The 5 Waves of Selling

Selling a would-be hire is a matter of understanding which of the five F's really matter to a candidate and focusing attention on those levers to overcome a candidate's concerns. But when do you sell? You should be selling throughout the entire process. Below are the five waves:

When you source

When you interview

The time between your offer and the candidate's acceptance

The time between the candidate's acceptance and his or her first day

The new hire's first one hundred days on the job

Source

Mark Stone put it well when he said, "You sell from the moment you start the whole hiring process. It starts with understanding where somebody is with their interests. It helps you spot where their hooks are, but to spot the hooks, you have to listen. 'Where are you today? What is it you are really seeking?' "

Interview

When they are asking you questions towards the end of the interview is when you put your sales hat, assuming you still see potential in the candidate. Let's say, for example you're interviewing a candidate for a curator's job at an art museum, and at the end, she asks whether the museum fully funds continuing education for its employees. Now you know two things: (1) she is interested in improving her weak spots and enhancing her expertise, and (2) the more attractive your continuing education opportunities - not just degree programs, say, but travel as well - the better the likelihood she will say yes if you ultimately decide to extend an offer.

After making offer and before their acceptance

Too often, managers back away at this point, on the mistaken notion that prospective hires "need time to think about it". They might well need time, but this is likely to have been a prolonged courtship. Backing too far away at this point can feel a lot like a cold shoulder. Instead of putting people in the deep freeze, assume they have received an attractive counteroffer form their current employer and are considering other options at the same time. These are A Players, after all. Silence is your worst enemy at this stage. Stay in point with them on a regular basis. Pinpoint their concerns using the five F's as your guide. Occasionally you will turn the candidate off by being too ardent a suitor, but our experience has been that managers undersell far more often than they oversell.

After accepting and before first day

The goal, of course, is to try to get a candidate to say yes as quickly as possible, but don't assume that getting there is the end of the chase. Candidates still have time to get cold feet and back out. They still have counteroffers and competing offers on the table.

We suggest celebrating their acceptance by sending something meaningful, such as flowers, balloons, or a gift certificate. Make a splash. Continue to stay in touch. Keep listening for concerns related to the five F's and address them as soon as they come up.

First One Hundred Days

Research shows an alarming failure rate among new hires in the first one hundred days. People get buyer's remorse during these early months and are tempted to cut their losses. You can mitigate that risk by investing in a strong on-boarding program. That entails more than a welcome lunch and a short orientation given by the HR department.

Source

Interview

After making offer and before their acceptance

After accepting and before first day

First One Hundred Days

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