If an organization will do well in sales, a lot depends on the kind of recruitment and selection exercise they undertake. Organizations have different ways of announcing their job vacancies or job opportunities to the public or interested persons.
Some use newsprint advertisement and others use radio or television announcements. In a modern era as today, organizations publish these job opportunities on their websites or through key persons or human affiliates to their organization.
After their particulars are sent through the organization’s prescribed contact channels, staff personnel who are trained to know the organization’s requirement for the job positions or opportunities advertised, invites a group to an orientation or training programme about the company and their business.
The applicants that meet the organizational requirements are selected for an interview and the best of the best appointed. This is what ‘recruitment and selection’ is all about.
However, (Jobber & Lancaster 2009) stressed the need for organizations to undertake quality ‘recruitment and selection’ programmes and they provided reasons: They indicated that, ‘long run achievement of the sales force can be possible when highly resourceful personnel are recruited and selected’. Management of organizations project the company’s revenue over a number of years for sustenance and survival. And if the organization can survive over a number of years, they need a sales force that can deliver to that expectation. In hiring therefore, they must consider a sales force that is “highly resourceful’.
What do we mean when we say a sales force is highly resourceful? It means the sales force has what it takes to deliver on the organizational promises. It means that sales force is organized, has respect for time or has time value; he is self-motivated, has the ability to draw a personal sales program or itinerary, has research abilities, can learn on his own and has access to information.
The sales manager’s supervisory role over such a sales force is therefore minimal. The sales force is also able to deliver over a long period of time because he is healthy, energetic and physically strong. This is his physical drive and can determine how many grounds he can cover in his sales errands.
Jobber & Lancaster (2009) also indicated that ‘top salespeople will perform better than average salespeople’. Who is a top salesperson? A top salesperson is one that has come into contact with difficult sales situations and has conquered. He has this as part of his records and achievements.
These ones are also likely to have sold for listed companies that give them a certain level of experience and capability. If an organization is hiring such a salesperson, it comes with an advantage and certainty. Management has no doubt whatsoever that they will deliver. On the contrary, if an organization hires a salesperson without profile and track record, they should know the performance and results to expect. Sales scholars say, ‘top salespeople make a huge impact on revenue’. These are salespersons that set high financial targets for their selves because they believe they have the capacity to deliver. One sale that is closed by a top salesperson is capable of paying for some huge bills.
Jobber& Lancaster (2009) went on to say that, ‘since it is expensive to hire salespeople in terms of logistics, expenditure and training, sales companies must spend money on hiring personnel that will provide results.
This statement is absolutely correct. Logistics are the items that enable salespersons to function in their offices such as printers and paper to print sales proposals and letters, books and reading or learning materials, and vehicles and fuel for sales errands. Expenditures are usages that do not bring profit to the organization in case the salesperson does not produce sales in his numerous transportation sponsored errands. Organizations spend money on preparing training manuals and empowering facilitators of training programs to excel.
These financial investments must bring the organization financial returns in terms of profits so it is not a wise decision to hire wasteful salespersons who cannot add anything to what the organization has spent on them.
It is known that ‘the inbuilt qualities of salespeople increase their tendency to sell even though training is important’ according to (Jobber & Lancaster 2009). Sales scholars therefore urge sales companies to consider this in their recruitment and selection process. The inbuilt quality within the naturally gifted salesperson propels him or her to sell. It is selling with one’s own initiative without training.
Training must just be an enhancement drug to learn the things hitherto he didn’t know so he can sell better. ‘Grooming sales staffs from within the organization provide an advantage as employees is already familiar with the services and products of the organization according to (Jobber & Lancaster 2009).
It also reduces training cost and less stress and energy are exerted. Commitment of staffs who have worked with an organization over a number of years is unflinching and can be trusted for a recruitment and selection program. Scholars have continued to discover that, ‘getting competent salespeople from recruitment companies have great value since their credibility is approved by organizations of good standing’.
We need to be reminded that, an organization that has organized a recruitment and selection program immediately becomes the recruitment company once they have a strong department and have developed quality human resource for the session. They become their own testament for referrals and endorsement should they decide to ship their own salespeople to other organizations in need.
It is without doubt that, there are other companies that mainly specialize in developing salespeople for other organizations. Scholars have also advised that, ‘recruiting and selecting salespeople from educational centers such as recruiting graduates who have practical experience in a field or trade can be very profitable due to their brilliance and potential to become professional salespeople’.
This is indeed very true. It is said that: education advances and develops the mind to be able to understand and succeed in any enterprise. The fact that the potential salesperson has had tertiary education is an eye-opener.
Beyond this, people can easily translate their experience in a field to succeed in other areas due to creativity and ability to adjust to new situations because the business world is enclosed and much related. Knowledge of the competitor market is strategic information a top salesperson must have to be able to sell to or win loyal or floating customers from competitor organizations
The writer is a marketing specialist with a degree in international marketing
Email: [email protected]/ Tel:0246334085
