You and your team members are likely getting pretty relaxed about working from home. But how relaxed should your hiring process be?  Companies are conducting more video interviews these days and managing the hiring process from remote locations. Some industry analysts say interviews should be informal. That way, managers can get to know who they’re hiring. This practice might not lead to optimal outcomes if you’re hiring a sales rep.

In a business2community post, Syed Balkhi outlines all the ways that the traditional interview process can go wrong. Asking someone to appear in person in a conference room full of eager questioners is a ‘no-​go’ these days. This type of interview makes candidates nervous, and all too often, turns into an opportunity for eager staff members to try to ‘one-​up’ each other in front of the hiring manager.

The Benefits of a Casual Interview

Balkhi also emphasize the importance of using a casual approach to interviews. In this setting, as you and the candidate get to know each other, you’ll learn about the person’s soft skills. These interviews also allow the candidate to size up your organization. As they’re talking with you and perhaps a potential future colleague, the candidate can determine if they’re interested in working with you. While candidates are taking a risk when they accept an offer from a new company, the organization will incur up to a 9‑month setback in meeting their sales goals if they hire the wrong person.

The Benefits of Using Assessment Before Interviews

The biggest issue with the interview-​heavy hiring process is time. It takes time to interview multiple candidates. And while some candidates for sales rep positions will be truthful about their past accomplishments, others won’t. In fact, the sales profession probably contains more than its fair share of storytellers. A great storyteller can use the interview as a performance opportunity and get hired before the manager understands what the candidate is actually capable of accomplishing.

Your Hiring Process

In the current business climate, most organizations can’t afford to take chances and allow hiring managers to ‘go with their gut’ when it’s time hire new talent. A candidate who seems very likeable and accomplished during the interview can turn out to be a disastrous fit for the organization or not able to perform the job you’re hiring for.

One way to optimize results and improve your hiring process is to figure out which candidates are worth pursuing before you begin the interview process. A comprehensive sales skills assessment can tell you everything you need to know. Specifically, the results should indicate if the candidate is a good fit for the job and if they are coachable. Using assessment results, you’ll see how candidates are likely to respond when faced with a demanding customer and whether they have the right mindset to succeed in the company.

Relaxed interviews can certainly help you get to know a candidate. Before you get to that point, invest in a sales skills assessment tool to learn more about who’s applying for your open position. That small investment on your part will pay off in a big way when your new rep starts selling.