{"id":1483,"date":"2017-07-11T09:02:39","date_gmt":"2017-07-11T13:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.comblog\/reduce-time-to-hire\/"},"modified":"2025-08-11T11:54:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T15:54:52","slug":"reduce-time-to-hire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/blog\/reduce-time-to-hire\/","title":{"rendered":"Reduce Your Time To Hire By 91% When Sales Recruiting"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img alt=\"Reduce your time to hire by 91%\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14951\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Optimized-iStock-690742190.jpg?strip=all&resize=600%2C400\" width=\"600\"\/><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"Sales rep onboarding and tenure\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14950 alignright\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Time-to-Hire-1.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/><\/span><a name=\"top\"><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The pressure for HR Leaders to provide organizations with top performing sales candidates in short periods of time is on the rise. B2B sales reps typically\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"\/sales-talent-management\/\">onboard over 10 months with 24 months of average tenure<\/a>. I<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">t is therefore of the utmost importance to hire top salespeople quickly and retain them long-term.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Being responsible for the overall recruitment process of new salespeople, human resource leaders are very familiar with the negative impacts caused by the lengthy time required when hiring new sales and sales leaders. These negative impacts can include: loss of revenue &amp; market share, decreases in sales productivity, and lowered employee morale.<\/p>\n<p>In this article, we will discuss the changes human resource leaders can make in their recruitment process. These changes will counter the negative impacts of vacant sales roles and shorten time needed to hire new salespeople.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We will provide tools that can be implemented into an existing recruitment process, which will:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increase the pool of qualified candidates; <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce time to fill; \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improve hiring manager and candidate satisfaction rates;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthen quality of hire rates \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr\/>\n<p><strong>Skip to section:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"#role-cost\">Cost of a vacant role<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#improvement-drivers\">Improvement drivers<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#identify-stakeholders\">Identify your hiring stakeholders<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#hiring-plan\">Build a robust hiring plan<\/a><a href=\"#virtual-bench\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"#job-description\">Eliminate boring job descriptions<\/a><a href=\"#virtual-bench\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"#screening-process\">Automate your screening process<\/a><a href=\"#virtual-bench\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"#consolidate\">Consolidate your interview process<\/a><a href=\"#virtual-bench\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"#notice-period\">Leverage the notice period<\/a><a href=\"#virtual-bench\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"#hiring-criteria-worksheet\">Download your hiring criteria worksheet<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 24pt;\">Here is your ultimate guide to reducing your time to hire:\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>The Cost of a Vacant Role<\/strong><\/span><a name=\"role-cost\"><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does your sales leader truly understand the cost of open headcount? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"time to hire time to fill\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15411 alignright\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_3.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>Having an open vacancy in your sales department for even one-day has a negative impact on your organization. With an<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weareoptimize.com\/blog\/how-to-reduce-your-time-to-hire-free-guide\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> average time to fill of 68 days and an average time to hire of 57.5 days<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 which has increased by 50 percent over the past five years \u2014 pipeline strength and sales revenue can quickly erode. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>For example, if you\u2019re looking to fill a vacant Account Executive role with an annual quota of five million dollars, you will be losing 787,600 thousand dollars over the 57.5 time to hire average.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To calculate your precise revenue loss potential, use the formula below:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"revenue loss potential \" class=\"alignleft wp-image-15009 size-medium\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Time-To-Hire-12-300x100.png?strip=all\" width=\"300\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"brandon naber\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15408\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/imageedit_22_8809716083.png?strip=all&resize=150%2C150\" width=\"150\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Brandon Naber<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/flarehr.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flare HR<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> states,<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWe have a 10 sales rep headcount on this team. We have 9 reps hired and currently selling, 1 headcount vacant. Because of this vacancy, every rep needs to hit over 110 percent of their quota for us to hit our team revenue target. Multiply that by our 4 sales teams \u2013 that\u2019s a multi-million revenue problem for our company. Yikes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"cost of a bad hire\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15409 alignright\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_1.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>Understanding\u00a0the negative impacts of open headcount goes beyond top-line revenue and includes sales force morale is critical. Potential decreases in rep productivity and absenteeism due to burnout are directly correlated to sales force understaffing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reps are often told to hunt and\/or manage open territories and accounts all while tasked with delivering on their own goals and metrics. