How to source and shortlist {role_name}

Where can you find qualified {role_name}?

  • Professional Networks:
    • Marketing-specific forums and groups (e.g., MarketingProfs, American Marketing Association)
    • Industry events and conferences
  • Educational Institutions:
    • Vocational Schools: Schools specializing in business and retail training.
    • Partner with colleges offer programs related to sales and customer service.
  • Company Career Pages:
    • Posting job openings on your company’s career page to attract candidates who are specifically interested in working for your company.

What are the best practices for headhunting {role_name}?

  • Utilize Professional Networks: Reach out to potential candidates through LinkedIn and other professional networks.
  • Leverage Referrals: Ask for referrals from current employees and industry contacts.
  • Participate in Industry Events: Attend job fairs and industry events to connect with potential candidates.
  • Engage with Online Communities: Join forums and communities related to sales and retail to find active job seekers.
  • Highlight Growth Opportunities: Emphasize career advancement and professional development opportunities in your communications.

"Find Talent Quickly" – Leverage Headhunting and Referrals

How to shortlist candidates?

Once you have started to get applications from applicants, a thorough screening process and shortlisting of prospects will help you make the most of your time spent with the most qualified ones. 

Automated shortlisting tools :

Automated screening quickly filters out unqualified candidates, saving time for manual review. This allows the manual process to focus on the most promising candidates, ensuring the best ones are considered for further evaluation.

Screening questions to auto-shortlist based on predefined criteria

like qualifications, location, experience, and skills. Either use job board or use an ATS such as whitecarrot. Here are some questions for {role_name}

  • Experience:
    • Question: How many years of experience do you have in a sales role?
      • Auto-Reject: Less than 1 year
    • Question: How many years of experience do you have in customer service?
      • Auto-Reject: Less than 1 year
  • Location:
    • Question: Are you located within [specified location] or willing to work in this location?
      • Auto-Reject: No
  • Skills:
    • Question: How proficient are you in using sales software or CRM tools?
      • Auto-Reject: Not proficient

Skill based question to auto shortlist candidate

Analyze the skill test data to automatically shortlist top-performing applicants. (recommended screening test time - 15 minutes). Here are some skill test questions for {role_name}

Sales Foundations

Understanding of basic sales principles and techniques.

  • What is the primary purpose of upselling?
    • Options: 
      • Increase sales, 
      • Reduce inventory, 
      • Improve customer satisfaction, 
      • All of the above
  • How would you handle a customer objection to a product's price?
    • Options: 
      • Offer a discount,
      • Explain the value, 
      • Recommend a cheaper alternative, 
      • All of the above
  • What are the key elements of a successful sales pitch?
    • Options: 
      • Knowledge of the product, 
      • Understanding customer needs, 
      • Confidence, 
      • All of the above

Customer Service

Ability to provide excellent customer service and handle customer inquiries effectively.

  • What is the most important aspect of providing excellent customer service?
    • Options: 
      • Greeting customers, 
      • Handling complaints,
      • Providing accurate information, 
      • All of the above
  • How do you handle a difficult customer?
    • Options:
      • Listen to their concerns, 
      • Offer a solution,
      • Remain calm, 
      • All of the above
  • Describe a time when you went above and beyond to help a customer.
    • Options: 
      • Offered additional help, 
      • Provided a complimentary service, 
      • Followed up after the service, 
      • All of the above

Communication Skills

Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with customers and team members.

  • How do you ensure clear communication with customers?
    • Options: 
      • Active listening, 
      • Clear instructions,
      • Regular updates, 
      • All of the above
  • Describe a time when you had to explain a complex product feature to a customer.
    • Options: 
      • Used simple terms,
      • Demonstrated the feature, 
      • Provided written instructions, 
      • All of the above
  • How do you handle misunderstandings or miscommunications with customers?
    • Options: 
      • Apologize, 
      • Clarify the information, 
      • Provide a solution, 
      • All of the above

Note - Auto reject candidates if scores less than 70% in this section

One way video interview

Recruitment Bullet

Use tools like hirevue, whitecarrot.io to ask candidates pre-recorded questions about their experience and skills.

Recruitment Bullet

Use sample question given in scorecard.

Collect other information 

Recruitment Bullet

Collect data from shortlisted candidates, such as salary expectations and visa status.

"Shortlist in Seconds" – Use our CV scoring feature to get top candidate recommendation

Manual candidate profile shortlisting:

Recruitment Bullet

Thoroughly review the CVs of the top scoring candidates from the automated process

Recruitment Bullet

Look for evidence of the required skills, experience, and achievements

Recruitment Bullet

Review the candidate’s portfolio or GitHub repositories to see examples of their work.

Schedule recruiter calls with the candidate

Recruitment Bullet

Use a tool like calendly or whitecarrot to allow candidates to self-schedule calls based on your availability

Recruitment Bullet

Confirm the call details (date, time, dial-in info) with the candidate via email

What questions to ask in the recruiter phone screen?

Recruitment Bullet

 Use scorecard for rating candidates for recruiter

Recruitment Bullet

Sample scorecard : 

Criteria Sample Question Rating (1-5) Comments
Experience How many years of experience do you have in a sales role?
Technical Skills How proficient are you in using sales software or CRM tools?
Problem-Solving Skills How would you handle a customer objection to a product's price?
Communication Skills Describe a time when you had to explain a complex product feature to a customer.
Cultural Fit Why do you want to work for our company?
Adaptability How do you handle a fast-paced sales environment?
Recruitment Bullet

Check for consistency in responses from the candidates.

Recruitment Bullet

Record such scorecards in an ATS like whitecarrot or use google doc