Studies show that sales people on average stay at their jobs for approximately 21 months.
Studies also say that if you hire 10 sales people, it is likely 6 will be gone in the first 12 months.
So how do you mitigate your downside risk?
Selections Tests: YES (Predictive Index, Myers Briggs)
Better Interviewing: YES (See below)
One of the most common "asks" for help we get at entreQuest is what do you ask in an interview. What are the questions? What do you look for? How do you know?
These are all GREAT questions with unfortunately not easy answers. Leaving out what are the attributes of the best sales people and selection testing, below is a simple list of questions we have seen work pretty well.
1. What should we expect of you in your new role?
2. Tell me about a failure and what you learned from it.
3. What motivates you? How do you motivate yourself?
4. What do you feel are the appropriate steps to selling something?
5. Do you read? What was the last book you read? Why did you select it? What did you learn and apply from that reading?
6. Have you ever been given any formalized training? Attended seminars?
7. What would be most important to you about your new working environment? What type of support would you need?
8. What recommendations would you give us to best work with you in supporting you to do and be your best?
9. Tell me about a time when you received constructive feedback, and then made changes as a result?
I am POSITIVE there are more... in fact, please share your favorite interview questions and stories.
The SOURCE for Sales Growth,
Joe