Are You Flipping A Coin When You Hire Your Sales Talent?

When Sales leadership is hiring Sales talent for their organization, they might as well be flipping a coin. It turns out 46% of all new hires don't work out after 18 months on the job, according to researcher Leadership IQ. Executives who want to move past this trap that weakens productivity and morale should rethink their hiring strategies.

The old saying "nothing happens until someone sells something" remains true today. This statement works as a motto that drives the SaaS sales industry, or perhaps all industries. Every employee who is not associated with sales should at least be a supporter of sales; otherwise, the enterprise can drift into unclear territory. When a company is at odd over sales basics, this weakness can indeed hurt sales.

Companies that experience a high turnover rate of employment, usually spend more money than necessary on training. In that sense a mis-hire can impact the bottom line which doesn't look good for leaders. Yet an overwhelming majority of the over 5,000 managers surveyed by Leadership IQ admitted they detected clues in the interview process that certain candidates gave red flags but were hired anyway.

Many times, managers look to hire quickly to fill territories and get the sales team up to full force. Like a high-risk gamble, this hiring method simply doesn't work and should be avoided. Managers should take every candidate seriously enough to weigh strengths and weaknesses and not assume that the first ones who appear on the radar with appropriate experience are good enough.

Questions for Management to Ask

Managers must view sales as the fuel that keeps a company going. In order to meet sales goals, they must ask themselves a series of questions and come up with accurate answers. Here are some keep questions that can help clarify the quality of your sales team:

Is upper management demanding more leads and sales at a faster pace?

Are you able to meet sales and revenue goals with your current sales staff?

Does your staff have a collective wealth of proven sales experience?

Do you provide incentives, bonuses, and benefits to employees?

Is your staff flexible and willing to take on new challenges?

There are several other questions to ask. Perhaps the most important one for managers to explore is: why do so many new hires fail? The Leadership IQ study provides answers that can help. While nearly half of new hires fail, the study found that only 19% of new hires are successful. The top reasons for employee failure were:

1. inability to handle company feedback (26%)

2. lack of managing emotional control (23%)

3. not enough motivation (17%)

4. wrong job temperament (15%)

5. lack of appropriate skills required for the work (11%)

Making mistakes when hiring your sales staff can wreak havoc on your career and the company's bottom line. The Leadership IQ study further found that 35% of failed employees would not be rehired. What this data points to is you might have better odds gambling at a Las Vegas casino than hiring the right people, if you don't put enough time into evaluating candidates.

The worst-case scenario for sales leadership is losing your job for making too many failed hires.

What "A" Players Look Like

Simply put, an "A" player works harder, acts smarter, and makes their leaders look good. Imagine how much stronger a sales team would be if it consisted of all "A" players. Such a milestone could be a powerful turning point in your career.

Employment interviews typically focus heavily on technical competence, according to Leadership IQ CEO Mark Murphy. He says that key things to look for include coachability, emotional intelligence, motivation, temperament then technical ability. This combination gives you much broader insights on whether or not a candidate fits your team and company.

Remember that a full-time employee is making an investment with their time to make your company a big part of their lives and livelihood. Don't treat hiring as just a business decision. Think of the ultimate hires as those with a combination of business and personality skills that fit your business culture.

Since sales are the lifeblood of business, it's best to narrow down your list of candidates to those that exhibit strong communication skills and character. The managers that proved to be most successful in the Leadership IQ study were those who emphasized interpersonal and motivational issues. Look to coachability, emotional intelligence and motivation as top indicators if a hire will fit your business culture.

Ready to find your next "A" player for your sales team? Contact us at 404-918-8857 or you book a call https://calendly.com/chris-recruiter/15min