Don't Make Assumptions About Sales Candidates
Don't Make Assumptions About Sales Candidates
The client wrote:
"...You'll recall I questioned the criteria we were screening for, and asked you if I had missed the mark, principally because we received a "no" recommendation on [the] rep one of our partners was considering hiring. ...His e-mail note to me is a terrific example of what one should never do, particularly when irritated. It gives me newfound credence in the validity of your test, and sound evidence that with this guy they probably got it right. The test said he has trouble controlling his emotions. I felt this was an odd evaluation based on the fact that this guy is a former Army Ranger, and ought to be disciplined and controlled. The test said he didn't take rejection well. I don't believe anyone takes it well, but I figured a 17 year sales professional had probably learned to deal with it. The test said he was prone to inappropriate follow ups with prospects. His e-mail to me is about as inappropriate as any I have ever seen. Finally the test said the candidate isn't as strong as he thinks he is. I concur. I am copying his e-mail here:"
Next came the candidate's email:
"I answered a survey for you at least three to four weeks ago and received no further information. Is your follow up usually this unprofessional and non existent or is this just an aberration? If you have the courage to call you know how to reach me."
So the candidate's tendency to become emotional was triggered by the rejection he felt. While his follow up was, in fact, inappropriate, the finding of "Inappropriate Follow Up" really refers to getting into chase mode because the candidate didn't close when the closing opportunity presented itself or attempted to close too early.
The more important lessons come from the two assumptions made by the client:
* Trained military men don't become emotional - Sure they learn to take orders and dodge bullets without reacting. However, when things go wrong, they are as vulnerable to becoming as emotional as anyone else.
* Veteran salespeople don't feel rejection. If all it took to develop the ability to quickly recover from rejection was time on the job, the insurance companies and copier companies, industries that historically choose young people for their new salespeople, would hire veteran salespeople instead.
* We shouldn't make any assumptions about any salespeople other than those that appear in black and white on Objective Management Group's Sales Candidate Assessment. If we do, we are very likely to make a hiring mistake.
* Track record is not a likely indicator of success in sales unless you are duplicating all of the candidate's prior conditions including existing customers, target customer by title, external competition, internal competition, pricing policy, resistance to overcome, economy, industry, product quality, sales management, and company reputation.
Dont Make Assumptions About Sales Candidates - To learn more about this author, visit Dave Kurlan's Website.
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I have previously shared many instance of sales candidate assessments coming to life with their emails, voice mails and interview antics following the taking of our assessment. While the following email is another example of that, it is an even better example of what happens when a skeptical client finally realizes it:
The client wrote:
"...You'll recall I questioned the criteria we were screening for, and asked you if I had missed the mark, principally because we received a "no" recommendation on [the] rep one of our partners was considering hiring. ...His e-mail note to me is a terrific example of what one should never do, particularly when irritated. It gives me newfound credence in the validity of your test, and sound evidence that with this guy they probably got it right. The test said he has trouble controlling his emotions. I felt this was an odd evaluation based on the fact that this guy is a former Army Ranger, and ought to be disciplined and controlled. The test said he didn't take rejection well. I don't believe anyone takes it well, but I figured a 17 year sales professional had probably learned to deal with it. The test said he was prone to inappropriate follow ups with prospects. His e-mail to me is about as inappropriate as any I have ever seen. Finally the test said the candidate isn't as strong as he thinks he is. I concur. I am copying his e-mail here:"
Next came the candidate's email:
"I answered a survey for you at least three to four weeks ago and received no further information. Is your follow up usually this unprofessional and non existent or is this just an aberration? If you have the courage to call you know how to reach me."
So the candidate's tendency to become emotional was triggered by the rejection he felt. While his follow up was, in fact, inappropriate, the finding of "Inappropriate Follow Up" really refers to getting into chase mode because the candidate didn't close when the closing opportunity presented itself or attempted to close too early.
The more important lessons come from the two assumptions made by the client:
* Trained military men don't become emotional - Sure they learn to take orders and dodge bullets without reacting. However, when things go wrong, they are as vulnerable to becoming as emotional as anyone else.
* Veteran salespeople don't feel rejection. If all it took to develop the ability to quickly recover from rejection was time on the job, the insurance companies and copier companies, industries that historically choose young people for their new salespeople, would hire veteran salespeople instead.
* We shouldn't make any assumptions about any salespeople other than those that appear in black and white on Objective Management Group's Sales Candidate Assessment. If we do, we are very likely to make a hiring mistake.
* Track record is not a likely indicator of success in sales unless you are duplicating all of the candidate's prior conditions including existing customers, target customer by title, external competition, internal competition, pricing policy, resistance to overcome, economy, industry, product quality, sales management, and company reputation.
Dont Make Assumptions About Sales Candidates - To learn more about this author, visit Dave Kurlan's Website.
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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