For Miss Professor

Dr. William Healy Sales Management Interviewing Planning Process

Prepare a written plan for a Selection Interview for Entry Level Outside Sales: Base Salary + commission + bonus Situation: You are interviewing candidates for multiple “Entry-Level Outside Sales Representative” opportunities. Your management wants to know your approach / structure to this recruiting event including specific questions you plan to ask.

They understand that candidates’ backgrounds may lead conversations in many different directions - but want to assure a measure of consistency, fairness and obtaining valuable information on which they can compare candidates and make hiring decisions.

Given limited time available for the interviews, explain how will you plan and execute your interviews to get the most valuable information?

You work for Staff Recruiters Inc., a highly regarded executive search firm that is currently working with client companies in four industry sectors:

· Software / Technology

· Pharmaceutical / Medical

· Financial Services

· Travel, Hospitality, Transportation Related

You are a professional interviewer and you are interviewing candidates at a Large “Pay-to-Attend” Job Fair in New Your City. (Candidates and Companies pay a fee to attend.)

Your firm’s client companies have multiple openings in all four disciplines (above) and you are responsible for finding ambitious entry-level outside sales professional to start ASAP. With excellent sales forecasts in the four growing industry sectors (above), your clients have seen growth year-over-year and offer entry-level sales candidates attractive ground floor opportunities.

With an excellent training programs and competitive compensation structures, your clients offer well qualified candidates ideal first sales positions.

General Position Qualifications:

· Bachelor's degree or equivalent --- Assume your fellow student in the role play has completed or will soon complete their degree.

· Experience in sales or client service environment preferred – not required.

· Highly effective communication skills - oral, written and group.

· Demonstrated persuasion and negotiation skills.

· Strong interpersonal skills to build rapport with prospective and existing customers.

· Organizational skills and effective time management to succeed in a semi-autonomous, fast-paced environment.

· Understanding of computer / technologies: internet, Microsoft Office Suite and social media...

Requirements for all four market sectors areas:

· Ability to schedule appointments via telephone in person and through personal networking

· Ability to run face to face group meetings with potential clients

· Ability to prospect new business via referral sources and cold calling

· Clean driving record (no suspended / revoked license)

Entry Level Sales Position Benefits:

· $50,000 Starting Base Salary (rare opportunity for newbies)

· Uncapped commission structure

· Average first year income $60,000 to $75,000

· Average second year income $100,000

· Full health care benefits (medical, dental, vision, and matching simple IRA)

· Phone allowance

· Car allowance

· Client expense account

· Monthly sales contests and incentives

· Comprehensive training including one week of corporate training

· Sales management potential within 18 – 24 months

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

· Interest in Sales. No prior business to business sales experience is mandatory; however, they do look for candidates who have proven track records of success in school / academics, employment, and / or extracurricular activities.

· Some form of demonstrated “interest” in sales

· Previous sales experience – telemarketing, door to door sales, etc. – a plus

· Goal-oriented and thrive in a reward-based atmosphere.

· Excellent written and verbal communications, as well as positive interpersonal skills

· Strong competitive attitude demonstrating self-motivation and exceptional work ethic.

· Driven. Self-discipline to work without minimal direct supervision.

· Organizational and time management skills

· Be ethical in dealings with customers, vendors, and co-workers.

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Complete from perspective of explaining to your management exactly how you will proceed with your interviews. Specific questions / process.

Submit by email by 2:00 next Tuesday 9/22

Notes: 2-3 pages is sufficient.

Narrow margins.

12-point type.

Planning the interview:

Explain how you will follow the Six Steps (IQERRC) of the Interview process as discussed...

i. How well?

ii. What could have been smoother / more effective?

1. Initiating: How will you Initiate the Interview:

Describe: How will you introduce / position the interview?

· Appropriate socialization,

· warm-up,

· relax candidate,

· explain agenda,

· overview areas to be discussed

2. Question: What specific questions will you ask ?

· Provide a list that develops the most relevant information

· Identify good behavioral / challenging / information rich questions to ask?

· Plan to ask about the PERSON, ACTIVITIES, GOALS, OBSTACLES (PAGO)

· PIGO (interests)

· POGO (organization)

· PAGO (Assets)

List 7 – 10 questions for each PAGO area. Be sure they are open end and - as appropriate - behavioral formatted. Use lists provided in class / email.

3. Effective listening:

· How will you demonstrate Effective Listening / understanding?

Acknowledge, Sympathy, Paraphrase, Empathy

4. Respond with Job Benefits:

· How will you provide information / next steps (see “Situation”)

5. Resolve Concerns / Questions: (Yours & theirs)

· What concerns (problems / objections) might be brought up?

· How will you deal with them?

6. Closing the Interview:

· Wrap-up on positive note (not unrealistically positive, not negative)

· How will you close / end interview?

· What next steps will be suggested? Timeframe?

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