Situation: Many companies struggle to find good salespeople. They find that few of those they hire last very long. Some individuals don’t have the skills to sell, others find the job more difficult than they anticipated, and some leave for better pay at another company. How do you hire and retain good sales people?

Advice from the CEOs:

• Hiring salespeople is most important job a company or owner has, yet it often receives the least attention.
• Determine what the company needs the person to do.
  • What skills do they need? Is past experience aligned with the company’s needs?
  • Do they have experience in the company’s market.
  • How much can the company afford to pay?
  • Is the pay offered market competitive?
  • What is the pay scheme: salary, salary plus commission, commission only or commission only following a learning period?
• Advertise
  • Use internet portals, referrals, ads in the local paper or recruiters.
• Review resumes for basic qualifications and weed out all that do not meet those qualifications or who lack experience in sales.
• Test or screen applicants using an instrument such as: Identity Compass, Sales Skill Assessment Scorecard, The Caliper Profile, Sales DNA, DriveTest, SalesGenomix, DISC, Myers-Briggs, Grit or Objective Management Group (OMG).
• Bring interesting applicants in for interviews.
  • Are they relaxed and comfortable with those who interview them?
  • How do they react to pressure?
  • Do they seem to be a good match with the company culture?
  • Are they comfortable with the company’s philosophy, size, reputation, and products or services?
• Check references – not just those provided, but talk to companies where they’ve worked in the past.
• Call customers with whom they’ve worked.
• Remember that past performance does not guarantee future results

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