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the average cost per turnover at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/the-high-cost-of-low-morale\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">150 percent of the employee\u2019s salary<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, sales and HR leaders walk a costly fine line when overloading reps that can\u2019t sustain the necessary activity and behavior levels needed\u00a0for success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"loss of revenue due to employee disengagement\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14953 alignleft\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Time-to-Hire3.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When reps aren\u2019t set up for success, role disengagement skyrockets. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gallup.com\/businessjournal\/162953\/tackle-employees-stagnating-engagement.aspx\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> shows that only 30 percent of US employees are actively engaged and passionate about their workplace. The remaining 70 percent are either disengaged or actively disengaged. Gallup estimates\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">corporations lose between 450-550 billion dollars in revenue every year as a direct result of employee disengagement.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Improvement Drivers for Your Sales Recruitment Process <\/strong><\/span><a name=\"improvement-drivers\"><\/a><\/h3>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Understand Where Your Challenges Are in the Hiring Funnel<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For HR Leaders, the challenge lies in improving team metrics like time to fill, time to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hire, and time to start. The difference between these three metrics being:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Time to fill<\/strong><br \/>\nThe number of days between a job\u2019s publication date and an accepted offer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Time to hire<\/strong><br \/>\nThe time elapsed between engaging a candidate and them accepting an offer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Time to start<\/strong><br \/>\nThe lag time between when a candidate accepts an offer and when they start.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>To decrease your time-time-hire your team needs to have a thorough understanding of the differences between these three metrics. Understanding these nuances allows you to hone in on the areas that will have the greatest time decreases.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you may find that in order to improve your time to hire, you need to decrease your interview time. If you find it takes too long for the candidate application process, then you can improve your time to fill. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Below we created a breakdown of a resume\u2019s timeline as it goes through the stages of a recruitment process.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"resume in the stages of the hiring process\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14955\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Time-to-Hire-4.png?strip=all&resize=600%2C400\" width=\"600\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Top salespeople only spend an average of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ideal.com\/time-to-hire\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ten days<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the market before being recruited for their next role. With organizations averaging a time to hire of 57.5 days, talent shortages are fueling hiring managers to make bad hiring decisions. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So how do you find a quality candidate while decreasing how long it takes to fill your vacant role? <\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Identify Your Hiring Stakeholders<\/strong><\/span><a name=\"identify-stakeholders\"><\/a><br \/>\n<img alt=\"HR leadership\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15412 alignright\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_4.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/><\/h4>\n<p>HR needs to take a leadership position by identifying the stakeholders\u00a0in the recruiting process. This will not only improve sales hiring speed but also quality. Depending on the size of your organization, these stakeholders can vary.<\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Small to midsize businesses<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">You could have your CEO and\/or Company Owner, and Sales Leader. Again, this may vary depending on the sales team you have developed to date. <\/span><\/h5>\n<h5><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Large enterprise organizations<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">Depending on role seniority, you could have your HR Leader, your Sales Leader and their company peers, and your CEO. If it\u2019s a simple Account Executive role, the recruitment process wouldn\u2019t involve your CEO. For senior roles like VP of Sales, the CEO would typically be involved.<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In your stakeholder list, include the following information: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The stakeholders (names and titles)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The order of their involvement\u00a0in the process<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tasks they will be responsible for<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The timelines associated with said tasks<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This list is sent to all involved stakeholders to ensure they\u2019re informed and understand what the recruitment expectations are. It is crucial they understand how important it is for the process to be time sensitive. Time can make or break the hiring of an ideal candidate.<\/p>\n<p><b>For example: <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"hiring accountability\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15413\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_5.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>If it is your Hiring Manager who conducts the candidate review process and selects who will come in for an interview, then list on the Stakeholder List Worksheet that they have two business days to review the resumes and decide who they want to speak with directly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Having this timeline expectation on the worksheet, allows you to hold them accountable and address the issue if deadlines are not met.