Recruiting and Selecting the Sales Force Chapter 8 Recruiting and Selecting the Sales Force PowerPoint presentation prepared by Dr. Rajiv Mehta New Jersey Institute of Technology

Chapter Outline Importance of Recruiting and Selection The Recruitment Process Sources of Salespeople The Sales Force Selection Process Making the Selection Sales Force Socialization

Learning Objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following: 1. Follow the steps in the sales force recruitment process. 2. Identify sources of sales applicants. 3. Follow the steps in the sales force selection process. 4. Apply the criteria used to make the final selection decision. 5. Implement the sales force socialization process.

Importance of Recruiting and Selection Recruitment refers to finding potential job applicants, telling them about the company, and getting them to apply. Selection refers to activities involved in choosing qualified candidates that have the greatest aptitude for the job. Ineffective recruitment and selection can result in the following: wrong salespeople being hired thousands of dollars a year spent in training lost productivity lost sales

The Recruitment Process Conduct a job analysis. Prepare description. Identify sales job qualifications. Attract a pool of sales recruits. Select best

Conducting a Job Analysis 1. Analyze the environment in which the salesperson is to work. 3. Observe and record sales tasks being performed. 2. Determine duties and responsibilities expected from the salesperson . Steps in conducting a job analysis What is the competition the salesperson faces? What kinds of customers will be contacted, and what problems do they have? What knowledge, skills, and potential are needed for this position? Obtain information from these sources: salespeople channel partners customers distribution manager

Preparing a Job Description Install the product or display. Report complaints. Handle adjustments, returns, and allowances. Counsel customers on their problems. Build relationships with channel partners. Maintain loyalty for the company. Make regular calls. Sell the product or product line. Check stock; identify possible product uses. Develop monthly and weekly work plan. Make a daily work plan for the next day. Organize field activity for sales calls . Arrange route for best coverage. Maintain sales portfolios, samples. Maintain customer database. Develop new accounts. Promote products. Make calls with buyer’s salespeople.

Developing a Set of Job Qualifications 1. Personality traits Developing a set of job qualifications 2. Qualifications

Personality Traits Here are some critical personality traits of salespeople: intelligence decisiveness energy and enthusiasm results orientation maturity assertiveness sensitivity openness tough-mindedness Source: Digital Vision

Attracting a Pool of Applicants Continuously identify, locate, and attract salespeople. Candidates become the pool from which new salespeople are chosen. Source: Digital Vision

Sales Force Recruiting To see a video on how to attract the best sales talent, go to http://www.sellingpower.com/video/index.asp?date=10/10/2007

Sources of Salespeople

Websites of Sales Force Recruiting Agencies Peruse the websites of various recruiting firms and agencies: http://www.navigaservices.com http://www.qualifindsales.com http://www.optimalss.com http://www.resolutionsystemsinc.com/salesRecruitment_managers.shtml

Factors to Consider in Evaluating Sources nature of the product nature of the market promoting from within sales training provided by the company personnel needs of the company sources of successful recruits in the past recruiting budget legal considerations Source: Triange Images

The Sales Force Selection Process Initial screening Reference checking In-depth interviews Employment testing Follow-up Making the selection

Initial Screening Initial screening may start with this process: 1. Application forms Weighted application forms place more importance on the following: years of selling experience employment length career objectives educational level 2. Initial screening interviews and tests Initial interviews and test are conducted in person or over the telephone; the best candidates are invited for in-depth interviews. 3. Automated screening techniques Automated screening speeds the gathering and analysis of data from applicants. Computer screening tests measure honesty and personality.

Personnel Selection Inventory: Topical Areas Assessed by the Questionnaire honesty drug abuse customer relations safety work values supervision (attitudes toward authority) employability index (composite score of everything but validity) Source: Digital Vision

Recruiting the Sales Force To see a video about applicant tracking systems for “Recruiting sales superstars and best practices for finding and hiring top talent,” go to http://blogs.salesforce.com/dreamforce06/2006/09/recruiting_sale.html

Application Items That Predict Performance

Application Items That Predict Low Turnover

Checking References Reference checking is a screening tool that enables a company to obtain information from these sources: former and current bosses coworkers clients These are important because fraudulent resumes are often received.

