Process of Salesforce/Sales Personnel Selection
Salesforce selection by definition is selecting the most feasible potential sales candidates from the pool of candidates. The selection of the salesforce process only begins after the successful recruitment process is completed or a job vacancy is posted.
Since salesforce/sales personnel selection and recruitment are used sometimes interchangeably, they are something different. Salesforce recruitment is a process wherein the end an open advertisement is made for a vacant post which the main objective being to encourage potential candidates for the vacant job.
Whereas, in salesforce selection, those applied job-seeking potential sales candidates are shortlisted, screened, tested, and the fittest candidate is selected and given the permanent job offer.
The effective selection process of sales personnel follows a standard pattern, it typically includes eight different steps. They are:
- Initial Screening
- Completion of Application
- Salesforce Test
- Comprehensive Interview
- Conditional Job Offer
- Background Investigation
- Test of Physical Fitness
- Permanent Job Offer
Initial Screening
When candidates arrive to fill out applications, the screening counter conducts initial screening inquiries and then conducts screening interviews. The candidate is judged here based on the minimum credentials he or she holds, and then the application form is handed to fill out completely.
If the minimum qualification is not satisfied, the candidate is refused to take further action; if it is met, the candidate is given the opportunity to complete the application form.
Completion of the Application Form
After initial screening, the qualified candidates have to complete the application form with the demanded information written on the form. This form in common contains the following details of the candidate:
- Applicants’ name
- His/her address
- Parents’ background
- Previous experience
- Training
- Education
- Gender
- Age
- Interest areas
- Hobby
- Citizenship
- Telephone number/Mobile number
- Job skills
- Assurance that the filled information is true
- Signature and thumb initial
In case the information given is checked and found not properly mentioned in this application form, it is rejected. If they are true, the candidate is passed to the next step of requirements to meet.
Salesforce’s Test
Matching to the sales job that a prospective salesperson will have to perform suitable tests are taken in course of predicting who will be successful on the job. These tests may include the following:
The Job Performance Simulation Tests: These tests are used to assess the candidate’s actual job behavior. This conduct may involve the candidate’s psychological grounds and aptitude testing, which may have a good or negative impact on his or her job performance. In order to execute the job properly, the applicant must engage in certain job behavior during the testing process.
Work sampling Test: Applicants are given a sample of tasks to complete. By completing the specified sample of tasks, the applicants have to demonstrate that they possess the relevant skills. This is how each job’s knowledge, skills, and abilities are determined. Each work sample element is, in fact, linked to the associated job performance elements.
Assessment Centers: This test is used to assess a candidate’s managerial ability for a sales position. Assessment centers are used to administer the candidate. Then he or she must complete a series of exercises determined by the centers. Line executives or psychologists are in charge of evaluating the performance. Personality and aptitude tests may be used at some assessment centers.
When the job-seeking sales candidates passed these required tests, they are moved to the next step of the salesforce selection process, if not they got rejected.
Comprehensive Interview
The comprehensive interview is the in-depth selection device that is used to get information about the sales candidates. Its format is developed by the company’s executives, considering the following factors.
- Motivation
- Values
- Ability to work under pressure
- Attitude
- Ability to fit in with the company’s culture
As a result, the most experienced and responsible sales managers, including psychologists, undergo a comprehensive interview. Interviewers must remember that they are free of interview biases. Similarly, they should not work solely on the assumption of management.
Those candidates who succeed in the comprehensive interview, are passed to further steps of the selection process.
Conditional Job Offer
After succeeding in the comprehensive interview, the company offers conditional sales jobs to the passed candidate. The conditions include passing a thorough background investigation and tests of physical fitness.
If these conditions are met by the candidate, he/she will be offered the permanent job and the previous conditions will be removed, if not there will be the same, the candidate will get rejected.
Background Investigation
In this step of salesforce selection, the sales organization/company verifies the information given by the candidate in the application form whether they are true and accurate or not. The verification basically concentrates on:
- References and their relationship with the candidate.
- The candidate’s work records and performance and other behavioral information in the previous employer/company.
- Educational accomplishments.
- Legal status to work.
- Credit references (if previous job).
- Criminal records (if needed).
- Online searches about the candidate.
Test of Physical Fitness
If the company/employer is happy with the candidate’s background study, it will request a report on his or her physical fitness. This report should come from the employer’s own doctors, not from other doctors, such as the candidate’s personal doctors.
This method is used to screen out individuals who are unable to physically meet the standards of the job being provided. The candidates who passed this step are progressed to the final step.
Permanent Job Offer/Selection
Giving a permanent job offer to the potential sales personnel is the last step of the salesforce selection process. Here, the potential salesforce who successfully performs in the preceding steps is now considered eligible for the vacant sales job and is now selected permanently.
The company gives the selection letter with the terms and conditions along with salary and incentives details to the selected candidates. This is where the candidate is selected and now can join the task.