Our own Carolyn Betts was recently interviewed by Chris Orlob of Conversature for an episode of Interviews with Inside Sales Gurus. Conversature is the leading conversation insights platform for inside sales. The conversation covered the problems many hiring managers are facing today and inside sales advice. Check out the link to the podcast here or read the synopsis below.
CAROLYN’S PROCESS
Chris started the conversation discussing Carolyn’s background and how she recruits successfully. Carolyn outlined her personal process:
- Identify What You’re Looking to Hire – Companies need to outline what they are looking for ahead of time. For SDR (Sales Development Representatives) positions, casting a wide net is the best way, and focus more on attributes than exact experience.
- Find the Right Candidate – Just like sales, recruiting requires a multi-prong approach to attract top talent. Networking at industry specific events is a great way to find candidates in the space you’re looking for. Additionally, if you’re looking for recent graduates, focusing on campus events or reaching out on social media are other good ways to source.
- Vet the Candidate – Ensuring that a candidate is a good fit both in terms of experience and culture is a must. Making sure a job seeker meets the appropriate team members ahead of time is key.
- Sell the Candidate – You also need to show the candidate why working for your organization is a great opportunity. Being able to present your company and its mission in a dynamic fashion is crucial to bringing on top talent.
SDR INTERVIEW PROCESS
When hiring an SDR, Betts Recruiting looks for grit. Carolyn is a firm believer of needing to meet a new job seeker in person to truly understand their experience. A resume doesn’t cover enough when it comes to recent graduates. Carolyn encourages companies to set the bar low at the beginning of an SDR search and then have a high bar at the end before hiring. Her ideal process is to start with a happy hour. Group hiring events allow companies to meet multiple candidates at once and to show off their culture.
An in-person interview at the company’s office should be the next step. Having the candidate meet everyone they will interact with is crucial. Using an exercise, such as a cold call or compelling email, is an element every company should incorporate into their interview process. After these two meet-ups and the assignment, Carolyn believes companies should know whether or not they want to hire a job seeker. SDRs are candidates that have innate drive and passion, and if they are a good fit within the company, an organization should make a move quickly.
INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES TO INCLUDE
Chris asked Carolyn about her own interview techniques. Carolyn always begins with college and works up to where a job seeker is today. She focuses on understanding the “why’s” of a candidate’s career path. She asks why someone picked a specific school, or how they made the decision to move jobs. These questions reveal personal motivations without explicitly asking for them. Carolyn also makes sure to ask about unique aspects of a resume. She wants to know them as a person, and looks to connect their personality with the company they’re interviewing with. Carolyn touches on skills and always asks a question she learned from ToutApp: “Tell me about the first time you ever sold something.” She loves finding job seekers that discuss experiences way back in their past. She looks for voice intonation and passion.
INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES TO AVOID
In terms of what to avoid, Carolyn believes a lot of companies are struggling to marry the concept of selling your company while still setting realistic expectations about what the job is. She advises to not make your job description too bland, and instead, stay true to the company’s culture and the job’s actual role. She also doesn’t believe in the idea of insulting candidates to see how they react. Although sales does deal with a lot of rejection and negative feedback, there are better ways to understand resilience instead of making the interview process a difficult time.