Recruiting top sales people for organizations is a task companies are going to need to focus on more and more as the baby boomer generation begins to retire and the median work force age continues to rise. Several companies are already noticing the majority of their workforce may retire in the next 10 years, leaving a major gap where newer sales people may not be able to deliver the same results. As such, the race is on to find and recruit the next top sales people. However, the task is more complicated than the usual recruiting tactics. In order to get the top people, here are several steps a company should take to find the right staff:
1. Hire Slowly
While some companies have excellent times finding a slew of great talented sales people, it is important not to jump the gun and hire immediately, but rather hire slowly. Most human resources professionals decide within a few minutes of meeting a candidate if they are worth hiring or not, and the subsequent time spent interviewing them is spent trying to rationalize the decision. Being likeable does not always translate into being a good fit with the company. Slow down and hire the right people rather than the right people right now.
2. Referrals
Get referrals from other employees, clients and within your own networks. Employees who are referred often perform better, stay with the company longer and fit better within the system.
3. Constant Recruiting
In sales, it is important to always have more targets to sell to. In HR, this is also the goal. Ensuring there is a constant and steady stream of talented people to interview will result in increased chances of hiring the best sales talent. Bringing in sales people with well developed networks helps all aspects of the business. The pipeline must always be full of prospects.
4. Market Your Company
The next generation of talented sales people are looking for companies that will support them and provide new benefits to their lives. Marketing your firm as an employer of choice is key. Your current and future employees should be talking about how great the company is and how fulfilling the work and benefits are. Targeting where people now hangout (like on social media) is a great place to start. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites are all good places to get the message out.
5. Attitude and Skills
Looking for people who have a great attitude, are professional, friendly and engaging is important. Replacing an older work force with new talent often means the newer employees don’t have the same skills as the older staff. As a result, it is important to hire people with great attitudes rather than great skills. Skills can be taught over time, but the attitude of people cannot. Considering potential employees such as recent graduates, new immigrants, or second career candidates may be the right choice as they come with plenty of enthusiasm and a desire to learn, succeed and prosper.