Wednesday, September 9, 2009

E-Tip 210 - 5 Interviewing Tips for Hiring a Salesperson


Tip #1. Use An Assessment Tool - A good assessment tool (one that is geared toward your industry) will often tell you what your candidate won't. For example, you don't necessarily want to hire someone who is only great at transactional sales if you require someone who has the personality to build long-term relationships with clients.

Tip #2. Develop A Standard Set Of Interview Questions - Ask all of your candidates the same questions because it is easy to get sidetracked by a charming salesperson. Come up with a list of ten to twelve questions that you ask all candidates and then compare their answers to see who is a good fit for your organization.

Tip #3. Don't Divulge Too Much About Your Company - A common mistake many people make when hiring someone is telling them too much about their company because a savvy salesperson will "parrot" back to you everything you want to hear. A good question to ask is this: "Why are you interested in working at our company?" A good candidate will have researched your company and be prepared for the interview. Tell me, isn't this the kind of salesperson you want to have working for you?

Tip #4. Ask Tough Questions - Don't dance around the candidate's track record. Instead, ask them hard questions like, "Did you always meet or exceed your sales quota in your former job? If so, how can I verify that? If not, why not?" Another good question might be, "What is the name of your former boss? If I called your former boss right now, what would he/she tell me about your track record?" By asking them these tough but direct questions, your chances of getting a truthful answer will increase dramatically.

Tip #5. Have Them Sell You - It is easy for salesperson to answer the typical interview questions like: "What are your biggest strengths in sales?" or "What are your biggest weaknesses?" If you really want to know how flexible and quick a salesperson can think on their feet, you should have them sell you the product or service they currently sell or even something on your desk, such as a stapler.

3 Competencies Of Good Interviewing Skills:

1. Human Resource Management - Good interviewing skills align human capital with the organization's goals.

2. Leadership - Good interviewing skills drives business results by aligning the vision, mission and values to enhance business value.

3. Motivation - Good interviewing skills can motivate the willing cooperation of others, while tapping into their highest skills and abilities to achieve desired results.

Summary: Being an effective interviewer comes with time, skills and patience. If you are considering hiring someone in the future, think about sharpening your skills now by talking with someone who has great interviewing skills. For an even better learning experience, ask them if you can sit in on an interview they are doing in the near future.


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