A sales team should be built carefully, as they play a critical role in an organization’s growth, image, and customer relationship. When building a sales team, getting overwhelmed and hiring the wrong people is easy. However, bad hires have several consequences, such as lost productivity, financial costs, low employee morale, and influence on reputation.
The key to attracting the right applicants and hiring suitable candidates is getting familiar with common mistakes companies make when building a sales team. Once you become familiar with the common mistakes outlined in this article, you will learn how to avoid them to build a top-performing team.
Creating Generic Ads
Posting a job listing with only the basic details may be easier, but when your job listings are unclear, applicants don’t understand you company’s needs, leading to an overflow of applicants from unsuitable candidates. In addition, many companies make the mistake of posting the job on generic job boards, which may also attract ineligible candidates.
Avoid generic ads by stating each requirement, quality, and experience you’re looking for in the candidate. Then, post the listing on a niche website that caters to sales professionals. This will help you attract suitable candidates, saving you time and making it simpler to build an efficient team.
Rushing to Fill the Role
Many companies feel the pressure to build a team quickly, resulting in a rushed hiring process. However, this can compromise candidate quality and lead to costly mistakes for the company. A survey of 900 HR leaders worldwide revealed that 74 percent admit they are compromising on candidate quality when they rush to fill vacant roles. Hiring the wrong candidate can result in poor productivity, stall company growth, and increase staff turnover. So, it’s best to take the time and fill the role efficiently to avoid repeating the recruitment process.
After the applications start coming in, carefully review each application to conduct interviews and take the time to understand the employee, their background, and their passion for the role.
Lack of Structure During Interviews
It’s important that you use your time interviewing candidates wisely. If the meeting lacks structure, you may be unsure whether to proceed with the candidate.
When creating a list of questions you plan to ask the candidate, try to include a mix of questions that explore skills, behavior, and critical thinking. In addition to general questions directed toward every applicant, add a list of customized questions for top applicants based on their resumes. The personalized questions should provide clarity about the applicant’s experience and skill set.
Another great way to add structure to your interviews is by working with a sales recruitment agency. A specialized agency like Sales Talent Agency knows how to conduct interviews to gain a better understanding of a candidate’s experience. An agency’s expertise allows them to narrow applications and present the most suitable options to the employer. The recruiters will conduct the first round of screening interviews on your behalf and assist you in ensuring that the candidate you hire is the right fit.
Building a successful sales team is crucial for a company’s overall success. Unfortunately, it’s easy to make hiring mistakes that can affect your business. Avoiding the common mistakes above can reduce your risk and help you build a top-performing team.
