Excerpted from March 2006 article in Selling Power Magazine. Permission is granted for you to reprint this article provided it is reprinted in its entirety including the by-line of the author
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screens out applicants who will not make it
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boosts efficiency of new hires
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significantly improve average close rates
Even quick evaluations of sales candidates can help firms hire better. For example, Salestestonline has been helping a time-share resort business in western U.S. improve its selection of new sales reps since late 2004.
The company needs people who are sociable, but who also possess some of the characteristics of good closers. "It is a one-time-close opportunity," explains the recruiting director.
The firm typically runs advertisements for new reps, recruiting people with time-share experience, with general sales experience or fresh out of school. Salespeople are compensated entirely by commission, and sales directors receive overrides on any sales they make. Under the old selection policy, these directors thus hired virtually all the applicants, since any sales would benefit them. "Even if the rep made just one sale out of 30 opportunities, the sales director made money," the recruiting director says.
The firm decided to get a little choosier and built a system to do it. The first step was to give Salestestonline to its best current reps and establish a benchmark for what a successful rep looked like. To establish the credibility of the test, managers also took it. Everyone who took the test said it was surprisingly accurate in describing their own personalities, including the recruiting director himself. "To be honest, when I looked at the printout of my results, I almost fell out of the chair at its accuracy," he jokes.
Now, new applicants take Salestestonline as their first step. The test is given online the firm's headquarters and takes only a few minutes to complete. Results are immediately available to hiring managers, who will conduct the interviews afterwards.
Although it is an extremely short and simple test, Salestestonline screens out about 60 percent of applicants. If an applicant fails the test, he is out of consideration, unless he has demonstrated sales success in the time-share business. Pass it, and hiring is highly probable, unless substantial problems arise in the interview.
The firm has significantly boosted the efficiency of new hires through this very simple change. Average close rates are up significantly, the recruiting director says. "We are very pleased with Salestestonline"
