is 50% to 60% in their first year of employment.