Make the Change: How to Become a More Transparent Sales Recruiter
There’s something scary about jumping from a dock into dark, murky water, isn’t there? It could be a local lake, nearby pond or even the ocean, the matter remains the same—when a person can’t see what’s found directly beneath the surface of the water, fear almost always sets in. You’ve spent a summer or two swimming—you know the feeling.
Believe it or not, the same situation occurs far too often when sales recruiters attempt to bring onboard new talent without being fully transparent during the recruitment process. For a brief moment, put yourself in the position of a salesperson looking for long-term employment—what’s desired mot? Professional stability, a healthy working environment, competitive compensation and a general sense of well-being.
Even if a formal offer is made, without a sound understanding of the job that’s to be undertaken, there’s doubt, mystery and fear—see the summertime swimming similarities? This doesn’t work for the sales representative, nor the recruiter who’s put a great deal of time and effort into making the right hire.
So, with all of this transparency goodness in mind, how can sales recruiters be just that—more transparent? Though by no means a comprehensive analysis of the undertaking, the following three points of emphasis will undoubtedly help you be a more clear, straightforward recruiter:
1) Share Your Honest Expectations Right From the Get-Go
No, it’s not the outright culprit, but high turnover rates can often be attributed to new hires becoming part of a sales staff, only to soon realize that things operate differently than they’d originally thought they would. For example, in your mind, though it might be normal to expect members of your sales staff to answer emails and phone calls on weekends, incoming employees might see things differently.
There’s no right or wrong way for a business to be run, but with matters involving things like remote work and paid time off, the way you’ve always done things might not nicely align with what a new salesperson feels is best. Save yourself from a world of hurt by setting proper expectations before drawing up a contract.
2) Provide a Glimpse of Your Company’s Vision
Whether in charge or the person on the hot seat, you’ve been part of a few interviews. As such, odds are high you’ve heard this before: “Where do you see yourself in five years?” At this point, the question is seen as a bit stereotypical and cliché. Truth be told, however, it’s a worthy inquiry, and one you should ask yourself about your own company before extending a sales offer.
Once you’ve defined where you see your business in five, 10 or even 15 years, your next step is help a sales prospect see what you see. Your business has an end goal, but so too does your sales recruit. Making certain that both business and career trajectories align nicely is one of the best, most effective ways to be a transparent recruiter.
3) Always Make People the Top Priority
Obviously, the people you hope to hire should be treated with the utmost respect and given every opportunity to succeed should a working relationship develop in the future. With that in mind, however, don’t forget to involve those who’ve already bought into your business’ way of doing things in the hiring process, too.
Conduct group interviews, use online networking platforms and encourage recruit conversations with your current sales staff. By so doing, you’re open about the types of people who give your company its unique flavor and foment the building of a tight-knit team should the sales candidate in question be offered a position with your company.
Conclusion
In and of itself, identifying, recruiting and hiring the perfect sales prospect is a difficult task. That said, by being as transparent as possible throughout the recruitment journey, you drastically increase the likelihood of both finding the right fit and helping your next sales pro improve his or her career. Simply put, the more mutually beneficial the end outcome, the better.
That’s enough from me—what do you think? I’ve spent nearly two decades using transparency in just about every facet of the sales and recruitment industries, and am wholeheartedly certain of one thing—this stuff works.
But what about you? From what you’ve seen and experienced, how valuable is transparency for hiring talented salespeople? What tips and tricks do you have for my readers to help bring about widespread transparency?
As is always the case, in the comments section below, share your thoughts, feelings and insider information. Can’t wait to see what you’ve got for me! Thanks so much for reading, and have a great day!
- Image Credit:
– Featured Image, Flickr
