We receive a lot of resumes from job seekers via a career form on our website, and without fail, at least once a week someone looking for a job puts their name and number into the form on our web site which is meant to capture information from employers that need to hire. The form is clearly marked for Employer use and asks questions related to hiring needs. There is also a link at the top of our page that directs candidates to contact us via another form which links directly to our recruiters.
Now our website may not be have the best design and mistakes happen so it is not a big deal for us to transfer the information, but it does beg the question about the commitment of the job seeker to find the right place to make themselves eligible for a position. And it also calls into question the person’s attention to detail (not to mention the fact that they usually leave a message like ” I am looking for a sales role, call me …”).
Carrying on with the “candidates who didn’t put their best foot forward” theme, I have seen candidates show up late for interviews and not call, and others who dressed casually when meeting a prospective employer.
Now if I were looking for a new job I would want a potential employer to know that I always put my best forward, that I can follow instructions, and that I will do whatever it takes to be successful. That’s just me, but it is also the way a lot of employers assess prospective sales hires.
I have heard of employers providing misleading information to candidates or creating challenges during the interview process to see how the candidate will react. In principal I like the idea of creating hoops. If someone wants to work for your company, you want to know they really want to join you and have the perseverance to be successful in a sales role.
Raise the bar and set some challenges for potential sales recruits during the interview process. It will pay off in sales hiring results.
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I agree in principle, providing the number and size of the hoops you expect someone to jump through are not excessive.
Making a candidate run too long a gauntlet can leave a bad taste in their mouth, particularly if the process stretches out over too long a period of time. A short, painful hiring experience is much better than a long, painful one. :>)
Having said all that, Eliot’s point is important. The more care you take when hiring, the better the hire.