Unprofessional habits can derail any objective. The goal of the recruiting process is to find the best candidate possible. You want to hire the top sales rep or sales manager available. However, your unprofessional habits could be getting in the way.

If you want to hire the best candidates, you need to be the best option. You need to show the candidates you want them to be part of your organization.

Here are 5 unprofessional habits that kill your chances of hiring the best sales job candidates:

1. Not doing your homework

Candidates spend a lot of time and put a lot of effort into preparing for job interviews. Interviewers and hiring companies need to put in the same amount of preparation time when hiring top candidates. Failing to read an applicant’s resume ahead of time, asking irrelevant questions, and not being prepared is a red flag for top candidates.

2. Being late

Being late can be excusable. But if you are extremely late for the interview or if people are unaware the interview is taking place when the candidate arrives, it looks unprofessional. If you are going to be more than a couple minutes late, contact the candidate if possible.

3. Not following up

People expect you to follow up. Whether it’s a request for a phone interview, an email, or after a job interview, top candidates expect you to follow up in a reasonable timeframe. If you don’t, do not be surprised if they have moved on when you eventually contact them. Poor communication habits will immediately cause the candidate to question you and the company.

4. Not being upfront

It’s important to set realistic expectations for the position, what is expected, work environment, and other factors. If you are not upfront about what the job entails, you can come across as being shady. You expect candidates to be honest; so should you.

5. Low-balling the offer

No top candidate will accept a low-ball offer. In fact, if you low-ball a great candidate, you are probably going to lose them. They know their market value, and they will not accept anything less.

More Unprofessional Habits and Sales Career Advice

Get more sales career tips and advice by reading these insightful blog posts:

7 Unprofessional Habits That Kill Your Chances of Getting the Sales Job

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5 Things Sales Managers Wish They Knew Before Taking the Job

SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit sales people in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right sales person for your organization, start your search here.