Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/447632
10 FEDA News & Views The cost of a bad hire is well documented. Make a poor choice, and you could lose as much as 30 percent of that employee's salary, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. That means one bad hire with an annual income of $40,000 could cost you $12,000. There's also the loss of time, productivity and the strain on company morale. At Central Restaurant Products, an Indianapolis- based distributor entrenched in tele- sales, Vice President of Sales Bret Beegle is the last line of defense in making sure there are no regrets after committing to a new hire. "My dad used to say that hiring great salespeople was the most important thing a sales manager did; you can't hire turkeys to soar with eagles," says Beegle, who like his dad, has spent a lifetime in sales. Prior to joining Central, he served as V.P. of retail sales for a large bank and was recruited 12 years ago by the company's original owners to help grow sales. Since then, Central's group of product consultants has grown from 16 to 50. "The hardest part of the whole hiring process is patience," says Beegle. "My dad called it the rose-col- ored glasses [syndrome]. You want to hire people. We want to bring them on, fill our seats and grow our sales organization, so many times you look past the occasional red flag. They are not the top of the top but they wouldn't be too bad. It's an easy trap to fall into." And one that's apparent- ly snared many employers. The cost of a bad hire is well documented. Make a poor choice, and you could lose as much as 30 percent of that employee's salary, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. That means one bad hire with an annual income of $40,000 could cost you $12,000. There's also the loss of time, productivity and the strain on company morale. At Central Restaurant Products, an Indianapolis- based distributor entrenched in tele sales, Vice President of Sales Bret Beegle is the last line of defense in making sure there are no regrets after committing to a new hire. "My dad used to say that hiring great salespeople was the most important thing a sales manager did; you can't hire turkeys to soar with eagles," says Beegle, who like his dad, has spent a lifetime in sales. Prior to joining Central, he served as V.P. of retail sales for a large bank and was recruited 12 years ago by the company's original owners to help grow sales. Since then, Central's group of product consultants has grown from 16 to 50. Making the Right Hire Why Some Companies Succeed and Others Struggle By Stacy Ward, Managing Editor fedastacy@verizon.net According to findings by talent broker CareerBuilder and the National Business Research Institute, the most common reason associated with a bad hiring deci- sion is rushing the decision process. In one CareerBuilder survey, 43 percent of hiring managers admitted to the offense and cited pressure to fill a post as a co- conspirator. "We've all made mistakes," says Beegle, "but I've learned over the years it's really important to take off the rose-colored glasses. We set our standards exception- ally high and pursue the red flags for every candidate until they go away—or we don't hire the candidate." And little to no turnover (in a 100 percent commission-driven structure) suggests that they've gotten very good at it—with the help of Kerrie Lasky, Central's HR Director, and a systematic approach to hiring that's seen its share of tweaks. Two of the most noteworthy: encouraging applicants to apply online to gauge their multichannel savvy, and moving the required Predictive Index How Would You Answer That? What does R.W. Smith Vice President of Sales Patrice Hagan look for in a salesper- son? Passion, a great personality and some- one who can think on their feet. During an interview, she once asked a candidate what they would do if a penguin walked through the door wearing a sombrero. "Offer him a margarita," one witty applicant answered. One of her favorite challenges for determin- ing sales prowess comes at the end of the hiring process. After a candidate spends a day in the field with one of R.W. Smith's salespeople, he/she is asked to write a 90-day plan based on what they saw. "My instruction to our managers is don't give them any hints," she says. "It's a good way to find out how creative they are." continued on page 16