Articles

I spent 25 years as a sales executive and hiring leader. From high-end sub-components and complex engineering to data-management solutions and HR-tech HCM solutions, I sold a diverse mix of technologies. At corporations like PTC, from the top down I heard philosophies...

Ever been burned by a backchannel? Ever lost a candidate because a backchannel was handled poorly? Some might say that the backchannel (unofficial reference checks on candidates) is as old as time itself. Hiring a new candidate is hard to do and there’s risk with all...

Many movies claim to “represent” the life of a salesperson. Films like The Wolf of Wall Street, Glengarry Glen Ross, Tin Men and Boiler Room depict slick, ego-driven​​​​​ and ​often ​demeaning environments that give cringe to most professional, career sales people and...

Take the sales person quiz if you haven't already. Nothing you don't know already, but we hope to inspire you to think about what skills you've developed and which ones you want to hone. Remember: if you aren't growing, you're...

Hemingway said, “When you stop doing things for fun you might as well be dead.” I talk to people all day long, most of whom I ask, “Why are you talking to a recruiter?”  Responses range from the authentic to inauthentic, brief to exhaustive but boil down the majority...

Tip from top performing hiring manager:  Never provide an offer letter unless your candidate has answered the “if.” He thinks the practice of candidates acquiring multiple offer letters is almost as bad as hiring managers providing written offers without having a...

Do you think sales people should dress up or dress down: Suits or Khakis? How much is the way you dress connected to your professional identity? Perhaps more than you think. According to a Center for Professional Excellence national poll, “appearance ranked second...

Last week, a top sales performer shared some insight as to what makes him so successful.   He said that he always thinks of how buyers buy:  Buyers make emotional decisions and justify them logically. That means he needs to present two ROIs to a prospective buyer. He...

This is final day of a 7-day article series that was kicked-off by “4 Ways You’re Looking at Your LinkedIn Profile Wrong and 7 Days To Fix It” and is designed for any sales person, whether happy or looking. It offers profile ‘must-haves’ and attempts address to...

This is Day 6 of a 7-day article series that was kicked-off by “4 Ways You’re Looking at Your LinkedIn Profile Wrong and 7 Days To Fix It” and is designed for any sales person, whether happy or looking. It offers profile ‘must-haves’ and attempts to anticipate...

This is Day 5 of a 7-day article series that was kicked-off by “4 Ways You’re Looking at Your LinkedIn Profile Wrong and Seven Days To Fix It” and is designed for any sales person, whether happy or looking. It offers profile ‘must-haves’ and attempts to address...

This is Day 4 of a 7-day article series that was kicked-off by “4 Ways You’re Looking at Your LinkedIn Profile Wrong and 7 Days to Fix It” and is designed for any sales person, whether happy or looking. It offers profile ‘must-haves’ and attempts to address...

This is Day 3 of a 7-day article series that was kicked-off by”4 Ways You’re Looking at Your LinkedIn Profile Wrong and 7 Days to Fix It” and is designed for any sales person, whether happy or looking. It offers profile ‘must-haves’ and attempts to anticipate...

This is Day 2 of a 7-day article series that was kicked-off by “4 Ways You’re Looking at Your LinkedIn Profile Wrong and 7 Days To Fix It” and is designed for any sales person, whether happy or looking.  It offers profile ‘must-haves’ and attempts to address...

This is Day 1 of a 7-day article series that was kicked-off by “4 Ways You’re Looking at Your LinkedIn Profile Wrong and 7 Days To Fix It.”  It is designed for any sales person, whether happy or looking. It offers profile ‘must-haves’ and attempts to anticipate...