<\/p>\n<p>By using this process, you can decrease your resume review process from the 25-days to two business days.<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Build a Robust Sales Hiring Plan <\/strong><\/span><a name=\"hiring-plan\"><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is your sales hiring plan? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most organization\u2019s will have an established hiring plan for all roles within your organization. The best sales hiring plan\u2019s are tied to both the corporate strategy and sales strategies, and include: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headcount budget (quarterly &amp; yearly)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hiring stakeholders (by role)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advertising channels <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hiring timelines \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img alt=\"track candidate sourcing\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15414 alignright\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_6.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>Make sure you are tracking the sources of your hires and the sources of your most successful hires. You can then determine where most of your past sales hiring successes have come from.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to leveraging different sourcing channels it is imperative to create a way to objectively measure sales candidates. An effective way to do this is to create a set of mandatory hiring criteria.<\/p>\n<p>These criteria lay the foundation for subsequent processes including job postings, selection, setting realistic expectations, and compensation. By establishing hiring criteria, you increase the speed and accuracy of your recruitment decisions, and in turn decrease your time to hire.<\/p>\n<p>When creating your hiring criteria, establish which ones are mandatory and which are additional bonuses. These mandatory criteria consist of skills and experience you would not be willing to provide training for upon hire.<\/p>\n<p>The non-mandatory criteria is a list of skills and experience that would be considered an added benefit but would not negatively impact the candidate\u2019s potential success.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Eliot Burdett Peak Sales Recruiting\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15010\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/imageedit_42_5820732831.png?strip=all&resize=150%2C150\" width=\"150\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/team\/\">Eliot Burdett<\/a>, CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\">Peak Sal<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\">es Recruiting<\/a>, states<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cRank your \u201cmust-have\u201d and \u201cdesirable\u201d attributes. Be mindful when creating the list, as too many filters will result in a restricted pool of candidates. Too few requirements will increase the pool but can leave you with a load of bad matches. Refer to this list when reviewing resumes and during interviews. This will make the selection process easier. A candidate with all \u201cdesirable\u201d factors will not make the cut compared to the applicant with a list of \u201cmust-have\u201d attributes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><img alt=\"\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14961 aligncenter\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Top-Salesperson-Study-Button.png?strip=all&resize=600%2C150\" width=\"600\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/rebeccabagley\/2013\/03\/01\/how-to-hire-successfully\/?sh=6ce5073b1749\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forbes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to hire a quality salesperson for your organization you must establish your company\u2019s vision and goals. Then find candidates who meet and solve the challenges specific to your organization. By establishing these challenges early on, you will avoid time wasted on unfit sales candidates.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>To help you create your own hiring criteria we have included a worksheet for you to follow. Download it <a href=\"#hiring-criteria\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upon completing your mandatory hiring criteria you can refocus your energies to pursuing candidates through your most successful channels. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/pulse\/new-survey-reveals-85-all-jobs-filled-via-networking-lou-adler\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">62 percent<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0of all passive candidates, who are presently employed and successful in their roles, obtain new roles through networking, it is critical to leverage your current top performers\u2019 networks to find additional top performers more efficiently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Talent market by job hunting and demand\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14954\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Time-to-Hire-7.png?strip=all&resize=600%2C400\" width=\"600\"\/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/pulse\/new-survey-reveals-85-all-jobs-filled-via-networking-lou-adler\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lou Adler<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theundercoverrecruiter.com\/infographic-employee-referrals-hire\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> demonstrates that by leveraging Employee Referral Programs (ERP), you can drastically decrease your time to start. Referral candidates typically begin their roles 58 percent quicker than those found on job boards and career sites. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the average employee having more than 150 contacts on their social media networks, you can easily add this channel into your hiring strategy and begin tapping into your employee\u2019s networks before pursuing other acquisition tactics like posting job ads.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"Referral candidates have longer job tenures\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14956 alignleft\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Time-to-Hire8.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>The employee retention rate of referral based candidates is significantly higher than those hired through other channels.