Dear Colleague:
Sales don't just happen. Salespeople either make them happen or keep them
from happening. And these salespeople are managed by a sales manager.
One ambition of the manager is to have salespeople who are order "getters"
as opposed to order "takers" - to have salespeople who turn prospects into
customers. Where does this effort begin, and how is it achieved? Although it
should start with the job interview, all too often it is at the job interview
where it unfortunately ends. The reason for this is lack of interviewing skills
on the part of the manager.
The following ten errors have proven to be the ones most commonly made by
managers in the interviewing process:
- Failure to develop an up-front contract with the applicant. Many interviews, like poor sales presentations, lack structure and focus. If the ground rules are not established at the start, then the interview cannot achieve its goal. Both the manager and applicant must be in harmony with what is intended to be accomplished, and what should be expected at the finish.
- Failure to get a decision from the applicant. Ending an interview with something like..."well, do you think you would like it here?"... is weak and doesn't ask the applicant to show his or her ability to be decisive. Decision makers get others to make decisions. As the interviewer, you want to get a "yes" or "no" decision from the applicant; even if the question is a hypothetical one, ie. "If I were to offer you this job, would you accept it?"
- Failure to deal with guidelines concerning firing. Sales managers spend a great deal of time telling applicants what it takes to get hired, but neglect to outline the criteria for dismissal. Of course, nobody looks forward to dismissing an employee, especially at the interview stage. It is a painful experience for both people involved -- wiping out someone's job and finances. Although it will not relieve the pain of termination, understanding what it takes to get fired is an important element of the interview process.
- Failure to tell it like it is. Many times, the sales manager, in his or her eagerness to fill a vacancy, will oversell the job and/or the company. It is easy to find yourself saying things like ... "this is the best opportunity you'll get" or "you'll make a fortune with us". The anxious applicant wants to believe this. When someone (manager or applicant) is hungry, everything looks appetizing. Once hired and fed, reality sets in.
- Failure to match the individual's ability to the job. Does the job appear to be too easy or too difficult based upon the applicant's previous experience? The hunger factor will cause an over-qualified candidate to accept a job that is below his or her capabilities. Again, once fed, the job takes on a different perspective. On the other hand, under-qualified people may promise anything even if they may not be able to deliver.
- Failure to allow enough time for the interview. We are all very busy, but now is the time to over-allow time for the interview rather than cut it short. Thorough examination now will enable a decision to be made for the right reasons and eliminate the problems that arise when the wrong candidate is hired. In fact, if you are serious about a candidate, interview him or her more than once.
- Failure to consider how this individual will interface with other members of the group. This candidate will have to interact not only with the manager, but with other members of the sales staff as well. What positive or negative affect will this person have on the rest of the sales staff, and vice versa?
- Failure to conduct the interview personally. There is certainly nothing wrong with personnel people screening applicants for the job. But, sales manager beware, if the person is going to be directly responsible to you, then don't accept the judgments of others without spending the time to conduct the interview yourself. There are certain characteristics (appropriate dress, good eye contact, assertiveness) that are crucial to the success of a salesperson, and the sales manager should examine for these personally.
- Failure to consider the individual's needs. The job you will be asking the new salesperson to perform must satisfy both the psychological and physical needs of this person.
- Failure to interview the "real" person. Sales managers who are experienced at interviewing prospective salespeople find that applicants rarely ask or answer the "real" questions up-front. Asking the right questions in the appropriate manner, through thorough examination, will enable the sales manager to go beyond the intellectually safe answers that an applicant will offer initially. If you are truly interested in a specific applicant, take the candidate to dinner with his or her spouse, and asks your questions to the spouse.
Correcting these interviewing mistakes will undoubtedly save you money,
time, and energy. It may even make your job a little more enjoyable, and it
will certainly make it easier.
Cordially,
Steve Taback
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