Sonja Hastings, Author at Optimal Sales Search

We Have Better Metrics to Foucs on Than Quality of Hire

Quality of Hire: Another Meaningless Metric for Sales Hires

Measuring recruitment success in the sales department has never been more important. In today’s hyper-competitive landscape, every sales hire counts. Time-to-fill, the all-time most important recruitment metric, has been replaced with an overarching obsession for “quality of hire.” Yet one deeply entrenched problem remains inherent in this metric. Unlike measuring time-to-fill, which is a fairly straight forward calculation, untethering quality of hire from other variables is virtually impossible. You don’ have a shot at making this measurement meaningful for your sales hires. It’s too intertwined and dependent upon other pre-hire variables.

November 29, 2016

Three Strategies You Can Use When Interviewing Long-Winded Sales Candidates

The Secret to Dealing with Sales Candidates Who Talk too Much During Interviews

I had a candidate in my earlier years that loved to talk. At the time, I thought perhaps he just loved to talk to ME. I considered myself to be a pretty good listener so I figured he would cut down his answers in the proceeding interviews.

Well, despite my warnings about being careful not to “hog all the air time”…he wasn’t able to apply the feedback when he met with my client.

September 27, 2016

Executive Recruiting Firms Producing Mediocre Results?

Working with Recruiting Firms Driving You Crazy?

If you told me you’ve tried using a recruitment firm in the past, and things didn’t work out, I wouldn’t be surprised. Although there are a lot of exceptional recruiters out there, a few bad experiences can taint a person’s willingness to try again.

If you’re looking at a recruiting firm like a commodity, you probably won’t get good results. I’ve gotten calls from companies who’ve had searches out to multiple firms and are were adamant about paying discounted fees. Saving a few thousand dollars today was more important than hiring the best employee.

September 19, 2016

3 Keys to Keeping Your Top Sales Professionals Happy

It’s no secret sales turnover is expensive. Putting a number to the financial loss can make you feel queasy. But what’s even worse is finding a replacement for your top rep. It’s an exercise in frustration, disappointment, and frankly, it’s an excruciating process.

Although some turnover is obviously healthy, when you start losing the top 25% of your sales team, things can start to look bleak. Too often it starts when one top rep leaves, then before you know it; your top three performers are gone.

So what can you do to keep your best sales pros happy and productive?

August 26, 2016

The Number One Way to Build a Successful Sales Team

Is Building a Winning Sales Team as Simple as Following a Proven Recipe?

If I want to bake a chocolate cake, I’ll pull out a recipe book. Then I’ll follow the directions and in about an hour and a half or so I’ll have a cake. If you just follow a recipe, you’ll get predictable results. Right?

Except every time I try to bake a chocolate cake, it never comes out quite the same. Sometimes they’re good , sometimes they’re burnt, other times they just taste like a cardboard sponge. (Not sure I’ve ever eaten a cardboard sponge, but you get the point.)

August 23, 2016

Sales Results Don’t Always Happen Overnight

When Patience Pays Off

One of my clients, a small private technology headquartered in Norway saw things differently.

When we first met, the tech hiring philosophy of day was to hire salespeople quickly, try them out, and if they didn’t make a deal in x number of days (usually 30, 60, or 90 days if you’re lucky) to fire them.

July 22, 2016

The Shocking Truth about Sales Recruiting

Banging your head against the wall trying to recruit for your sales team?

Are you recruiting top software sales talent and running into roadblocks? You’re not alone. The sales function appears to be an easy role to recruit for on the outset. Yet recruiting sales talent is one of the more difficult and time-consuming recruitment jobs around.

June 17, 2016

Why Trying to Recruit and Hire the “Perfect Salesperson” is a Recipe for Disaster

Are You Still Trying to Recruit and Hire the “Perfect Salesperson”?

Hiring can bring out your worst fears. Especially if you’re a new manager or just starting with a new organization. When your first goal is to immediately staff up—your reputation hangs in the balance. Everyone’s watching…quietly rooting for your success or failure.

May 5, 2016

Is Your Company’s Reputation Hurting Your Chances of Hiring A-Players?

Your Corporate Reputation Will Impact Your Ability to Recruit Top Sales Candidates

Who are the most reputable companies in the tech sector? According to Reputation Institute, who runs annual surveys collecting data from more than 60,000 respondents, the lineups have included companies like Google, Sony, Canon, Apple, Microsoft and Samsung.

Why does your reputation matter? Companies who have excellent reputations engage more with employees and enjoy much stronger levels of employee referrals, client referrals, and positive online recommendations.

April 16, 2016

Three Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Recruiter

Building Lasting Partnerships With Recruitment Agencies

If you’ve used a recruiter to source sales candidates successfully, you understand the importance of your role in the recruitment and hiring process. Taking an active interest in the recruitment process, making yourself available, and fostering open communication with your recruiter are important parts of developing a productive working relationship.

April 7, 2016

Sonja Hastings