\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/business.linkedin.com\/talent-solutions\/blog\/2015\/08\/5-reasons-employee-referrals-are-the-best-way-to-hire\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With 46 percent staying over one-year, 45 percent staying over two-years, and 47 percent staying over three years. <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choosing a reward for employees who participate in your ERP depends on what you think their top motivator is. With companies finding 40-60 percent of their hires through ERPs, monetary rewards <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.go2hr.ca\/articles\/successful-hiring-through-employee-referral-program\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tend<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0to gain the most employee attention. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google, for example, pays\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/qz.com\/404494\/the-simple-way-google-supercharged-employee-referrals-and-why-it-wasnt-enough\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">two thousand dollars<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for an employee referral, and has doubled this reward for further encouragement. However, what motivates Google employees to provide referrals is due to the fact that they enjoy where they work. This enjoyment has driven them to recommend other people to join their positive environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Build Your Virtual Bench <\/strong><\/span><a name=\"virtual-bench\"><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do you do if someone leaves the company unexpectedly? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"passive candidates\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15415 alignright\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_7.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>There will always be unexpected departures within the sales industry. With the application process typically taking 10.5 days, it is the organizations who are prepared that successfully recruit their new salespeople faster.<\/p>\n<p>With 65-75 percent of candidates today being passive, it can take many months to build relationships and persuade top performers to join your organization. During this time, you have to educate them on your future strategies while also learning about their careers goals.<\/p>\n<p>This process takes great effort, especially while under the pressures of providing top salespeople to your internal stakeholders fast. Having a plan in place is one that would eliminate this pressure while also meeting the recruitment timeline expectations of your stakeholders.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"Build your virtual bench to reduce time to hire\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14957 alignleft\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Time-to-Hire-6.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>One preparatory measure you should have in place is a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/salesbenchmarkindex.com\/insights\/key-to-hire-a-players-use-a-virtual-bench\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">virtual bench<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The concept of the virtual bench is often discussed when referring to sports. Scouts are always hunting for quality players yet the interactions between players and scouts happen long before a move.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This concept is no different when it comes to sales. Top quality players take the time to decide where they would like to take their career. They want to know that their next move is in line with their long-term goals. Having a virtual bench of A-Player salespeople you are constantly nurturing, gives you an edge with both time and your ability to beat your competition.<\/p>\n<p>Your virtual bench should consist of 10 prospective candidates who you are reaching out to regularly to build relationships. These candidates should then become people you can contact to potentially join your company at any time.<\/p>\n<p>Your bench should also contain ten influencers who may not want to join your company but can recommend a top performing salesperson to you at the drop of a hat.<\/p>\n<p>By maintaining and effectively utilizing your virtual bench, you are eliminating the 10.5 days it takes for the candidate application process. As a result , you decrease\u00a0your overall time to fill by 15 percent.<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Eliminate Boring Job Descriptions &amp; Replace with Career Opportunities<\/strong><\/span><a name=\"job-description\"><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the makings of a job description that will attract and engage the right candidates? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"job description\" class=\"alignright wp-image-15416 size-full\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_8.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>Job descriptions that focus on the benefits of working for your organization will outperform those that focus on role requirements and tasks. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you want to ensure that the prospective candidates meet all the requirements and can complete the necessary selling tasks, the goal of your job description is to captivate the prospective candidate by illustrating the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/louadlergroup.com\/this-one-change-will-make-your-job-descriptions-much-more-compelling\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">career opportunity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> they can\u2019t afford to miss. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some simple ways to improve your job descriptions include: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Devise an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/roddwagner\/2017\/01\/23\/an-employee-value-proposition-mindset-just-might-fix-employee-engagement\/?sh=7e65302e4c3d\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EVP<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (employee value proposition) explaining how this new role would be a step up, versus a lateral move, to someone who is already doing similar work.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of creating a list of mandatory skills and experience, which may cause top performers to opt out of the application process, make it a list of performance objectives for their first three months, six months, 12 months, and beyond. This will allow the prospect to visualize themselves completing these tasks and begin thinking about their strategies.