27 27 The Takeaways • Top talent may not be available just because you have a position to fill, and that puts you at risk of hiring sub-par talent in your rush to fill the gap on your team. Build your Talent Bench and always invest into your Talent Bank. Never waste talent, even when you can’t hire them at the moment. Be ready to fill empty spots on your team with a list of great candidates. • It’s never too soon for a top seller’s abilities to shine. Pay attention to the potential candi- dates who put forth the effort to know and understand your company, and who are willing to prove themselves during the recruitment phase. • Potential recruits could reach out to you whether you’ve got a position open or not. These candidates deserve your consideration because of the initiative they show. Nurture those relationships. • Candidates are going to research you and your company. They’re going to read reviews and talk to current and past employees. You need to consider what they’re going to find, and work hard to develop the kind of culture that will attract them. • Diversity is key, and it tracks right back to the kind of company culture you can promise them. Don’t miss out on amazing talent because you’ve made them feel like they couldn’t be a good fit in your office. Are You Forgetting Someone? How many times have you interviewed a candidate who would be a great fit for a particular position, but it’s not the position you’re currently hiring for? An unsuccessful candidate is probably used to hearing, “We’ll call you if we have an opening.” You may have even said it yourself, but did you ever remember those candidates once a position was available? Could you find their resume to see if their skills fit when you did? Having a company reach out to a recruit later when a suitable position opens can be a powerful motivator for them to agree to interview again. It speaks to how a company values them and their talent. This is another reason why we advise sales managers to build a talent bench. Like in sports, these are prime candidates to step in when a spot needs to be filled on your sales team. You should have a selection of talent that you can reach out to in order to fill a specific position in significantly less time than starting from scratch once the need arises. It also better ensures that you get a good candidate, already determined to be a good fit for your company, rather than rushing to fill a position and risk onboarding a seller that won’t (or shouldn’t) stay long.