- August 12, 2005
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
The single issue that seems to occur most often is the company which, early on in their use of our sales specific, pre-employment assessment (Express Screen) learns that the lion share of their candidates are not recommended for hiring. For some reason, rather than being thankful for avoiding another hiring mistake, they become angry, at the assessment, for discounting their candidates.
Well, that’s what makes this assessment so valuable. Unlike others, there is a hiring recommendation! Most other assessments provide useful information but force the client to draw a conclusion and make a decision – often a bad one leading to another mistake. They blame those assessments too.
So where can the blame be placed? In reality, there shouldn’t be any blame. It’s just part of an effective process. It’s like a water filter, preventing the undesirable elements from entering and possibly poisoning your body only this wonderful assessment prevents undesirable salespeople from entering and possible poisoning your sales force. Do you blame your water filter if it filters out contaminates? Of course not. And you shouldn’t blame this assessment either.
On the other hand, there is something that can be done to reduce the number of candidates that are not recommended. REWRITE THE AD. The lion’s share of unacceptable candidates are a direct byproduct of and ad that does not attract the candidates we really need. Look at your ad or posting. Does it describe a candidate who would be successful in your business or does it describe your company, the job and opportunity?
Even the ad or posting is part of the process. Work to improve all of the elements of your hiring process and you’ll attract a better pool of candidates and have better candidates from which to select. Remember, the best assessment on the planet (ours) won’t help unless you are attracting better candidates.
(c) Copyright 2005 Objective Management Group, Inc.
