Question

Explain the process of recruitment and selection as adopted by the sales organizations today. What are the elements of Motivational Mix for the sales force?

Answer 1

Who is responsible for Recruiting?

•Depends on size of sales force and kind of selling involved

•First-level sales managers often handle recruiting for:

–Straightforward sales jobs

–Jobs where new recruits need no special qualifications

–Jobs where turnover rates are high

•When a firm must be selective a recruiting specialist may assist in the recruitment process

•If the sales force prepares individuals to be sales or marketing managers, personnel executives or top-level managers often assist with recruitment

Job Analysis and Selection Criteria

•Conduct a job analysis to determine what activities, tasks, responsibilities and environmental influences are involved

•Write a job description that details the findings of the job analysis

•Develop a statement of job qualifications describing the personal traits and abilities needed to perform in the job

Who Conducts the Analysis and Prepares the Description?

•Current occupants of the job

•Sales managers who supervise people in the job

•Current staff should be observed and interviewed to determine what they actually do

•Use the job description creation process as a means of reaching consensus on job content, activities and training needs.

Content of the Job Description

•Nature of the product(s) or service(s) being sold

•Types of customers

•Specific tasks and responsibilities

•Relationship between the sales position and other positions within the organization

•Mental and physical demands of the job

•Environmental pressures and constraints

Determining Job Qualifications and Selection Criteria

•This is the most difficult part of the recruitment and selection process

•Need specific criteria to guide the selection

•Methods deciding on criteria include:

–Examining the job description

–Evaluating personal histories of the current sales force to identify differentiating characteristics among high performers

Selection Tools and Procedures

•Application blanks

•Personal interviews

•Reference checks

•Physical examinations

•Psychological tests

–intelligence

–personality

–aptitude/skills

•Composites of psychological test scores offer the greatest assessment validity and predictive value for evaluating a candidate’s potential and possible future job performance.

•Personal interviews offer the lowest predictive potential but often carry the greatest weight.

Personal Interviews

•Structured interview

–applicants are asked the same predetermined questions

–potential weakness is that interviewer may fail to identify or probe a candidate’s unique qualities or limitations

•Unstructured interview

–induces free discussion on wide ranging topics

–afford the applicant opportunity to talk freely with minimal direction and may yield unexpected insight

–requires experienced interviewers with interpretative skills

Physical Examinations

•Sales jobs require sound basic health, stamina and the physical ability to withstand stress

•Caution should be exercised in requiring medical examinations and other specific tests for such things as drug use or the HIV virus

•A physical exam can be performed only after extending a job offer

•Managers deem using a standard physical examination for all positions ill-advised

Tests

•Well designed, validated and administered tests provide a valid selection tool

–Intelligence

–Aptitude

–Personality

•Possible reasons to use test cautiously

–Tests may no validly predict future success in a specific firm

–Some creative and talented people may deviation from expected norms

–Intelligent and “test-wise” individuals may be able to manipulate results

–Some tests may discriminate against people of different races, genders, et al – thus becoming illegal

Guidelines for the Appropriate Use of Tests

•Test scores should be considered only a single input of several in the selection process

•Applicants should be tested only when abilities and traits tested hold relevance to the job

•When possible, tests with internal checks for validity should be used

•The firm should conduct comparative, longitudinal studies to validate the predictive value in their setting

MOTIVATIONAL MIX

•Expectancies – the perceived linkages between more effort and achieving improved performance

•Instrumentalities – the perceived relationship between improved performance and receiving increased rewards

•Valence for rewards – the perceived attractiveness or intrinsic value the rewards the salesperson might receive

Personal Characteristics Affecting Motivation

•Individual satisfaction with current rewards

•Demographic variables

•Job experience

•Psychological variables –personality traits and attribution of meaning to performance

Incentive and Compensation Policies

•Policies concerning higher-order rewards can influence the desirability of such rewards

•Preferential treatment for “stars” may reduce morale

•The range of financial rewards currently received may influence the valences of additional financial rewards

•Earnings opportunity ratio

–The ratio of the total financial compensation of the highest paid salesperson to that of the average in a sales force

–higher ratio equals a higher valence