Sales Boot Camp Isn't For Everyone
The other day we completed a week long Sales Boot Camp for new hires. The event was a great success. However, when we finished the Boot Camp I shared with the owner of the business that two of the candidates were likely not a good fit for the company. Upon hearing this, he was understandably concerned that we had invested all that time, money and effort in the Boot Camp as well as the initial hiring of the employees. He felt that we should at least see how they performed for 60 or 90 days.
Unfortunately, I acquiesced to the owner’s request and kept them on. However, we both knew by week two that they were not a fit, and the new team members were told to move on in less than 60 days. Boot Camp was the harbinger of things to come.
I reminded the owner of the company that Boot Camp is not for everybody. In fact, in the military the attrition rate every year is between 11 and 16 percent! Despite what many may think, the goal of our Boot Camp is not to root out and eliminate people. However, it is an opportunity to find out who is not going to make it.
Boot Camp serves a great purpose, and I highly recommend it.
Remember, a bad hire typically costs your company one-and-a-half times that individual’s annual salary. Boot Camp serves a great purpose, and I highly recommend it, especially if you are hiring sales team members in groups of three or four.
This is just a reminder that after the week is over it is okay to tell the new hire, “Sales Boot Camp isn't for everyone, and this position isn't for you either.”
Dave Tester can help you with recruiting tools, hiring questions and training plans to help your teams win.