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Include a section focusing on the benefits of working for your organization. How are you different from other organizations of a similar size and industry? You can do this by conducting a simple survey with your current employees to discover their favorite reasons behind working at your organization. Some anonymous survey tools you could use include:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u00a0<img alt=\"surveymonkey\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-15419 size-full\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"125\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/surveymonkey.png?strip=all&resize=125%2C125\" width=\"125\"\/> <img alt=\"typeform\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-15420 size-full\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"125\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/typeform.png?strip=all&resize=125%2C125\" width=\"125\"\/><img alt=\"tinypulse\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-15421 size-full\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"125\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/tinypulse.png?strip=all&resize=125%2C125\" width=\"125\"\/><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Describe potential opportunities for advancement. This information will entice candidates to apply and pursue the role since they know they can progress and be part of an organization long-term.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Your job description is the first phase in your employee experience and is of the utmost importance. Your first impression with these top performing candidates is just as important as their first impression with you.<\/p>\n<p>Many companies are taking their job descriptions beyond the traditional word document or PDF and are leveraging emerging technology.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skillscout.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"facebook ads and job applications\" class=\"alignright wp-image-15422 size-full\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_9.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>Skill Scout<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an example of an organization that produces short job videos that serve as \u201cjob posts in motion\u201d so candidates can preview what the job is like and the skills they will require for success. Instead of reading a traditional document, they get a real life view into the organization.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sap.com\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SAP<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have begun using cartoons and video games to portray what life at their company is like. In fact, statistics show that job postings on Facebook that feature video get <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www2.deloitte.com\/uk\/en\/pages\/human-capital\/articles\/introduction-human-capital-trends.html\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">36 percent<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0more applications. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help you create an enticing job description, we have created several templates for you to follow:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/sales-resources\/vp-of-sales-job-description-template\/\">VP of Sales Job Description Template<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/sales-resources\/sales-manager-job-description-template\/\">Sales Manager Job Description Template<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/sales-resources\/account-executive-job-description-template\/\">Account Executive Job Description Template<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/sales-resources\/sales-engineer-job-description-template\/\">Sales Engineer Job Description Template<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Automate Your Initial Screening Process <\/strong><\/span><a name=\"screening-process\"><\/a><\/h4>\n<p>The initial screening process typically takes 15.6 days but there are tools you can harness to decrease this time. These tools also mitigate hiring biases, which can cause you to overlook top performers and make costly mis-hires.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"automated screening process\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15423\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_10.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>Automating your screening process involves using your choice of online software, which you would attach to your job ad. Some of this software could include <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discprofile.com\/what-is-disc\/overview\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">psychometric assessments<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pymetrics.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cognitive testing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hiringsimulation.com\/english\/project\/job-simulation\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">simulation tests<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and even <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hirevue.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">video interviewing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These tests are objective, data-driven ways of evaluating your prospective candidate\u2019s potential success in the role without lengthy human-to-human interaction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the most innovative ideas on the market today include cognitive technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). For example,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.recruiting.ai\/olivia\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Olivia<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is an AI software that moves candidates through an application process with sequenced questions. It automatically eliminates unqualified candidates and reduces the candidate screening time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One company in particular, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ericsson.com\/ca\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ericsson<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, has taken their recruiting process one step further and has implemented a stage called \u201cCandidate Care.\u201d After applying and being screened for a role, unsuccessful candidates will receive an invitation letter to take advantage of the job placement portal. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"ericsson candidate care\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15424 alignright\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/11.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>The portal provides candidates the opportunity to improve their resume, boost their interview skills, and improve their job search skills. With 98 percent of candidates registering for the portal, it can be used as a pool of candidates to contact for future roles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>After implementing the automation process, human resources reviews the candidates the automation software has deemed as the top performers. They\u2019re submitted to the next stakeholder with the 48 hour timeline expectation, which you established in the stakeholder worksheet.