Standard Company Reviews

Sales Force Selection To see a video on how to select the right sales candidate, go to http://www.sellingpower.com/video/index.asp?date=10/11/2007

In-Depth Interviewing In-depth interviews help determine issues such as these: whether a person is right for the job source and quality of candidate’s past sales leads length of sales cycle the candidate has been successful with level candidate has been selling to whether candidate has worked alone or as a team member why the candidate wants to change sales positions

Types of In-Depth Interviews In informal interviews, probing questions are used to learn the following: a) whether candidate is self-motivated b) whether candidates will work on their own c) whether the candidate has a pattern for winning or recovering from loss 1. Structured interview Types of in-depth interviews 2. Unstructured interview Each candidate receives the same set of standardized questions designed to determine the applicant’s fitness for a sales position.

Applicants’ Responsibility in an Interview Prepare for interviews by learning about the company and anticipate questions that may be asked. Some questions candidates typically ask interviewers: What percentage of the job will require travel? What is the likelihood of relocation? What are the starting salaries for a particular position? What is the typical career path of each position? What is the compensation package? What are the benefits?

Applicants’ Responsibility in an Interview Factors that lead to rejection of applicants: poor appearance overbearing, overaggressive, conceited attitude inability to express self clearly; poor voice, diction, grammar lack of knowledge in field of specialization low moral standards intolerance; strong prejudice inability to take criticism condemnation of past employers

Employment Testing

Traits Measured by Personality Tests

Making the Selection Some key points to cover upon making a formal offer: Duties of the salesperson Compensation salary draw bonus commission expenses Territory coverage Length of employment relationship Termination of employment Source: Stockbyte

Guidelines for Making Structured Comparisons Compare these traits in candidates: Interviewing skills temperament well-organized and prepared questions asked Background/job skills/experience job stability career pattern recommendations Source: Triange Images

Guidelines for Making Structured Comparisons Compare these traits in candidates: Personality traits maturity planning skills sociability ambition enthusiasm persuasiveness Summary points salary level challenge/opportunity Use a point rating system. Source: Digital Vision

Sales Force Socialization Refers to introducing the recruit to the following: company practices, procedures, and philosophy social aspects of the job These are benefits of socialization: greater job satisfaction increased employee commitment greater job involvement, better understanding role in the company Socialization contributes to person-organization fit (POF), which describes how consistent a salesperson’s value system is with those of the firm. Positive job outcomes of POF include the following: higher job satisfaction lower stress lower likelihood of turnover

Types of Socialization makes new salespeople feel they are an integral part of the company by exposing them to the corporate culture (values, philosophy, group norms, different work groups, corporate officers) 1. Initial socialization Types of socialization 2. Extended socialization begins with the recruiting and selection process and ends with the initial orientation of the salesperson to the firm’s procedures and policies

Initial Socialization 1. Recruiting 3. Introductory training 2. Selection Initial socialization Send the sales candidate literature that details the company’s philosophy. Internet site may discuss corporate culture and explains why a recruit would want to seek a job there. In interview process candidate can be exposed to company values and philosophy. Salespeople can be socialized by doing the following: reading literature on company’s history, products, job description, and compensation and benefit packages attending introductory training programs before they are exposed to actual operations of the firm

Extended Socialization 2. Job rotation 1. Long-term training 3. Corporate social activity Long-term training helps with standardization of values, behavior norms, and philosophy and it helps produce consistent sales performance results as salespeople become highly motivated team players. Sales trainees learn how different departments work as well as making social contacts when they are exposed to the overall organization. Socializing new salespeople at company picnics, sports teams, and sales meetings allows interaction with experienced salespersons, sales managers, and company executives.

Sales Force Recruitment and Selection To read articles on recruitment, go to http://www.recruitersnetwork.com/articles/results.cfm?Article=&Author= For a white paper on the modern science of salesperson selection, go to www.objectivemanagement.com/articles/spselection.pdf

Ethical Situation: What Would You Do? Discussion Question When you first became a sales managers a few years ago, one of the saleswomen you hired became pregnant within the first year, and went on leave for several months to take care of her baby. You remember how you really had to scramble to cover her territory during her maternity leave by requiring other salespeople to cover parts of her territory. What’s more, she decided not to return to the job after her maternity leave was up. Ever since then, even though you are a female sales manager and the mother of two teenagers, you have tried to subtly avoid hiring young saleswomen, if other candidates were at least equally qualified. To keep from looking like you’re discriminating against women, however, you have hired a few saleswomen who are generally past the child bearing age.