1. Recruiting and Selecting the Sales Force
Chapter 8
Recruiting and Selecting the Sales Force
PowerPoint presentation prepared by
Dr. Rajiv Mehta
New Jersey Institute of Technology

2. Chapter Outline Importance of Recruiting and Selection
The Recruitment Process
Sources of Salespeople
The Sales Force Selection Process
Making the Selection
Sales Force Socialization

3. Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
1. Follow the steps in the sales force recruitment process.
2. Identify sources of sales applicants.
3. Follow the steps in the sales force selection process.
4. Apply the criteria used to make the final selection decision.
5. Implement the sales force socialization process.

4. Importance of Recruiting and Selection
Recruitment refers to finding potential job applicants, telling them about the company, and getting them to apply.
Selection refers to activities involved in choosing qualified candidates that have the greatest aptitude for the job.
Ineffective recruitment and selection can result in the following:
wrong salespeople being hired
thousands of dollars a year spent in training
lost productivity
lost sales

5. The Recruitment Process
Conduct
a job
analysis.
Prepare
description.
Identify
sales job
qualifications.
Attract
a pool
of sales
recruits.
Select
best

6. Conducting a Job Analysis1.
Analyze the
environment in which
the salesperson
is to work. 3.
Observe and
record sales tasks
being performed. 2.
Determine duties and
responsibilities
expected from
the salesperson .
Steps in
conducting a
job analysis
What is the competition the salesperson faces?
What kinds of customers will be contacted, and what problems do they have?
What knowledge, skills, and potential are needed for this position?
Obtain information from these sources:
salespeople
channel partners
customers
distribution manager

7. Preparing a Job Description
Install the product or display.
Report complaints.
Handle adjustments, returns, and allowances.
Counsel customers on their problems.
Build relationships with channel partners.
Maintain loyalty for the company.
Make regular calls.
Sell the product or product line.
Check stock; identify possible product uses.
Develop monthly and weekly work plan.
Make a daily work plan for the next day.
Organize field activity for sales calls .
Arrange route for best coverage.
Maintain sales portfolios, samples.
Maintain customer database.
Develop new accounts.
Promote products.
Make calls with buyer’s salespeople.

8. Developing a Set of Job Qualifications1.
Personality traits
Developing
a set of job
qualifications 2.
Qualifications

9. Personality Traits
Here are some critical personality traits of salespeople:
intelligence
decisiveness
energy and enthusiasm
results orientation
maturity
assertiveness
sensitivity
openness
tough-mindedness
Source: Digital Vision

10. Attracting a Pool of Applicants
Continuously identify, locate, and attract salespeople.
Candidates become the pool from which new salespeople are chosen.
Source: Digital Vision

11. Sales Force Recruiting
To see a video on how to attract the best sales talent, go to

12. Sources of Salespeople

13. Websites of Sales Force Recruiting Agencies
Peruse the websites of various recruiting firms and agencies:

14. Factors to Consider in Evaluating Sources
nature of the product
nature of the market
promoting from within
sales training provided by the company
personnel needs of the company
sources of successful recruits in the past
recruiting budget
legal considerations
Source: Triange Images

15. The Sales Force Selection Process
Initial
screening
Reference
checking
In-depth
interviews
Employment
testing
Follow-up
Making the
selection

16. Initial Screening
Initial screening may start with this process:
1. Application forms
Weighted application forms place more importance on the following:
years of selling experience
employment length
career objectives
educational level
2. Initial screening interviews and tests
Initial interviews and test are conducted in person or over the telephone; the best candidates are invited for in-depth interviews.
3. Automated screening techniques
Automated screening speeds the gathering and analysis of data from applicants.
Computer screening tests measure honesty and personality.

17. Personnel Selection Inventory: Topical Areas Assessed by the Questionnaire
honesty
drug abuse
customer relations
safety
work values
supervision (attitudes toward authority)
employability index (composite score of everything but validity)
Source: Digital Vision

18. Recruiting the Sales Force
To see a video about applicant tracking systems for “Recruiting sales superstars and best practices for finding and hiring top talent,” go to

19. Application Items That Predict Performance

20. Application Items That Predict Low Turnover

21. Checking References
Reference checking is a screening tool that enables a company to obtain information from these sources:
former and current bosses
coworkers
clients
These are important because fraudulent resumes are often received.

