Chapter 4

The Science of Hiring Sales Talent

In the past, I had an idea of the kind of person I wanted to hire. I'd even write out a list of 10 or 20 adjectives describing what I thought a hardened salesperson should be like. Even so, it was all touchy-feely and subjective. Now I have a PRO, and do a PI for every serious job candidate. It's not the be-all and end-all; you still have to take into account the SSAT, age, experience, and the interview. Even so, I rarely interview anyone who is outside the PRO, because it describes the behavior I'm looking for.

—Harley Ostlund, President, Harden Manufacturing

Probably the most important task in every sales manager's job description is hiring the right people. Unfortunately, most sales managers have only the vaguest idea of how to go about doing this.