Recruiting the perfect sales rep

Matt Lynch is national sales director of LYNKA Promotional Products. John Lynch is president of LYNKA.

When we were kids, our father used to yell at us when we left the front door open in the wintertime. "Close the door! We ain't givin' away heat here."

Today, thanks to Dad, we hate wasting money. Maybe that's why every time we make a bad hiring decision within the sales force, we feel the pain. There's no better way to throw away your money than by hiring the wrong sales rep.

The costs of hiring mistakes are huge: recruitment, travel, advertising, management's time and training, which doesn't include the incalculable costs of damaged client relationships and internal morale. A U.S. study estimates that a sales rep who lasts a year and is subsequently dismissed will likely cost your company three times his annual salary. In Poland, you can bet it's probably more.

So how do you hire the "perfect sales rep?" There are almost as many theories and opinions on this matter as there are Poles who like pierogi. Here are a few ideas that we hope will help you find your way.

Start by describing the position - in writing

We'd be willing to bet this is missing in a lot of Polish companies. You'll need a detailed job description, your compensation plan, training program and selling tools. You should also describe your ideal sales rep - describe the traits of your most successful sales reps, and keep them in mind during interviews.

Analyze your past recruitment activities

Where did your best sales reps come from? Are they from the industry or outside? Younger or older? Experienced or fresh out of school? Did you find them through a personnel agency, through the papers or word of mouth? It's always healthy to be introspective - you can learn a lot from yourself!

Now that you are armed with a description of what you are looking for, and an assessment of your recruitment history, it's time to start looking. We recommend meeting as many candidates as possible to increase your chances of finding that future sales star. Here are a few factors you'll need to consider in your quest:

Hiring from your industry or not?

Norm Brodsky, an American sales guru, argues controversially that it's best not to hire sales reps from your competitors. It's hard to break them out of bad habits, and it doesn't help your reputation in the industry. Legend has it that when the Marriott Hotel opened in Warsaw in 1989, there was only one requirement from candidates - no hotel experience. And you can't argue with their success! As much as we like the concept of hiring someone who is "ready to go," our experience tells us that it's not as easy as it looks.

Hiring green sales reps?

Some companies pride themselves on hiring young and developing sales reps in their training programs. We've had rather poor results in this area, and would rather hire reps who have had a few years' basic sales experience. We find it easier to develop them, and they tend to perform better faster. Another advantage is that most young people get the itch to move on after a few years in their first job - and we don't like turnover in the sales force. In our business, relationships are critical and a quickly-rotating sales force is the kiss of death.

Don't hire superstars

Hiring someone who was the number one sales rep in his previous company with 10 years of experience can also have its drawbacks. These folks are very difficult to train, think they know it all, and are often not the best team players. We would rather hire "budding stars" - reps who have a few years' experience, and are still eager to learn and looking for a step up in their career.

Beware of the "Sleaze Factor!"

Some sales people are real smooth. You know the type - they dress perfectly, know the answers to all the questions, and appear to be "born to sell." But beware of the fine distinction between smooth and sleaze. Some of these guys are just cruising from job to job (find out why they left their earlier jobs!) and although they seem impressive, they are dangerous. They are the ones who are most likely to become your future competition, either by leaving for a competitor, or starting their own firm - something we've experienced too often here in Poland.

Hire for the long term

Take a look at your sales force today. How many of your top performers are in their first year? Chances are, not many. Experience counts - but experience in your company counts most of all. Hire people who you believe will be around long enough to become one of those top performers. When you are hiring, ask yourself: "Can I imagine this person being in my company in the next three to five years?" If the answer is no, then move on.

Cut your hiring losses

We used to let hiring mistakes linger on for months, and even more than a year, hoping the situation would improve. Now, we do a brutal assessment after three months. And if three members of the sales management team agree, it's do zobaczenia. We can't recall ever regretting cutting a sales rep. We can remember lots of occasions when we regretted not cutting someone soon enough.

Never stop looking

You should always be recruiting sales reps - at work; at dinner; at WBJ Business Mixers. Don't think of sales rep recruitment as a finite activity. Like your company itself, it is a process which has a beginning, and - with any luck - never ends.

Send your comments or questions to saleseye@lynka.com.pl