Here’s where there is room for innovation in the sales recruiting process:
Resumes
Why are we still working with paper and files? Resumes have massively unstructured data with unlimited formats. Seriously, this is 2023! Where’s the video (aren’t we on zoom half the time these days)? Where’s the relational ties so you can drill down on companies, clients, and intermediary connections from each candidate profile. Didn’t we create hyperlinks back in the 1990s?
Applicant Tracking Systems, Centralized Data and Analytics.
Why does my resume Word doc/PDF need to sit in your ATS instead of my-job-search-domain that I control so I can track when you are looking at me, every time you are looking at me? We have blockchain now. Where’s the innovation here?
Job Descriptions.
Again, flat unstructured data and often produced as an afterthought. We are literally trying to match unstructured JDs to Unstructured Resumes!
Transparency of Matching logic.
Companies need better ways to structure their criteria (eg COMPLEX industry, vertical, persona matching as well as more basic function, level, deal size, Saas orientation, and channel/direct matching). Candidates need to be better prepared how to understand whether they fit the hiring firms matching logic so that when they don’t match, they don’t apply to those jobs.
NOTE – WE HAVE A SOLUTION COMING FOR THIS!!!
Vetting companies / hiring processes.
We now have more transparency on Culture (eg Glassdoor) and now sales Comp (eg RepVue.com). I have also seen a startup or two focused on the candidate process (about time!) but there is still room for improvement here (eg real vetted W2 performance for sales comp).
Processes for vetting candidates.
Formal References don’t work anymore given legal implications but surely there should be more options than back-channeling? We tried to do a w2 verification platform last year but candidates didn’t bite. What about sales presentation style vetting, pyscho-metric testing, other proof of success (eg Presidents Clubs) and sales training verification? – how do we reduce the need for a different process with every firm? Can we standardize so candidates have this ready to go in advance?
What about real prior CUSTOMER feedback? Why aren’t actual customers’ LI profiles anywhere in sight?
Marketplaces/job boards, and click-to-apply.
These are all designed to maximize coverage of jobs and # of applicants but not the quality of candidates. They just create massive inbound piles of rubbish resumes. It suits PPC businesses (e.g. Indeed) but not the interests of the hiring managers or the good candidates who end up in the same pile!
Hiring process incentives.
There is massive room for rewards and punishment(!) to keep both parties honest but especially for hiring companies to make their processes and feedback more efficient. eg if you get rejected after 10 rounds including 2 custom presentations, how are you being compensated for your opportunity cost?
