What Should You Look For?

It was much different from most interviews I had been a part of.  Here I was, four years into my corporate career and given the opportunity to become a manager for a territory in Northern Florida.  Having already met with several of the team leaders for the division that I would potentially be a part of, it was now time for me to meet with the “Big Dog,” or V.P of Sales for the entire Southeast corner of the Country.  His name was Tony and his reputation was bigger than life. 

This was going to be my third and final interview with my new organization.  The schedule was simple, get picked up at the airport, drive to nearby Orlando, FL to meet with Tony, have dinner, then fly home. 

I remember it like it was yesterday, sitting there in his office and the conversation that ensued.  At one point near the end, Tony asked me the seemingly easy question, “What is your strategy as it relates to building a strong team?” (Talk about a ‘Power Question’!)  I pondered the question momentarily and then answered.

Before I share with you my answer, I should preface the response by telling you that when I was hired into my first career, I was brought into the organization as a part of a recruiting effort that focused COMPLETELY on hiring new college grads.  The organization that I was a part of felt that it was much easier to find the energy and attitude needed for sales by scouring the college campuses of America.  Their thought process was that it was easier to teach energetic individuals how to be a Sales Professional than to try and teach Sales Professionals how to be energetic.  At the time, it seemed reasonable, and to some extent still does. 

With that being said, when Tony asked me the question, “What is your strategy as it relates to building a strong team?” I already had my mind made up as to the answer I’d give: “My strategy for building a strong team will be focused on college recruiting as I feel it will be these young energetic college grads that will propel an organization to the next level.” 

Tony’s response, “I see that [your current organization] has you brain washed.”  “Why do you feel that way,” I asked?  Tony responded by talking a bit about the importance of experience and leadership, and how, while it’s not the only thing that recruiting should be based off, it can be just as important as attitude as it relates to sales. 

What Tony was talking about was something that I had been told by a National VP of Sales with whom I previously had had the opportunity to meet.  When I asked him what he felt were the two most important characteristics of a successful Sales Professional, he answered, “attitude and confidence.”  Tony’s response was virtually the same; he just used the word ‘experience’ in place of ‘confidence.’  In either case, they were and still are, both correct.  However, there is a challenge ahead. 

Not long ago, I wrote an article entitled, “Technically Speaking, I’m an Idiot,” that prompted plenty of feedback and questions as it talked about a topic that is becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity: technology.  In the article, the 10 levels for getting ahead of the technology curve are laid out and a discussion of the advantage that future college grads will have as it relates to using these technological tools in the workplace.  As was discussed, in our future workplace, these tools of technology will no longer be seen as a luxury on the resumes of job candidates, they will be a necessity.  

It was this idea that caused me to receive a number of phone and email responses talking about how ‘spot on’ I was in my technology leveling and had one responder ask me, “With technology becoming so prevalent, and a new marketplace changing how business is done, thus minimizing the importance of experience, what is keeping every organization from going out and hiring a bunch of young college grads that are equipped to deal with our new economy?”  My answer... motivation.

Here’s Why

Much of the training, coaching, and recruiting that I’ve been exposed to has left me with a realization that while many members of the younger generations grew up with things like, computers, iPods, cell phones, televisions, vehicles, college educations paid for by parents, video cameras, etc…, they have also been given another little gift... a sense of entitlement.  They expect life to unfold in much the same way that their childhood did... effortlessly. 

Please note that while I am part of a generation other than the one being described, I’m not far off.  Many of the items listed were also a part of my experience growing up.  However, my parents also instilled in me a high level of motivation.   

Motivation, being an emotion, guides a person’s choices.  Motivation causes us to take a step forward when many might have taken a step back.  It is motivation that reminds us that even though that boss of ours isn’t nearly as equipped from a technological standpoint, he or she is still speaking from an experience that we don’t yet have, so we better listen!  It is this motivation that keeps a person’s ego in check.  And it is motivation that is needed in a market place that no longer has the profits used to manufacture motivation through bonuses, gifts and such. 