22. Standard Company Reviews

23. Sales Force Selection
To see a video on how to select the right sales candidate, go to

24. In-Depth Interviewing
In-depth interviews help determine issues such as these:
whether a person is right for the job
source and quality of candidate’s past sales leads
length of sales cycle the candidate has been successful with
level candidate has been selling to
whether candidate has worked alone or as a team member
why the candidate wants to change sales positions

25. Types of In-Depth Interviews
In informal interviews, probing questions are used to learn the following:
a) whether candidate is self-motivated
b) whether candidates will work on their own
c) whether the candidate has a pattern for winning or recovering from loss 1.
Structured
interview
Types of
in-depth
interviews 2.
Unstructured
interview
Each candidate receives the same set of standardized questions designed to determine the applicant’s fitness for a sales position.

26. Applicants’ Responsibility in an Interview
Prepare for interviews by learning about the company and anticipate questions that may be asked.
Some questions candidates typically ask interviewers:
What percentage of the job will require travel?
What is the likelihood of relocation?
What are the starting salaries for a particular position?
What is the typical career path of each position?
What is the compensation package?
What are the benefits?

27. Applicants’ Responsibility in an Interview
Factors that lead to rejection of applicants:
poor appearance
overbearing, overaggressive, conceited attitude
inability to express self clearly; poor voice, diction, grammar
lack of knowledge in field of specialization
low moral standards
intolerance; strong prejudice
inability to take criticism
condemnation of past employers

28. Employment Testing

29. Traits Measured by Personality Tests

30. Making the Selection
Some key points to cover upon making a formal offer:
Duties of the salesperson
Compensation
salary
draw
bonus
commission
expenses
Territory coverage
Length of employment relationship
Termination of employment
Source: Stockbyte

31. Guidelines for Making Structured Comparisons
Compare these traits in candidates:
Interviewing skills
temperament
well-organized and prepared
questions asked
Background/job skills/experience
job stability
career pattern
recommendations
Source: Triange Images

32. Guidelines for Making Structured Comparisons
Compare these traits in candidates:
Personality traits
maturity
planning skills
sociability
ambition
enthusiasm
persuasiveness
Summary points
salary level
challenge/opportunity
Use a point rating system.
Source: Digital Vision

33. Sales Force Socialization
Refers to introducing the recruit to the following:
company practices, procedures, and philosophy
social aspects of the job
These are benefits of socialization:
greater job satisfaction
increased employee commitment
greater job involvement,
better understanding role in the company
Socialization contributes to person-organization fit (POF), which describes how consistent a salesperson’s value system is with those of the firm.
Positive job outcomes of POF include the following:
higher job satisfaction
lower stress
lower likelihood of turnover

34. Types of Socialization
makes new salespeople feel they are an integral part of the company by exposing them to the corporate culture (values, philosophy, group norms, different work groups, corporate officers) 1.
Initial
socialization
Types of
socialization 2.
Extended
socialization
begins with the recruiting and selection process and ends with the initial orientation of the salesperson to the firm’s procedures and policies

35. Initial Socialization1.
Recruiting 3.
Introductory
training 2.
Selection
Initial
socialization
Send the sales candidate literature that details the company’s philosophy.
Internet site may discuss corporate culture and explains why a recruit would want to seek a job there.
In interview process candidate can be exposed to company values and philosophy.
Salespeople can be socialized by doing the following:
reading literature on company’s history, products, job description, and compensation and benefit packages
attending introductory training programs before they are exposed to actual operations of the firm

36. Extended Socialization2.
Job rotation 1.
Long-term
training 3.
Corporate
social activity
Long-term training helps with standardization of values, behavior norms, and philosophy and it helps produce consistent sales performance results as salespeople become highly motivated team players.
Sales trainees learn how different departments work as well as making social contacts when they are exposed to the overall organization.
Socializing new salespeople at company picnics, sports teams, and sales meetings allows interaction with experienced salespersons, sales managers, and company executives.

37. Sales Force Recruitment and Selection
To read articles on recruitment, go to
For a white paper on the modern science of salesperson selection, go to

38. Ethical Situation: What Would You Do?
Discussion Question
When you first became a sales managers a few years ago, one of the saleswomen you hired became pregnant within the first year, and went on leave for several months to take care of her baby. You remember how you really had to scramble to cover her territory during her maternity leave by requiring other salespeople to cover parts of her territory. What’s more, she decided not to return to the job after her maternity leave was up. Ever since then, even though you are a female sales manager and the mother of two teenagers, you have tried to subtly avoid hiring young saleswomen, if other candidates were at least equally qualified. To keep from looking like you’re discriminating against women, however, you have hired a few saleswomen who are generally past the child bearing age.