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"bad sales hires\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15425\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_12.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since computers are screening candidates based on objective measures, hiring managers avoid potential <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/training.hr.ufl.edu\/resources\/LeadershipToolkit\/transcripts\/Identifying_and_Avoiding_Interview_Biases.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">biases<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that come with person-to-person screenings. According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/hiring-tips-geoff-smart-2011-12\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Business Insider<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the risks of hiring based on gut feeling is high, with a 50 percent failure rate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, if you hire 20 new salespeople in one year, ten of them will fail and be considered bad sales hires.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are the <\/span><a href=\"\/sales-resources\/sales-recruiting-2-0\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">top three reasons<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> why you should never hire on \u201cgut\u201d feeling: <\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The costs, both direct and indirect, of a poor sales hire, are astronomical.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The \u201cgut\u201d is an emotional response. The person in front of you may bring to mind someone you used to know, and this may spell a positive or negative \u2018gut\u2019 reaction that has nothing to do with the candidate\u2019s qualifications. Even in an all day interview, it is impossible to thoroughly get to know a person. It is natural to use our own internal picture, our gut, of who this person is to fill in the blanks.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salespeople are very skilled at making good first impressions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our gut reaction is not an avoidable factor. It is always there but it must be tempered with our brain. The next time you feel yourself falling prey to basing a decision on gut, ask yourself if you have the proof required to hire this individual. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>For more information on how to find top performing sales people, download Sales Recruiting 2.0.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14960 aligncenter\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Sales-Recruiting-2.0-Button.png?strip=all&resize=600%2C150\" width=\"600\"\/><\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Additional Benefits To Automating Your Screening Process:<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<p><b>Flexibility and Efficiency<br \/>\n<\/b>Candidates can go through the screening process at any time. Scheduling and planning is not necessary, and it is available to them 24 hours a day. You are typically capable of turning the screening system on and off, while controlling how many applicants you accept.<\/p>\n<p><b>Customization<br \/>\n<\/b>You can incorporate your mandatory hiring criteria, which you established via the worksheet above, for additional customization.<\/p>\n<p><b>Candidate Tracking<br \/>\n<\/b>You can analyze the candidate data at your leisure and track the candidate information to keep for future roles.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"sonru\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15426 alignright\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1_13.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>Upon completion, the candidate\u2019s information and answers would be recorded and sent to you accordingly. There are many pieces of software on the market to choose from, such as <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sonru.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sonru<\/a>.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They have created an automated video interview screening software that cuts your screening time down by 80 percent. As a result, you decrease your HR screening average from 15.6 days to two days.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Consolidate Your Interview Process<\/strong><\/span><a name=\"consolidate\"><\/a><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"interview process takes 15.6 days\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14958 alignleft\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Time-to-Hire-5-1.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The interview process commonly takes 15.6 days, which accounts for 23 percent of the overall recruiting process. But employers that consolidate this process can reduce their interview time\u00a0by 156 percent. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An effective way to consolidate your interview process is to schedule all in-person interviews on the same day. Simply provide your candidates with the date their interview will take place and one or two time options. This allows them to choose a time that works best or rearrange their schedule to fit the best time. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some technologies you could use for interview scheduling \u00a0include:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"interviewer assistant\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-15427 size-full\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"125\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/interviewer-assistant.png?strip=all&resize=125%2C125\" width=\"125\"\/> <img alt=\"reschedge\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-15428 size-full\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"125\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/reschedge.png?strip=all&resize=125%2C125\" width=\"125\"\/> <img alt=\"setmore\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-15429 size-full\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"125\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/setmore.png?strip=all&resize=125%2C125\" width=\"125\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The odd candidate may be unable to come in on the day you have specified. Depending on if the candidate is active or passive, you may choose to find a day that fits both your schedules. If you\u2019ve analyzed their screening results and determine they are a top performer, then bringing them in on a different day is to your benefit.