Opportunity Awaits podcast Episode Transcript
Aaron Henriques: [00:00:00] hi everyone. And welcome. I'm just if you weren't worried about the noise, I'm just sat in there the other way at the moment. So you hear your planes going away. They're taking off soon, so I'm not flying today. I haven't got any aircraft head I can fly, but anyway, I was just sat here doing some work and I was just looking through some applications on indeed.
[00:00:26] And really sort of wondering why number one, there's like very, very few people sort of applying for jobs and stuff at the moment. Although I hear a lot of stuff about people saying there's no jobs out and also sort of candidates. I've been sort of getting there. It's been a bit sort of, I don't know, a bit rubbish too, to be honest with you.
[00:00:50] And one of the things I said. I'm thinking about is one of the questions that I ask people quite early on south staff, by the way, I'm looking at, I'm looking for, you know, decent sales staff who can take on a certain role for me. And one of the things I asked first of all for is, you know, what types of business books do you read?
[00:01:10] What sort of self-development and the do you do , what sales books, what sales courses have you been on and stuff like that. And it's surprising. It's surprising that these so-called, you know, hot shot salespeople. They claim to be like the best salespeople in the world. They're great at selling themselves, but they don't do anything at all to sort of boost their own sort of Sales capability and sales knowledge and sort of expand on what they're doing to make themselves better.
[00:01:39] And I just find that a bit weird. Like it's just one of them things, you know, I've hired salespeople in the past who, when I've had the interview, they've been really great and fantastic. You know, they've been fantastic in the interview. They've, they've hit every box apart from that one and I've sort of let it go, just like, okay, well, don't worry, you know, You've obviously got sales experience and often they [00:02:00] can't show you their real statistics or anything like that from their previous jobs.
[00:02:05] And that's because the employers don't allow it quite often. That's as simple as that. So you have to sort of take on trust what they're, what they're doing. And I guess it comes down to that sort of relationship building, you know, they, they managed to convince you that
[00:02:25] sorry. I love planes, but yeah. Convince you you know, how credible they are and saying that they, they are the type of person who, you know, is going to be good for your job. You know, good at selling your products and services. And, you know, I've hired a few in the past, I think like three so far, who've had similar sort of things and really, I guess it's me learning now is like, don't fucking do it.
[00:02:47] My name with yeah, it's just me learning now is sort of. You know, if these people are not developing themselves in their own time, then they're not for me. Anyway. I don't think they've got any place being salespeople who they're good at is probably selling themselves. And then, you know, they're not doing anything to expand their own horizons in their own time to sort of, they are their own business after all, you know, salesperson is completely useless if they're not able to sell.
[00:03:17] And you know, I've had three so far who. Con he couldn't sell, you know, particularly two of them. You know, one of them was horrendous story for another day. You know, another one really did try, but she just wasn't that good. And, you know, I found myself, I was. You know, trying to get her to, you know, giving her books and and the guy as well, giving him books as well and like sales programs and stuff like that.
[00:03:43] And I found that, you know, they were no better than, and other staff I've had before who were not salespeople tool. And in fact, dreaded, you know, to the core of that thing of, you know, selling to people and the so-called, you know, top [00:04:00] flying salespeople who. Playing to like bill, you know, where it be doing like half a million in sales, a year for their companies and stuff like that.
[00:04:08] I have wonder if it's even true. I'm also pretty bad because I don't tend to get references only because I just find them pretty useless. You know, I've, I've when I've looked to references in the past, I do, you know what? There's only once I think I've ever seen her. What looks like a bad reference, you know?
[00:04:25] Cause people are not going to give you contact details to contact one of their employers, their previous employers, who was like a terrible you hate who hated them or where they performed really poorly. And it was a fine lots of employers won't actually give any type of reference other than confirm the person did work, where they say they worked and they confirmed the dates.
[00:04:49] And that's it. I mean, there's not much you can take from that. So. I mean, I'm not sure about you, but if you've been thinking about hiring someone and maybe, you know, you're getting someone who's quite cheap or, you know, it's less money than probably the market is demanding for like the top quality staff, but you think, well, do you know what the, they look like?
[00:05:10] They're going to be really good. I think that's one thing to really get in there and ask is, you know, are they actually reading any sales books?
[00:05:26] I actually reading like any sales book, sales and marketing books, are they you know, they'd done it. Have they done any courses? You know, they, what systems are they using? What sales systems are they using? And also go down into the technical aspects. What CRM systems are they used to using and, you know, drill into it, you know, really find out, do they actually know what they're talking about or are they spinning your line?
[00:05:46]Because so far. Personal experience. Hasn't been that great. I know there are fantastic salespeople out there. I just haven't found them yet. So yeah, I mean, if that's you, you know, let me know, you know, comment you know, send me a message. It's @AaronHenray on Instagram its [00:06:00] AaronHenray. Put me a message and, you know, DM me and just say, Hey, you know, tell me about your sales experience because I've not had a good one.
[00:06:07] If you know, better source than the places I've been looking. Let me know, because I'd love to hire a fantastic salesperson.. And if you are a sales person do not apply for a job for me, with me, unless you can get asked today's questions. You know, you can't tell me what books you've been reading and trust me I read a lot of books.
[00:06:25] So why listen to a lot of books, audio books are life before that I'm really slow reader. So audio books are the one for me, but I listened to a lot of them. So chances are, you know, if you've been listening to sales and marketing books and stuff like that, and you try to pretend to meet it, you did, I'm probably gonna start quizzing you on the actual book and I will smell your bullshit. Really quickly. So yeah, just be warned anyone if you want. Right. So that's all I wanted to talk about and it's getting quite cold here now. The sun was out and now it's kind of like gone gray. I'll show you one more plane and then I'm going to shoot that's enough. Have a good time. Good day. And yeah, you'll have some more success in hiring. Great stuff than I've had so far.
