sales hiring

  • Are You Any Good at Evaluating Sales Talent?

    • February 11, 2014
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    You can probably spot an energetic, motivated, likable, memorable, polished, polite and attractive salesperson from a handshake away.  Aren’t those the ones you like best?  Aren’t those, especially when they have industry background, the ones you hire?  And don’t they all perform just swell?  

    No?  Why not?  After all, they met all of your criteria, didn’t they?

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  • What Percentage of Sales Candidates are Worthy of Being Hired?

    • January 13, 2014
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    It’s an interesting question and one that has more than one answer. I wrote an article back in September of 2013 that asked the question, Are Sales and Sales Management Candidates Getting Worse?

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  • Sales Candidate Shortage – More Proof That Sales Isn’t Dead Yet

    • November 7, 2013
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    As you probably know, many people have been writing premature obituaries about the impending death of selling.  Of course, that’s been going on since at least 2006 when I posted my first rebuttal to this silly claim, and as recently as last month when I posted my latest rebuttal.  It’s being perpetuated by extremist marketers who are claiming that inbound will become the be-all end-all.  

    It’s simply not true.

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  • Inc Magazine Misses on the 13 Traits of an Outstanding Salesperson

    • March 14, 2013
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    I just read the 13 Traits of An Outstanding Salesperson, an article that appeared on Inc.com.

    As usual, I had several thoughts about this so, in no particular order…

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  • Sales Hiring Chronicles: The Doctor, The Drug Dealer and The User

    • January 31, 2013
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Recruiters think that all of their candidates walk on water.  Clients think that because of our assessment, quality advice and guidance that we walk on water.

    So the recruiter sends 5 of the best candidates ever to the client, who has them assessed, and 3 are not recommended.  The recruiter is upset, “Why are you using that stupid assessment? You don’t need that! I know these candidates and they’re awesome.”  

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  • Sales Assessment Findings – Interview is Another Preview of Performance

    • October 3, 2012
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    when his clients didn’t care for a candidate who was recommended by our Sales Candidate Assessment, he was able to correlate his client’s perception to a single finding: Won’t Develop Relationships Quickly.

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  • Compromises in Sales Candidate Assessments Compromise Revenue

    • September 19, 2012
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Experience has demonstrated that there are three areas where companies tend to compromise with sales candidate assessments and those compromises always lead to revenue shortages:

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  • When are Salespeople Too Old to Sell Effectively? 10 Conditions

    • June 27, 2012
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    When it’s time to recruit salespeople, clients have often told me that they want a “less mature, more energetic, and fit” salesperson – code for “younger”.

    Like the Beach Boys, who can still pull it off with ease, salespeople can still pull it off with ease as they age, well into their 70’s, as long as the following ten conditions exist:

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  • More Sales Assessment Imposters Exposed

    • May 29, 2012
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Assessments can have a huge impact on selection, diagnosis and development of the sales organization.  However, if you choose the wrong assessments – imposters – you won’t receive any of the powerful intelligence or predictive benefits that OMG provides its users.  

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  • Another Sales Assessment Takes on OMG – What Does it Reveal?

    • April 4, 2012
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    I received an email asking if I could explain why OMG’s assessment said “Not Recommended” and the SalesAP said “Highly Recommended”.  In general terms, SalesAP, like all personality assessments, makes assumptions about its sales findings. 

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