Rafi was a successful young CEO who wanted to achieve the ambitious goal of accelerated growth within five years. He built a strategy with the help of our team's "Plan for Tomorrow" and got stuck on a significant obstacle: he needed to recruit a sales associate, or even two.
Rafi knew that training a sales associate could take several months, during which it may become clear that they are not suitable, and the recruiting process may start from the beginning - so he decided to hire a professional sales associate who also knows the field in which Rafi works.
But months passed and Rafi was unable to recruit the associate he wanted.
What Reasons Will Motivate a Salesperson to Move to a Different Company?
We all want to feel meaningful and move forward. Advance in position and in salary. The desire to be meaningful is as true to whoever we want to recruit as it is to us.
A good sales associate has no reason to move from company to company unless they get a promotion, a more meaningful position and a higher salary.
The person moving from company to company moves from the known to the unknown. If they're good and valued, they're risking their status when moving. In their new job they may encounter social difficulties or a lack of chemistry with the manager who has just recruited them.
The reward and advancement should justify moving to a new unknown place, and the fear that it will turn out to be unsuitable for, or that the person will prove unsuitable to the place.
Rafi hoped to find a professional and experienced sales associate for a position of field agent – but with the salary and the benefits of a beginning sales associate – not of a manager. No wonder the miracle did not occur and he didn't find a suitable employee.
The Possibility of Recruiting a New Sales Associate
I wrote above that Rafi was a young and successful CEO. Has the problem of recruiting experienced sales associate allude him?
I'm not sure. But what motivated Rafi was actually the problematic experience with recruiting young sales associates.
When recruiting inexperienced salespeople, they need to be trained. The training takes a few months at best. There's a reasonable chance that during this time it will become clear that the employee is not suitable to or not interested in the position.
Rafi has previously recruited and trained sales people. Some were very good, but it took more than a year for them to get into the job and start selling.
Is This Only True for Salespeople?
Definitely not. The above is true for any manager or other position holder.
Many times, in job search definitions, experience in the field is required. As I have shown above, we should always allow growth for the candidate. Unless the candidate is unemployed, the company they worked for has closed or the like.
I met employees who transferred to a different company, even with a drop in wages, because they were hurt by the attitude in the company they left.
These cases are the exception rather than the rule and whoever creates the search for candidates in the hopes of such transfers may have to wait a long time.
So, Who Should You Recruit?
You'll benefit when you recruit "hungry" people. Those who have a passion for work, who want to succeed and advance.
Such employees, whether recruited for sales, management or other positions, will have a very high motivation to succeed.
The desire to succeed is not enough, however, it is important to check that they have the required professional skills, that there will be chemistry between you and them and that you'll share the same values.
Morton Mandel described in his book It's All About Who You Hire how he used to choose managers for his organization by the five criteria that constitute the right combination of life’s meanings:
- Intellectual firepower
- Values
- Passion
- Work ethic
- Experience
In his book, Mandel ranks values second. But over the years he changed his mind.
In an interview with Eitan Avriel in The Marker Magazine on June 2016 he said that while writing his book hewas convinced that the most important value to a business or a public leader is intelligence, he grew to realize that values should instead top the list.
while intellect is a necessary quality for a leader, it is not enough, and there was no doubt in Mandel's mind that the world will be a better place if people have values.
What exactly does he mean? After all, one's values are not always the same as those of another.
Mandel explained that by values he meant generosity, respect for others, and integrity. He stated that if he comes across a manager or leader who does not have them - he will look for someone else. Not everyone shares these values, but for Mandel being a decent person was more important than being a brilliant manager.
Note that Mandel ranks experience at last place. Experience, he writes, can be acquired. Values, intellectual firepower, passion and work ethic come with the person.
He wrote of managers, but this applies to every position.
Summary and Recommendation
When I started managing Shamir Optical, I looked for a way to enter the US market. Through a mutual friend, I met Mickey Letzer.
Mickey had real passion and he really wanted the role. I saw we had chemistry and we could work well together. Mickey had no experience in optics but he had and has phenomenal sales capabilities. To this day I haven't met a salesman like him. He is one of those responsible for the success of Shamir Optical and its growth.
Over the years, I got to know many companies that, upon wanting to enter the American market, recruited someone with experience and knowledge in the field.
In all the cases I encountered, the "experienced person" had no motivation to work hard. They had already "done their thing" elsewhere. The ones I met had no passion, no hunger. They received very high wages and did almost nothing. In this hard and expensive way, whoever recruited them learned they weren't suitable and replaced them with suitable people.
My recommendation is to follow Mandel's advice.
The most important parameter is if you have shared values. To this I add that there should be chemistry between you, and that you should be able to work together.
Next, the candidates should have intellect, passion and work ethic.
Early experience is in last place. They will get the experience working for you.
My First Book: Manage! Best Value Practices for Effective Management