<\/p>\n<p>By conducting all your interviews on the same day, you can conduct a thorough apples-to-apples comparison while the information is fresh in your mind. You also decrease your interview process from the average 15.6 days to one day.<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Leverage The Notice Period<\/strong><\/span><a name=\"notice-period\"><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"notice period\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15430 alignright\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/14.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>When you\u2019ve selected your successful candidate and provided them with an offer, you then begin the notice period. This time period commonly happens over the course of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2014\/12\/how-to-quit-your-job-without-burning-bridges\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">two weeks<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but can be longer. The time frame depends on how senior\u00a0the person is in their organization.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many factors that impact a salesperson\u2019s notice period, such as: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not wanting to burn bridges<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Needing to find and train someone to replace them<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being on the verge of closing a large deal<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wanting to wait to get paid their commission.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to be conscious of these possibilities and maximize the time you have before they officially come onboard. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img alt=\"sales onboarding\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15431\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/15.png?strip=all&resize=200%2C200\" width=\"200\"\/>Beginning someone\u2019s training while they are in their notice period is a way for you to decrease the amount of onboarding time required. You can provide reading material on your company, your clients, and your industry, so they are well versed upon arrival. If you have online training courses, request they do these courses in advance of their first day*. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lastly, you can request some additional time outside of regular work hours to have one-on-one meetings to begin the onboarding process. You can use this time to sign paperwork, introduce them to clients, attend team building activities or anything else you deem as part of your onboarding process*. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">*Note \u2013 these activities may count as active employment. Please abide by your local laws and employment standards.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Doing The Math \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After taking the time to review your process and gather a thorough understanding of where you can benefit from time decreases, you have the potential to decrease your time to hire by an astounding 91 percent simply by implementing some effective tools and making minor changes. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How did we arrive at this number? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Based on the graph provided in the \u201cUnderstand Where Your Challenges Are\u201d section of this article we have established the resume timeline during an average time to hire, which is 57.5 days. Looking back on all the tools and strategies we suggested for implementation, we have been able to decrease each stage and as a result, decrease the average time to hire to 6.3 days. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14959 size-full alignleft\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Time-to-Hire9.png?strip=all&resize=600%2C250\" width=\"600\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(You can also calculate your new time to fill average by adding in the \u201capplication stage\u201d, which takes an average of 10.5 days. By leveraging your network and nurturing your virtual bench, you can eliminate the time needed to post job ads and wait for applications altogether.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By implementing these tactics and tools, you will deliver your internal stakeholders better sales candidates, faster. <\/span><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><a href=\"#top\">Back to the top<\/a><\/p>\n<p> relpost-thumb-wrapper <\/p>\n<div class=\"relpost-thumb-wrapper\"><!-- filter-class --><\/p>\n<div class=\"relpost-thumb-container\">\n<h3>Related posts<\/h3>\n<div style=\"clear: both\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both\"><\/div>\n<p><!-- relpost-block-container --><\/p>\n<div class=\"relpost-block-container\"><a class=\"relpost-block-single\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/blog\/7-success-characteristics-that-define-top-performers\/\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"relpost-custom-block-single\" style=\"width: 150px; height: 215px;\">\n<div aria-label=\"team analyzing graph\" class=\"relpost-block-single-image\" role=\"img\" style=\"background: transparent url(https:\/\/g9d6c5a5.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/7-success-characteristics-150x150.png) no-repeat scroll 0% 0%; width: 150px; height: 150px;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"relpost-block-single-text\" style=\"font-family: ProximaNova, sans-serif;;  font-size: 15px;  color: #6eba57;\">7 Success Characteristics That Define Top Performers<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"relpost-block-single\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/blog\/cro-found-for-international-services-firm\/\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"relpost-custom-block-single\" style=\"width: 150px; height: 215px;\">\n<div aria-label=\"peak sales executive case study cogency\" class=\"relpost-block-single-image\" role=\"img\" style=\"background: transparent url(https:\/\/g9d6c5a5.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Cogency-Global-Case-Study-e1617811188703-150x150.png) no-repeat scroll 0% 0%; width: 150px; height: 150px;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"relpost-block-single-text\" style=\"font-family: ProximaNova, sans-serif;;  font-size: 15px;  color: #6eba57;\">CRO Found for International Services Firm<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"relpost-block-single\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/blog\/best-worst-states-to-work-in-america\/\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"relpost-custom-block-single\" style=\"width: 150px; height: 215px;\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"relpost-block-single-image\" role=\"img\" style=\"background: transparent url(https:\/\/g9d6c5a5.rocketcdn.