Hiring a Sales Person is Like Looking at the Tip of the Iceberg
By Dave Kahle
When interviewing a hiring candidate or coaching an employee, it’s helpful to visualize the image of an iceberg with 10% visible above the surface, and 90% invisible below the surface:
The visible 10% is necessary, but limited information:
- Skills
- Experience
- Education
The invisible 90% is the essence of the total person and helps to create a good job match.
- Thinking Style
- Behavioral Traits
- Occupational Interests
The difference between what you see and what you need to see can make the difference between hiring a top performer or an underperformer.
Companies that use pre-hire and coaching assessment tools discover that certain key attributes for attaining sales success are not always apparent during a traditional interview relying on a résumé and scripted questions. Key attributes are often hidden below the surface (of the iceberg) and have the potential to sink your sales forecast, if they are not discovered in time. These include
competitiveness, self-reliance, persistence, energy level and sales drive.
Furthermore, there are seven important sales behaviors that affect sales performance and are often invisible even with existing employees. They are (1) prospecting, (2) closing, (3) call reluctance, (4) self-starting ability, (5) teamwork, (6) building and maintaining relationships, and (7) compensation preference.
