Any candidate who makes it to your interview stage should have a good handle on the sales process. He will sell his qualifications to you and in turn will expect you to sell the job and the company to him. But be advised that he will also recognize if he is being sold a bill of goods.

Your jobs are your asset ­– a product whose value fluctuates with the quality of people you hire. A bad hire can drive down the value of your product. A strong hire can pay off in high-quality work and increased asset value. Selling the value of your company and your opportunity is the only way to attract the best sales and marketing talent.

In the hiring process, there are two main value points. One is the value of the position, the other is the value of the candidate. The candidate brings to the table his education, skills, and abilities. You and he will both have an opinion regarding their value and will have to reach an agreement on where the two values meet.

Keys to remember:

Have a clear understanding of the role…and be able to effectively communicate that to the candidate. If you undersell the breadth and depth of the position, because you didn’t fully understand it or don’t adequately sell it, the candidate may be unimpressed by the opportunity. Be passionate about both the company and the job and you’ll be able to show the candidate the quality of the opportunity.

Know the competition. What does this position pay in the marketplace? Do you have an idea what other opportunities the candidate may be considering? How does your offering compare?

Find the right candidates. As many as 77 % of the candidate are not actively job-shopping, according to recent surveys. This pool of passive potential candidates is where you are likely to find the most qualified, highest-value prospects.

Put yourself in their shoes. If you were an in-demand candidate, what would persuade you to leave your current position? Challenging projects? A company that shares your values and offers a culture where you’ll be comfortable? Remember that a top quality candidate will be well-compensated wherever he goes. The key is to sell the value of the position to the candidate. Show him that it’s an opportunity that reflects his status and offers him great potential.

Simplify your process. It’s difficult enough to convince a passive candidate to consider a position you offer, or even to talk to you. Keep initial paperwork to a minimum, schedule interviews at his convenience, follow up regularly to keep the candidate updated on any developments and to be sure any interest you may have piqued doesn’t fade.

The staffing partners at SMR Group LTD help companies throughout the United States to find outstanding sales and marketing candidates. Contact us today to learn more.