It is crucial for any new employee to receive training upon hire. It doesn’t need to be a formalized week long classroom situation.  It can simply be one-on-one training with your new boss, shadowing a successful rep in another territory, webinars or all of the above. You may be familiar with the product line and your territory; however, company culture and policies & procedures will be different.   MY SALES TRAINING EXPERIENCE When I was hired by my last employer, a global textile manufacturer, I asked to travel with one of top reps in the country so I could emulate their successes. In addition, I worked one-on-one with my Sales Manager in my territory. I was also provided sales goals and expectations for the year.  I wanted to know what it would require to reach those goals.  At that point, I then set my own goals at a much higher expectation.  As a result, I became number one in sales for my company.   BOTTOM LINE pave the road to success for your new hires.  Set the expectations from the beginning and provide the necessary tools and training. After all, your employees are the face of the company and their success is your success!

I always thought it was common sense to dress appropriately for an interview. But then a hiring manager mentioned what my candidate wore for his interview. He did wear a suit but it was wrinkled, had obvious stains and was far too big for his size. And, not only was he meeting with the Sales Manager, he was also meeting with the Regional VP of the company. Needless to say, he did not move forward in the interview process.   A few job interview wardrobe selections to avoid: Wear clothing that fits you.  Not only should you stay away from too tight fitting clothes, but also baggy clothes.  Make sure shirts are buttoned up and skirts are not too short. Wear dress shoes.  Interviews are not the place to wear flip flops or sneakers. Avoid too much jewelry, it can be distracting. Do not wear a hat, denim, or graphic t-shirts. This is business, not a social outing. Hide tattoos and any crazy piercings. Stay away from heavy perfumes. Wear a neatly pressed suit (without stains!).   Invest in a “go to” suit that you can wear specifically for interviews.  This way you have something to wear if you get an unexpected interview and you can concentrate on your interview and not stress about figuring out what to wear! Good luck!

In today’s technically advanced world, it seems most job candidates opt for the email thank you note. Of course, there is nothing wrong with sending an email saying thank you to a hiring manager but a handwritten note might just set you apart from your competition.  In a recent and rather extreme circumstance, it actually could have caused a candidate of mine not to be moved forward in the interview process. I was working with a global company last year and the hiring manager was “old school” if you will.  My candidate, Bill, was moving through the interview process and all of the feedback was very positive.  After the third interview with the VP of Sales, Bill was offered the job. Come to find out from the corporate recruiter, if Bill had not written a personal thank you note, he would have been pulled from the interview process.  Again, this is extreme but it is a true story!   WHAT SHOULD I DO? I advise my job candidates to err on the side of caution and do both. A short email immediately following the interview will show you are very interested in the position but following up with a handwritten note within 24 hours of the interview shows your professionalism. Remember, there can be problems with snail mail and email delivery as well so you are basically guaranteed the interviewer will receive one of your notes if not both.  Stay tuned for my June blog on the dos and dont's of thank you notes!

Would you go fishing without a rod?  Don’t job search without a recruiter!   If you are a bear, fishing without a rod is easy!  Finding a new job in today’s market is a lot tougher than in the past.  There are a lot more fish in the sea!   Imagine, you are starving and all you want to eat is FISH!  And you run to the river and jump in!  Up the river, down the river, across and back you swim…frantically trying to catch a fish.  You find yourself swimming in circles tying to catch a fish to end up exhausted on the bank of the river….fishless!   The job market can feel the same.  Resume sent after resume sent! To find you are exhausted and you are still in your pajamas!  Before you embark on a day of fishing you ensure you are prepared with a rod, reel and a stocked tackle box.  Why not prepare yourself for one of the most life impacting changes you can make….with a recruiter!   A recruiter is like the wise old sea captain who has roughed the deep, dark seas or the old faithful lighthouse on a foggy night….you get the drift!   Working with a recruiter will: Confidentially assist with your search while you are employed Guide you through the interview process Provide you with tools and resources Increase your chances of catching the right opportunity   So don’t swim in circles…….be prepared and contact your recruiter today!