7 years ago
February 21, 2017

5 Tips to Following Up With a Sales Candidate

We’ve come up with a list of five tips to following up with a sales candidate.

Claire McConnachie Recruiter
Claire McConnachie

When you’re looking to hire a new sales candidate, you want to find someone who will complement your sales team. Once you’re finished interviewing candidates, you’ll need to carefully select the best sales candidate for the job. Next you’ll need to follow up with the selected sales candidate and the others. We’ve come up with a list of five tips to following up with a sales candidate.

1. Be clear during the interview.

If you plan on conducting second interviews, or if there is another stage in the application process they should know about, let all candidates know. During the interview, you should let all of the candidates know whether or not they can expect to hear back from you and when. Don’t leave eager candidates waiting and wondering whether you’re going to reach out to them at all. By announcing an estimated time for your response, they can rest assured knowing they will hear back from you whether they secure the job or not and put their minds at ease in the meantime.

2. Be considerate and follow up with all candidates.

Job applicants’ number one complaint is never hearing back. Bad news is better than no news. There is no excuse for not following up with a candidate. Be considerate and let all candidates know your final decision regarding their applications so those who were not selected can move on to other opportunities.

3. Determine the best follow-up method for you.

If you didn’t interview that many candidates, perhaps you’d like to call each sales candidate individually to let them know your final decision. This is the more personal option. At the very least, send a quick email. Neglecting to follow up can be detrimental to your company reputation and employment brand. You may feel awkward turning someone down, but it will let candidates know where they stand and allow them to move on with their search.

4. Respond in a timely manner.

Timing is everything. You want to respond to the successful sales candidate quickly before they are offered work elsewhere. When it comes to the rest of the candidates, be respectful and considerate by following up with them in a timely manner as well. Respond as soon as possible. You may be putting their job search on hold. Let them know your final decision so they can continue their search.

5. Explain your decision.

Figure out what you’re going to say during your phone call or email. Let the sales candidate know he or she was not selected and explain why. Candidates want to know why they didn’t make the cut. Maybe the reason will serve as constructive criticism. It could be valuable information. This way they will not be left wondering what they did wrong. It is closure. Provide helpful advice if you can, but be careful not to offend. Let each sales candidate know you appreciate his/her time and wish him/her good luck with the job search.

As a hiring manager, it is crucial that you follow up with sales candidates. Be clear with candidates about the application process from the start. Be considerate and follow up with every candidate in a timely manner. Give the candidates who were not selected an explanation. Follow these five tips to effectively follow up with each sales candidate.

Claire McConnachie Recruiter

Claire McConnachie

Claire has 4+ years of experience in sales and recruitment. As a Director of Client Services, her main objective is to connect great people to great companies by building strong relationships with both top clients and candidates in the sales industry. She specializes in sales roles of all seniority levels for both enterprise and start-up clients North American wide. When Claire isn't networking with top talent, she enjoys being outdoors, traveling and spending time with friends & family.

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