Stop Hiring Reps to Fail — Part One

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Hiring a new sales rep? Interviewing to be one? Fifty percent of all new, first-job-in-sales hires do not make it one year. A year later, 80% are gone. Why? There are a lot of reasons, even more excuses, and no shortage of mistakes made along the way. The managers will tell you, “There’s no good salespeople out there,” or “No one wants to work these days.” The reps would reply, “There was no support. I felt alone and scared,” or “My boss’s expectations were ridiculous, so I quit.”

Who’s right? Yes!

Both parties have a role in the sinking of the SS Sales Hire, and while I could write about what’s changed since I first put on my one and only ill-fitting suit and started in sales, I’ll choose instead to comment on the origin of this disaster: the interview. While there is no crystal ball for either side to see the future, information uncovered and shared while face-to-face can prove to be an accurate indicator of what’s to come. Based on my experience as a sales trainer and coach coupled with countless conversations with “It’s not me, it’s them” managers and reps, I offer you some questions both this month and next that should come up during the interview. Today, I’m talking to you, managers. Next month, I’ll switch over to the reps. But for now, here’s what you should be asking and why.

Manager to Rep

“Why Sales?” — There has to be a reason. Perhaps, like me, a relative was in sales so I had a template. Or, like a 21-year-old told me recently, “I don’t have a degree and have always believed any caveman can sell.” Either way, the answer speaks to intent and, more importantly, sets up the next question …

“Here’s how I will define success in the first 90 days. How would you go about achieving it?” — You could ask them to define their expectations. It’s a fair question. The problem? The candidate has no idea how to answer it. They’ve never done the job. They don’t know your market, your sales cycle, or how success is supposed to be measured. So, they guess. And too often, so do managers (especially if they’ve never held a sales role). The result is a revolving door of set-up-to-fail salespeople. Let me be direct: Many managers have inaccurate, uneven, baseless, arbitrary, and whacked-out expectations for sales reps in their initial months. That’s a big reason new reps fail early. Not lack of effort. Not lack of talent. Misaligned — and often unrealistic — expectations. And for the record, since a first-job-in-sales rep has no perspective, this one is on you, managers.

“What is the most frustrating experience you have ever had and how did it resolve?” — To say the job of sales is frustrating is an understatement. How the rep deals with it can be predicted by how they have dealt with frustration in the past. Dig down deep on this one, managers. It is unfair to do anything but warn new salespeople of the steep challenges that lay ahead. It’s one of the first things I discuss when speaking to a newbie. They are not in Kansas anymore and there is a tornado coming their way.

“What kind of work environment do you thrive in?” — You could ask, “How do you like to be managed?” but they likely do not have the work or life experience to know the answer. Instead, you’ll hear stories of their jobs to date. Ask about the bosses, their management style, and its effect on the rep. Be skeptical of the answers since all job candidates tell you what you want to hear but look for clues about your upcoming communication options. Oh, and remember: Salespeople are different. A rep demonstrating independence can come across as problematic, but it’s that independence that can make them a superstar. A deft manager should be able to tame any maverick.

“Tell me about a time you pushed yourself to do something uncomfortable.” — There is very little about the early tasks of a sales rep that involve warm fuzzies. No one, as the saying goes, drops you off at the top of the mountain. They won’t hear, “I’m so glad you called. We were looking for a new printer!” Calling strangers is hard. Interrupting someone’s day is hard. Constant rejection is hard. But getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is the job.

“What is something you accomplished that required consistent effort over time?” — Another great question that speaks to the candidate’s perseverance; a quality critical to sales success. I’m showing my age here, but young people live in an world of immediacy and 10-second TikTok videos. Are they ready to work hard for several months with no proof they are doing the right sales activities?

“What do you know about my company?” — Okay, this one is huge and I’ll save you time: If the answer is, “Nothing,” stand up, shake their hand, and wish them luck. You are likely a practice interview and they just made a mistake they’ll never make again. Pre-call research is the most important skill a print sales rep can have. The fact that they didn’t look you up is an unforgivable sin and you can eliminate them from consideration … unless … they contact you again and ask for a second chance. If that happens, hire them immediately. In fact, not hiring that candidate is an unforgivable sin, on your part! That’s perseverance! That’s pushing yourself to do something uncomfortable. Note: Do not make this the first question. Give them a chance to impress you before dropping this bomb.

“If I told you your approach isn’t working but you fervently believe it will, what would you do?” — And finally, here is a question that predicts how you and the candidate will interact. The good thing is, there isn’t a wrong answer. If the rep says she’d push back and defend her approach, great! She’s got moxie. If instead she capitulates and tries it your way, great! She is coachable. The question then becomes: Which quality is best for the job?

Many years ago, I attended a presentation where the speaker (Russ Evans) made the point, “We make the thumbs up/thumbs down decision on a new hire after four to five weeks.” My hand shot up and I said, “Russ, you meant months, right?” He replied, “No. When a rep didn’t work out, we looked back and realized we knew at the four- to five-week stage. Sometimes, we even knew during the interview process. Now, if we don’t like what we see early, we cut the cord.”

The interview process is where sales failure starts. Change that. Make it the place where success begins by asking questions that speak to the realities of the job. And, managers, before you get all empowered and full of yourselves, know that next month’s column gives advice to the sales candidates that will equip them with questions they need to ask of you. Stay tuned …