CH 9

1. The sales manager for one of the nations largest producers of consumer
goods has identified eight factors that appear to be related to effective
performance. The manager of human resources, who is concerned about high
turnover rates among the sales force, would like to use this information to improve
the companys recruiting and hiring process. The key factors are:

Setting priorities
Initiative and follow-through
Working effectively with others
Creativity and innovation
Thinking and problem solving
Leadership
Communication
Technical mastery

How could these factors become part of the companys recruiting and hiring
process? How would you define these factors and determine if applicants for sales
positions possess them?

Answer:

These factors could become part of the companys recruiting and hiring process as
follows:

First, the company should conduct a job analysis to determine what activities,
tasks, responsibilities, and environmental influences are involved in the job to be
filled.

Then, a job description is written that details the findings of the job analysis,
which includes requirements such as the nature of the product being sold, the type
of customers being called on, the relationships between the job occupant and other
positions within the organization, the mental and physical demands of the job, and
the environmental pressures and constraints that might influence job performance.
Current job occupants should be observed and/or interviewed to determine what
they actually do.

Next, the manager of human resources must decide which of the eight
factors listed are most important for which job and which are less critical. Simply
examining the job description can assist decision makers looking for key
qualifications in salespeople, but one can also evaluate the personal histories of
existing salespeople to determine which traits differentiate between good and poor
performers. Analyzing personal history also can validate the selection criteria as
required by government equal opportunity regulations.
 Based on whatever information the company deems relevant for the specific
job, a written statement should be prepared that is specific enough to guide the
selection of new salespeople. These qualifications can then be reflected in the
forms of tests and used in the selection process.

Recruiting should concentrate on sources that are most likely to produce the
kinds of people needed. The company finds and attracts a pool of applicants from
both internal and external sources. In order to determine if applicants for sales
positions possess those qualities, the company should use a combination of the
following selection procedures:

Application E.g., Applicant Interview from in Exhibit 11.3. Collects

information about applicants physical characteristics and personal history and
prepares manager for personal interview.

Personal interviews Structured and unstructured, stress interview, role play

exercises, scenario testing.

Reference checks Ensures accuracy of factual data and supplies additional

information and opinions about a prospects aptitude and job performance.

Psychological tests Intelligence (e.g., Wonderlic), personality (e.g., Strong

Interest Blank), and aptitude/skills tests (e.g., Edwards Personal Preference
Schedule), pen and paper tests (e.g., Hiring Quiz in Innovation 11.1).

2. In a recent discussion on the use of the Internet to generate applications, the

following quote was made. The Internet doesnt care what you know, what kind of
suit you are wearing, or whether you have a firm handshake. Salespeople looking
for a job may soon have to face their toughest interview yetwith a computer.

Answer :

This statement is very true. When applicants submit applications through the
Internet, as is the trend, it is very efficient for the hiring firm, and the firm can direct
the information to the right person very quickly. However, it is also a powerful
screening tool that is difficult for applicants to pass. It is tough to persuade the
computer as to your qualifications it only cares about the cold hard facts of an
applicants record. An applicant is one of numerous applications and cannot use
any of his or her personal or human characteristics to differentiate him or herself
from the others. It is difficult for the applicant to convey intangibles like
enthusiasm, empathy, verbal communication, and real-time problem solving. An
applicant can only hope that he or she passes the Internet hurdle and can show his
or her full capabilities and characteristics in a personal interview.
2.1. What are the advantages of using the Internet to conduct preliminary job
interviews? What problems is a company that uses computer-aided interviewing
likely to encounter?

Answer:

There are several advantages of seeking applications through the Internet.

First, younger candidates are as comfortable submitting applications over the

Internet as they are filling them out on paper.

Second, for high tech industries the Internet application process

demonstrates an applicants comfort level with technology.

Third, by targeting the Internet application to specific Internet job postings,

the company can direct the information to the right people very efficiently.

Although the Internet is a good screening tool, it can be a difficult tool for
interviewing because a sales position may have unique aspects, and the company
must personally meet and interview applicants in order to determine if the
applicants are a good fit for the position.

3. College recruiters were discussing some of the students they had interviewed
one day. One interviewer described an applicant with excellent credentials as
follows: She looked too feminine, like she would need someone to take care of her,
and she was not all that serious about a sales job with us. When asked to explain
her comments, the interviewer said, Under her jacket she wore a flowery blouse
with little flowing sleeves and a lace collar. The other recruiter countered, What
do a flowery blouse, flowing sleeve, and a lace collar have to do with performance?
Comment.

Answer:

It is illegal to discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex. The first interviewers

comments are disturbing because they indicate the applicants sex and feminine
characteristics are determinants for hiring. Unless the interviewers were recruiting
for a job where sex was clearly related to job performance, the applicants clothing
and other feminine characteristics do not enter into performance and should not
enter into the discussion.