b'SELECTIONSELECTIONC A S ES T U DY: Hire Tough so you can Manage Easy By Stephanie DownsSenior Vice President and Senior Consultant, The Center for Sales StrategyH just that. iring the right candidate for a job can be a daunting task, especially if you dont have aOnce the role is defined, they work to craft a strong perfect match waiting in your talent bank.job description in preparation for the official posting. Even though you are often pressed for time whenHeather explains it is important that the job descrip-making that hire, a clear and defined process will helption mirrors exactly what we need and are hiring you find the right fit for the position. Recently, I hadfor. She also notes that even though they are always the opportunity to speak with Heather Rubio, Localactively recruiting and working to keep a full talent Sales Manager with TEGNA Tampa, who shared somebank, at this point, recruiting continues. valuable insights on how to set the bar high in the hiring process so you can more successfully bring topThey are ready to begin the hiring process, and for performers on board.them, it always starts with the Sales Talent Assess-According to Heather, the first step in the hiring pro- ment (STA), which is completed by all candidates. cess is to define the role clearly. We cant assumeWhile the STA is not the only factor of importance in that we need the exact same thing each time. Thatmaking a strong hire, they consider the STA an essen-would be a mistake. She begins by working withtial part of their process. her counterpart, Barb Zant, and the entire manage- After an STA is completed, candidates are interviewed ment team to ensure they are aligned on the spe- by multiple sales leaders and General Manager, who cific needs of the sales organization and the talents,now have a clear understanding of the candidates skills, and experience required for success in the job.unique set of innate strengths. Heather explains While some skills and experiences will be mandatory,that the interview process can be intense for a job others, she explained, they are willing to train for.candidate. They will have five to six interviews, and Ultimately, they want to ensure they are hiring forwe dont apologize for this. We have to get talent, all of the right things to set the new hire up for suc- skills, experience and fit right. We cant rush that. cess, which is why she proudly states, We have aShe also shared, As part of the interviews, we use strict process that we follow to help ensure we dothe Additional Interview Questions list to enhance the 64 Hire Tough so you can Manage Easy'