The selection of candidates for the vacancy of a sales department employee is carried out in different ways:
individual meeting;
group interview;
recruitment.
Large companies with a large band database number of sales department employees practice group interviews. This allows you to save time, observe the behavior of candidates during role-playing games, evaluate their personal qualities and readiness to work in a team, and immediately filter out unsuitable candidates.
Interview with a candidate for the sales department
Those selected based on the results of the first stage are invited to individual interviews. The HR specialist organizes a meeting with candidates according to the following plan:
establish contact with a candidate for the position of sales department employee;
clarify his needs;
provide an idea about the company, its goals and rules;
find out the level of professional competence.
The next stage is an interview of the applicant with the head of the sales department, during which:
the candidate is offered specific situations for which he must propose solutions;
price negotiations are underway;
a deficit effect is created (the final response is delayed for 2–3 days);
The candidate receives an offer that corresponds to the agreements reached at the meeting.
This sequence of actions allows you to carefully study the capabilities of the applicant, determine his strengths and weaknesses in order to obtain arguments for discussing the salary. Gaps in knowledge and skills are a reason to reduce the hiring price, and a high professional level is for setting it at a higher level.
Don't immediately tell the candidate the maximum possible rate, even if you are confident in his competence. See how the new employee performs in action, and if you are satisfied with his work results, offer more favorable conditions.
Key points in the selection of candidates
Checklist for an interview with an HR specialist:
Summary: it is used to evaluate the professional experience of the future manager. A good sign is independent work to attract new clients, fulfillment and overfulfillment of the plan, etc. A candidate who has only solved auxiliary tasks is unlikely to be able to become an active salesperson in a new place.
Competencies and professional knowledge: tested by proposing standard situations (cold calling, working with objections, etc.).
Motivation: the degree of interest of the applicant in taking up the position is determined, as well as his willingness to invest in achieving the company's goals and in his own growth.
Relevance: do you have experience working in your market niche, are you familiar with the specifics of sales in the industry.
Frequency of job changes: regularly searching for a new employer may indicate that the candidate is conflict-prone and unable to find compromises with management and clients.
Responsibility and reliability: does the applicant have any outstanding debts, are there any enforcement proceedings against him, have there been any problems with law enforcement agencies.
Conformity of the resume to the work record book: any discrepancies do not speak in favor of the applicant for the position; it is better to refuse to consider his candidacy.
Entrepreneurial activity in the past: speaks of the applicant’s ambition, unwillingness to obey, leadership qualities that may interfere with teamwork.