Hiring a strong account executive will help boost business
Out of the many careers a person can aspire towards in the sales sector, becoming an account executive requires deeper interpersonal skills than the average position. These individuals maintain their firm’s business relationships with one or more important clients and are typically the direct link between them. They have a comprehensive understanding of their client’s needs and goals, and to keep the rapport strong, they must also have a good sense of empathy, emotional maturity, and stamina as often they’ll be juggling the demands of multiple businesses including the demands of their employer.
A strong account executive will be someone clients can put their trust in, displaying strong communication skills and an ability to put themselves in the shoes of each one. Furthermore, they must be self-motivated and have a dedicated work ethic. Often, they begin their days prepping for calls, following up about previous meetings, prospecting for new business and end their days closing deals– this type of work takes a great deal of self-sufficiency. There are only short pockets of downtime and these employees must know how to make the most of them.
Nuanced skills, like whether an employee can be assertive on a call or whether they understand there is urgency around making a prospective sale, are not always visible upon hire. It can be especially devasting to hire someone for an account executive position at your firm only to find you’re losing clients or unexpectedly seeing a drop in revenue. Hire smart the first time and take advantage of tools designed to streamline the hiring process. A sales assessment test available through providers like SalesTestOnline make hiring transparent by offering employers an accurate blueprint of an applicant’s soft skills, and whether their sales personality suits the position they’re applying for.
First, the provider will assess the needs of your company and the open position in question, creating a benchmark profile. Applicants who take the test will then be compared against this target, with those scoring highest being more likely to succeed long term. For managers skeptical about how one test can reveal so much, rest assured it has a 90 percent accuracy rate. Because it’s been developed by industrial psychologists, the questions are posed in a way that has nothing to do directly with sales, inspiring test-takers to answer honestly. Moreover, its 97 percent reorder rate shows sales companies remain satisfied with the product and implement it again later when positions open up in the future.
When hiring someone for a role carrying massive responsibilities, ensure they’re cut out for it. Even an extensive resume can misguide employers; just because an applicant flourished in one working culture does not mean they will in another particularly if more is at stake. Alleviate hiring risk and stop wasting company resources, not to mention a hiring committee’s time and energy. Put not only the most experienced applicants with the right work ethic at the forefront, but the ones with the soft skills that always seem to inspire clients to continue doing business with you.
Rob Teitelman is an avid blogger and digital marketing enthusiast with years of experience creating content for businesses and brands. His work has been published on major publications and blogs across North America, covering a variety of niches from tech to real estate. Recreational guitarist, amateur photographer and avid fan of all things technology and gadgets.