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Source-06-1-150x150.jpg) no-repeat scroll 0% 0%; width: 150px; height: 150px;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"relpost-block-single-text\" style=\"font-family: ProximaNova, sans-serif;;  font-size: 15px;  color: #6eba57;\">Best &amp; Worst States to Work in America<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- close relpost-block-container --><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- close filter class --><\/div>\n<p> close relpost-thumb-wrapper <\/p>\n<div class=\"abh_box abh_box_down abh_box_business\">\n<ul class=\"abh_tabs\">\n<li class=\"abh_about abh_active\"><a href=\"#abh_about\">About<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"abh_posts\"><a href=\"#abh_posts\">Latest Posts<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"abh_tab_content\">\n<section class=\"vcard abh_about_tab abh_tab\" style=\"display:block\">\n<div class=\"abh_image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"avatar avatar-80 photo\" height=\"80\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1cfb2152f763e6118839d97c16339339s80ampdmmamprg.png?strip=all\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1cfb2152f763e6118839d97c16339339s160ampdmmamprg.png 2x\" width=\"80\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"abh_social\">\n<div style=\"clear: both; font-size:12px; font-weight:normal; width: 85px; margin: 0 0 2px auto; line-height: 20px;\">Connect:<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"abh_twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/eliotburdett\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Twitter\"><\/a><a class=\"abh_google\" href=\"https:\/\/plus.google.com\/+EliotBurdettPeakSalesRecruiting?rel=author\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Google Plus\"><\/a><a class=\"abh_linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/eliotburdett\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"LinkedIn\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"abh_text\">\n<h3 class=\"fn name\"><a class=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/author\/eliotburdett\/\">Eliot Burdett<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"abh_job\"><span class=\"title\">CEO<\/span> at <span class=\"org\">Peak Sales Recruiting<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"description note abh_description\">Before Peak, Eliot spent more than 20 years building and leading companies, where he took the lead in recruiting and managing high performance sales teams. He co-founded Ventrada Systems (mobile applications) and GlobalX (e-commerce software). He was also Vice President of Sales for PointShot Wireless.<\/p>\n<p>Eliot received his B. Comm. from Carleton University and has been honored as a Top 40 Under 40 Award winner.<\/p>\n<p>He co-authored Sales Recruiting 2.0, How to Find Top Performing Sales People, Fast and provides regular insights on sales team management and hiring on the Peak Sales Recruiting Blog.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"abh_posts_tab abh_tab\">\n<div class=\"abh_image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"avatar avatar-80 photo\" height=\"80\" src=\"https:\/\/media.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1cfb2152f763e6118839d97c16339339s80ampdmmamprg.png?strip=all\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1cfb2152f763e6118839d97c16339339s160ampdmmamprg.png 2x\" width=\"80\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"abh_social\">\n<div style=\"clear: both; font-size:12px; font-weight:normal; width: 85px; margin: 0 0 2px auto; line-height: 20px;\">Connect:<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"abh_twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/eliotburdett\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Twitter\"><\/a><a class=\"abh_google\" href=\"https:\/\/plus.google.com\/+EliotBurdettPeakSalesRecruiting?rel=author\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Google Plus\"><\/a><a class=\"abh_linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/eliotburdett\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"LinkedIn\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"abh_text\">\n<h4>Latest posts by Eliot Burdett <span class=\"abh_allposts\">(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/author\/eliotburdett\/\">see all<\/a>)<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"abh_description note\">\n<ul>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/blog\/books-about-sales-management-and-sales-leadership\/\">20 Of Our Favorite Books About Sales Management and Sales Leadership<\/a><span> &#8211; October 20, 2023<\/span> <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/blog\/how-to-make-progress-on-your-sales-goal-without-a-sales-leader\/\">How To Make Progress On Your Sales Goal Without A Sales Leader<\/a><span> &#8211; September 15, 2021<\/span> <\/li>\n<li> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/blog\/how-cmos-can-retain-talent-during-the-great-resignation\/\">Augment Your Recruiting Strategy During \u201cThe Great Resignation\u201d<\/a><span> &#8211; July 26, 2021<\/span> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"et_social_bottom_trigger\"><\/span> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The pressure for HR Leaders to provide organizations with top performing sales candidates in short periods of time is on the rise. B2B sales reps typically\u00a0onboard over 10 months with 24 months of average tenure. It is therefore of the utmost importance to hire top salespeople quickly and retain them long-term. Being responsible for the<\/p>\n<div><a class=\"text-primary mt-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/blog\/reduce-time-to-hire\/\">&#8230;continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;Reduce Your Time To Hire By 91% When Sales Recruiting&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"limit_modified_date":"","last_modified_date":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sales-hiring-recruiting"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-json\/\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1483"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-json\/\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-json\/\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-json\/\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-json\/\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1483"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-json\/\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1483\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-json\/\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-json\/\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksalesrecruiting.com\/wp-json\/\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}