It is for this reason that when I was asked, “With technology becoming so prevalent, and a new marketplace changing how business is done, thus minimizing the importance of experience, what is keeping every organization from going out and hiring a bunch of young college grads that are equipped to deal with our new economy?”  Motivation. 

Please don’t take this article as though I am blanketing all those entering our marketplace with a stereotype.  There are still plenty of great candidates out there; however we now have to use a new approach to find them.  So the question becomes, “What does that approach look like?”  Great question, I’m glad you asked. 

How to Find Motivation

For starters, as a recruiter, you must change up the questions you ask candidates.  Life has become a process for our younger generation, go to high school... go to college... get a job with a salary of 50K+ a year… or so they expect.  Along with that process has come classes that prepare them for the interviewing process... questions are among the items practiced. 

If you truly want to find a candidate that is motivated, you must have the ability to ask questions that won’t have a practiced response.  For example, instead of asking a candidate, “What would you say is your biggest weakness?” (A question that is WELL practiced in advance) You might ask the candidate, “What are you working on to position yourself for success in a new career?” 

Here, you’ve not only challenged them to actually give thought to the question you have asked, but you have also given yourself an opportunity to find out who is motivated enough to actually be working on professional skills.  Show me someone who answers that question with a response such as,

Interviewee:  “In today’s fast paced economy, the amount of time that is spent talking with potential clients has been cut tremendously, making the little time you do have with the client that much more important.  I am currently working on my questioning skills so that I can better prepare myself to get the pertinent information early, so that I am able to provide that client with the best experience possible.”      

Recruiter:  “Tell me what you are doing to improve your questioning skills?”

Interviewee: “Currently I am enrolled in an ‘Infused Coaching’ Program that is offered by Window Three that focuses on attributes related to Emotional Intelligence.  Four of the fifteen episodes focus on questioning and listening and provide challenges to work on.  I’ve been using those challenges in situations that I encounter.” 

Recruiter:  “Great answer!  And let me add, that program sounds wonderful!”

OK, maybe I went a little too far in that response, but you get the idea.  Try asking yourself that initial question, “What are you working on to position yourself for success in a new career?”  How would you respond? 

Another way to find motivation beyond changing up your questions would be to look for things that candidates do to separate themselves from everyone else.  Here, I’m reminded of a good example when I think back to a story my cousin, now a very successful business professional, told me. 

He said that when he was in college, he used to go into the placement office with his resume, sneak back to the interviewing rooms where a manager had just finished up interviewing another candidate, introduce himself and ask for an opportunity to meet with the manager to show him why he was the right candidate for the job. 

My cousin told me that while that type of thing wasn’t supposed to be allowed (the placement office sets up your interviews), it was what started him in his first career.  Not to mention, it is exactly the type of motivation that is needed to be successful in our marketplace. 

Please note that my cousin graduated in the early 80’s, a time when something like that was one of the few ways that a candidate could separate themselves.  With our newer generations being armed with all types of technological-know-how, a recruiter shouldn’t just look for ways that candidates separate themselves from everyone else, they should expect it!  And they should expect to be WOWED!

Final Thought

With all that being said, I truly believe that one of the key ingredients to finding the right candidates for our new economy is motivation.  Furthermore, while most of this article focused on those coming out of college, motivation is also one of the factors that continues to drive experienced professionals towards success.  Not to mention that it’s the built-in motivation that typically provides experienced professionals with the desire to go out and LEARN those new technical skills that provide our younger generations with such an advantage.

As mentioned earlier, compensation is down, work hours are up and the challenges ahead don’t appear to be clearing up anytime soon.  If your team members do not have that level of motivation built-in, then how do you expect to survive?  Like Tony had told me, both attitude and experience are important.  However now you have to also keep a close eye on a person’s level of motivation!  Happy hunting. 

Have a great rest of the week everyone!   As always, these articles are written for your use. If you know of anyone who might find value in this message, we would be grateful if you copied the link above and emailed it to them.  Also, if you know of a leader who might be interested in using ‘Infused Coaching’ with his/her team, please email us at windowthree@me.com.    Thank You!