Why Are You Attracting The Wrong Candidates For The Sales Assistant Position?

Why are you attracting the kind of candidates who do not have the values and behaviors to meet points 1 – 3 from your job description below?

1. Have the ability to follow directions and work with minimum supervision; take ownership of assigned tasks, think for yourself, solve problems quickly and independently.
2. Exceptional administrative, time-management, and organizational skills.
3. Have high standards and attention to detail and accuracy while preparing sales materials, product applications, presentation materials, data entry; and upkeep of the company’s database, while mastering Redtail appointment and CRM system.
4. Familiar with Redtail, Dropbox, Yousendit, or equivalents. Have basic knowledge of financial planning products and strategies.
5. Insurance, securities or other professional licenses are highly desirable.
6. Maintain a pleasant and professional attitude when following up clients for scheduled appointments, and scheduling client meetings.
7. Be an enthusiastic team player with exceptional telephone, communication, and interpersonal skills building team and client relationships; and have the ability to quickly adapt to ever changing priorities.
8. Proficient computer skills in all MS Office programs (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, etc.).
9. Prior experience in an administrative position or financial office is an asset.

A common hiring mistake is on a subconscious level, we hire people we like so that we can be liked and we align with the first parts points 6 and 7 in the job description.

6. Maintain a pleasant and professional attitude when following up clients for scheduled appointments, and scheduling client meetings.

7. Be an enthusiastic team player with exceptional telephone, communication, and interpersonal skills building team and client relationships; and have the ability to quickly adapt to ever changing priorities.

In a purely innocent way, given that on a subconscious level, we hire people we like so that we can be liked and we align with the first parts points 6 and 7 in the job description, we can easily forget points 1 – 3 which are what you want the candidate to demonstrate.

1. Have the ability to follow directions and work with minimum supervision; take ownership of assigned tasks, think for yourself, solve problems quickly and independently.

2. Exceptional administrative, time-management, and organizational skills.

2. Have high standards and attention to detail and accuracy while preparing sales materials, product applications, presentation materials, data entry; and upkeep of the company’s database, while mastering Redtail appointment and CRM system.

What is the remedy for this?

1. Have a written job description.

2. Always have your candidates complete a values and behaviors assessment to determine if their values and behaviors match the job description.

3. Ask your candidate the following questions:

• Give a specific example of how you have demonstrated your ability to handle multiple priorities and deliver results. Describe the situation and the manner in which you addressed it.
• Think of a time when you had many demands placed on your time. How did you ensure that you were available to meet the needs of your customers, as well as your coworkers, supervisors, and subordinates?
• Describe one service, activity, or process for which you have been held accountable. How did you make sure you achieved results for this process or activity?
• Describe a time when you were unable to follow through on a commitment you made. What happened? How did you explain this to the other party?
• Some jobs may be very hectic at times. Provide an example of how you managed to “get everything done” in a very busy time. What strategies did you use to ensure timely, quality results?
• Discuss a time when you had to deal with major change in your work process or job duties. How did you prepare for the change? How did you respond in this situation?
• Provide an example of a time when you had to take action and didn’t have enough time to prepare as much as you would like. How did you adapt to this situation?
• Describe a time when you had to complete a project in which there was very little direction. What are some of the issues you faced? How did you go about completing the project?
• Tell me about a time when you had more work than you could handle. What steps did you take to ensure quality outcomes?
• Everybody endures some stress in the workplace. Give a specific example of a stressful time at work. What caused the stress? What did you do to handle the stress?