People have a lot of varied opinions on the state of the economy, but the one constant is that everyone has seen its impact on their business in some way. Now, this leads many to “batten down the hatches,” so to speak, and ride out this downturn. But that is not always the best course of action, and when you’re in the sales industry, it could mean disaster. I’m serious when I say that a strong salesforce should always be your top priority. Always.

To Be the Best, You Need to Hire the Best

It may sound trite, but your company is really only as strong as your weakest link. If you consistently hire the best, brightest and highest performing sales people, your weakest link will still be far stronger than that of your competitors. Now, in order to get and keep these superstars, you need to distinguish yourself from the pack. Think about what you would want someone to say sets you apart, or why they like working there. Then make sure that is a reality for every employee, especially when times are tough. Everyone is nervous; show your employees how much you value them.

Keeping the best all for yourself is a great strategy, but it requires finding them—and that’s where a professional sales recruitment firm can make all the difference. Sales recruiters have an extensive knowledge of candidates, the job market, and the sales industry. You may know your business inside and out, but it’s tough to keep up with everyone else out there; this is where a seasoned sales recruiter can really prove their worth.

Ongoing Recruiting Requires Ongoing Marketing

Somewhat of a chicken-and-egg situation, attracting the best and brightest is much easier if you already have a reputation for hiring the best; everyone will naturally want to work for or with you. But, if you’re still building a reputation, you can fake it with some marketing savvy—and a qualified recruiter can go a long way to helping you in this arena. Developing a strong marketing campaign will lead to a pipeline of qualified candidates, allowing you to pick and choose who will help you become the company you envision in the future. Honestly explain your goals to both recruiters and candidates, and commit to building that future with your employees.

Blindly hiring candidates just to beef up your numbers is a short-term fix that will backfire; you need to recruit, not just hire. Make sure each prospect is the right fit, and will improve your company or help you reach your goals. Be picky, and insist that candidates be candid with you. What does each party want out of the arrangement, and how can you help each other?

We hear over and over again that job seekers feel that employers have the upper hand right now, and that puts you at a great advantage—but perhaps not the one you think. The best will obviously rise to the top, but you need to be in a position to hire them. Again, it’s tempting to stop hiring, low ball candidates or hire whatever you can get, but this will set you up for failure in the not-so-distant future. Work with a recruiter—as well as existing employees—to make sure that you are making smart decisions for the long-term.

HBO’s hit series Entourage is entertainment for many, but it can also be an education in hiring sales representatives. Massachusetts recruiters and nationwide job placement services can learn a thing or two from Ari Gold, the wheeling and dealing talent agent to the stars played by Jeremy Piven.

Eliot Burdett at Peak Sales Recruiting loves Ari, calling him an “utter selling machine” who is a

 

“shrewd and decisive negotiator—he knows what he wants and what he will leverage to get it, so…he typically gets what he wants.”

This is true, but is it a good thing? Ari may be able to get what he wants, but often it is all about the money, and not in the best interests of his clients. Effective, long-term sales recruiting takes balancing what the client (company) wants with what the candidate is looking for, especially when working to make an executive job placement.

Ari’s aggressive tactics will get a deal made, but it is not always the deal that either party had hoped for. The stakes are high in executive recruiting, because the skills, demands and salaries of executive positions are even higher. Ari’s pushy tactics may work on the silver screen, but successful executive job placement takes more finesse.

           

He’s pushy. Ari is too intense and focused on closing a deal, any deal. Executive recruiting requires fully understanding what both the company and the candidate want, what they will bend on and what is non-negotiable.

He lies. Ari never stops negotiating, but at some point he stops offering things that are really possible. Recruiters who deal in executive job placement need to know their clients and candidates inside and out in order to make deals they can follow through on. They also need to maintain their integrity through honest dealings in order to stay in business. 

There are many merits to Ari’s work “ethic,” but his methods often take his positive characteristics to the opposite extreme, making a good quality (a need to succeed) into a character flaw (greed). Bottom line? He’s fun to watch, but don’t make him your recruiting mentor.