Today’s question has a little bit of a different spin…it’s about being a consultant/provider in the human resources space.
We operate an online pre-employment testing service company. I’ve been pulling my hair out trying to find salespeople to represent our service. If you have any advice on the right kind of salesperson who can get to the HR departments, I would be grateful.
We all know that human resources pros can be a tough customer. But let’s face it, everyone needs the services of outside companies at some point. They can help us do our jobs quicker and more efficiently. So, here are my thoughts on the subject:
This is a topic I hear about from many an HR pro. As a person who deals with hundreds of vendor pitches, what kind of salesperson do you want calling on you? Leave your thoughts on the ideal salesperson in the comments.
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Matt Charney says
Hi Sharlyn:
Great post! Finding (and hiring) great salespeople is among the more difficult task facing talent organizations. That’s why we wanted to share this recent post, “2011 Sales Recruitment Outlook” from the Monster Employer Resource Center with your community.
It provides a pretty good idea of what to expect in the coming year and offers some practical advice on how to find, and hire, top sales talentt: http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/acquiring-job-candidates/sales-recruitment-outlook.aspx
Keep up the great work!
Matt Charney
Social Media Engagement Manager, Monster Worldwide
@monster_works
Sharlyn Lauby says
Thanks for sharing Matt! Monster is a great source for information.
William Seidman says
Great question and response. While I agree with the general comments about matching the sales person to the ideal client, that can be hard to do. We have created and deployed a number of sales development programs that include establishing hiring criteria. We have found that the best way to do this is to identify the “positive deviant” sales people in your organization and build a model from them.
However a caution here. Typically, people think of sales models of being about sales technique. This is very minor. The best sales people always focus on creating a greater good for their clients, and not just selling products. Ask yourself: How does my client prosper because of my service? Does my potential sales person get completely excited about helping this client achieve some sort of “social good?” If the commitment to the social good and excitement about it is missing, sales people can’t succeed. If commitment and excitement are strong, you have your best sales people, regardless of experience or technique.
As a side note, when you speak about your service in terms of the social good created for clients, you will find it much easier to find and recruit candidates.
Sharlyn Lauby says
@William – Thanks for the comment. I really like the thoughtful way you’ve connected sales with positive outcomes for a client.