How to Avoid Bad Hires

Perhaps you have recently made a few hiring mistakes. You are not alone. Statistics show that 80% of employee turnover is due to bad hiring decisions.  This is according to The Harvard Business Review. It is frustrating when you think about the time and dollars you invested. Productivity and morale take a hit.

This post is about how a rep scorecard can help make better hiring decisions. Avoid hiring mistakes by downloading The Top Performer Index.  You do not have to wait for someone else to provide this tool. As a frontline sales leader, you can control your own destiny. Let us first explore why this happens.

The Problem

Sales Managers struggle to hire top performers. There are several reasons why this happens. It is important to review these causes so you can identify and avoid them. Below are the top 3:

1. Never been trained to identify “A” players- In most organization the sales manager was promoted from inside the organization. Sales Leadership then assumes you are equipped to pick talent. This is a mistake. Doing the job and knowing what it takes are two different things. You end up relying on your gut instincts, which are not always correct.
   

2. Under the gun to fill roles- When turnover occurs, you are not prepared. You have not been developing a bench because of other job responsibilities. In addition, you are behind your number and leadership is breathing down your neck. The result is you make a decision on a candidate based on best available. This will end up coming back to haunt you down the line.

3. Not a culture fit- Sometimes you do have the right candidate however, they are not a cultural fit. Maybe they came from a start-up and cannot handle the structure of larger organizations. Another common mistake in the hiring process is the case of the “miscast”. This is the hunter playing the role of famer or vice versa. You think you can change them because you like them. This type of thinking is flawed. You will waste countless hours and energy for minimal gains. Candidates will naturally gravitate back to their natural skills sets.

The Solution

You need a tool to effectively identify and select “A” Players. The Top Performer Index can help you understand the talent required to drive results.

• What is The Top Performer Index?

A tool that spells out specific competencies and accountabilities for the role

• What does The Top Performer Index do?

It assures all competencies and accountabilities being scrutinize in the interview are clear.

• What does it mean to use The Top Performer Index?

It means a sales leader can effectively identify and hire “A” players.

The Benefits

• Time- As a frontline leader you are time starved. You have to ensure that your recruiting efforts are laser focused. Having a scorecard will help you drive all business conversations that will result in the best possible hire.
• Expectations– During the interview you are setting the standard of excellence expected in the position. This will make it easier to make a smooth transition into ongoing performance management.
• Sourcing- Effectively hiring more “A” players develops a sourcing pool for more candidates. “A” players usually know other “A” players. You will be building a network of candidates for future open roles.

What is Next?

One of your primary responsibilities is the ability to pick talent. In order to accelerate skill sets you have to leverage the resources you have available. Talk to your “A” players and others inside the organization. Find out what makes them successful in their roles. Key in on those specific competencies and ensure you incorporate in The Top Performer Index.