Hiring Sales [College Recruiting Tips]

The idea of a double-edged sword came to mind as I read Ed Shineman’s article on recruiting sales talent right out of college.

As I evaluate candidates for sales development representatives at SmartRecruiters, I know that hiring recent graduates offers a chance to shape a promising new SDR with no bad habits to break.

But with no experience, it’s far more difficult to assess whether a new graduate would be a good fit, wants to be a SDR at all, let alone even knows what it means.

You can find great SDRs with proven track records, but there’s plenty of potential on college campuses. Here are some tips to keep in mind when considering recent grads for your sales team.

First, I agree with Ed on the idea of not putting too much focus on academics or major field of study. After all, plenty of students change majors. What’s more important is that they’ve learned to communicate well. Some of the best SDRs I’ve hired majored in the liberal arts.

But while Ed feels that a candidate’s extracurricular activities aren’t that relevant, I disagree. Any activity that demonstrates competitiveness impresses me, such as athletics or fundraising for a fraternity or sorority, for example. Why? This shows a natural knack for sales.

More listening, less talking

What other traits should you be looking for in graduating students?

One of the most important is listening. As a I explained in a post on our blog, “10 Traits of Great Sales Development Rep Hires,” outstanding SDRs listen more than talk. And if they do talk, it’s to ask smart questions. If, on the other hand, if a candidate interrupts you, that’s a red flag.

Listening ties into many other qualities – such as curiosity, respect, and integrity — that I discussed in my post.

Ask the right questions

As you interview recent college graduates, think about what you’re looking for – matching a profile to your existing team.

Start with a phone screen. For a SDR position, that can be quite revealing as it demonstrates level of comfort talking on the phone. Perhaps you can conduct a brief cold call role-play. As that scenario unfolds, guide them through it. Does the candidate seem coachable? Do you get a sense that they’re willing to adjust their process and thinking?

A post I wrote for LinkedIn, “The Most Important Interview Questions for Hiring Great SDRs” includes questions I think are most valuable.

Some include asking candidates to teach you about something they recently learned. That shows how someone can quickly explain an unfamiliar topic at a high level without diving into the nitty gritty.

One typical interview question that drives me absolutely nuts is that tired old, “What’s your biggest weakness?” How cliché! Instead, I ask candidates to tell me about a time they failed.

That’s far more meaningful as I’m asking someone to tell me a story, hopefully about a lesson they learned that changed their thinking. After all, failure comes with the territory if you want to be a SDR.

But the most revealing question I ask is why a candidate wants to be a SDR at SmartRecruiters. Do they know what a SDR does? Do they know anything about our company? If not, that’s a show-stopper.