Recognize the Patterns That Signal You're Wasting Your Time on Candidates
Are You Wasting Your Time?
There is a saying, “Hope makes a good breakfast, but a poor supper.”
When it comes to employing candidates for your sales team, rejection is part of the hiring game. This is normal, especially in good job markets where great salespeople are in short supply.
The real problem occurs not when the job offer is turned down, but in the belief that the candidate will accept.
Clues of turndowns are present if you watch for them, but you have to be willing to look for signs you may not want to see.
Seven Signs Your Job Offer Is Getting Rejected by the Candidate
1. Slow to respond
When you offer applicants two dates to schedule a call, they always push the call out, or pick the date furthest away.
When you call or email to set up a meeting, they don’t get back to you immediately. Radio silence, days of no response, and calling at times when you’re likely to be unavailable become a predictable pattern.
Candidates will always have a good reason why it takes so long to get back to you, but most of the time, you aren’t the employer of choice.
2. They have LOTS to think about
When sales candidates are highly interested in your job opportunity, they don’t have much to think about. Sure, they need facts like compensation targets, territory basics, sales cycles, etc…
But they’re often satisfied with approximations.
Salespeople are decision makers.
They know if they want to sell for you or not.
This is what makes them good at what they do.
3. Difficult to reach references
Sales applicants notify references before they hand them off to potential employers. If you can’t get a hold of a reference, it could be because the candidate is trying to buy time. He may have notified his references and asked them to hold off on returning your calls.
4. Forgotten follow-up skills
Today’s top salesperson knows follow-up is everything.
When they don’t send you a thank you email after an interview, when they don’t bother to follow up, it’s a sign of disinterest.
5. Need more time without negotiation
When a buyer is interested, they accept your proposal, or they come back to you with questions. Candidates are the same.
They don’t sit on offers in silence.
Keep in mind, negotiation isn’t an automatic buy sign, but asking for more time to consider an offer without asking any questions puts your offer on the road to turndown.
6. You’re NOT #1
Great sales candidates have plenty of choices. They keep their options open, but always let you know your job is the one they want.
If you don’t hear them saying you’re the number one choice, nine times out of ten, you’re not.
7. Behavior doesn’t match talk
Words are easy to believe when you have a stake in believing them. It’s best to stay laser-focused on candidate behavior.
Recognizing the Signs Early
Recognizing the subtle signs that a candidate is not fully invested in your offer can save you valuable time and resources in the hiring process.
Whether it’s delayed responses, excessive contemplation, or an overall lack of engagement, these clues indicate that the candidate might not see your company as their top choice.
By paying attention to these patterns early on, you can pivot quickly, refocus your energy on candidates who are genuinely interested, and improve your chances of securing top sales talent.
In the fast-paced world of sales recruiting, your time is too valuable to waste on candidates who aren’t fully committed.
