The Wall Street Journal had a recent blog post about how companies that streamline the hiring process by treating applicants like cattle gives those applicants a bad view of the company. The article can be found here.

This reminded me of another article I read recently about how software designed to ease the hiring process is actually making it worse. That article can be found here. One of the highlights from that article:

“For every story about an employer who can’t find qualified applicants, there’s a counterbalancing tale about an employer with ridiculous hiring requirements,” he says. In many companies, software has replaced recruiters, he writes, so “applicants rarely talk to anyone, even by email, during the hiring process.”

What do you think? Head over to the LinkedIn post to add your thoughts right below the comment by Steven Palumbo.

Also if you haven’t already, feel free to connect with me (Steven Palumbo) on LinkedIn.

One article I would recommend is about how a new medical device excise tax (part of the new healthcare legislation) will hurt businesses and individuals. Here is the full article.

There are a number of groups on LinkedIn for every kind of industry so I recommend joining a group in your industry.

Thanks for reading,

Steven Palumbo

Steven Palumbo back again with another blog post. I’ve been on Quora quite a bit as I’m sure you have seen in my earlier blog posts (like my question about the Red Sox and my answer about salespeople.)

This week I answered a question about how to spot a bad client, by noting that clients who check in on you a lot in the first few days are unfavorable.

Head over to Quora and take a look at my full answer (the one by Steven Palumbo) and be sure to vote for my answer if you like it.

Thanks for reading!

An entrepreneur will always be selling himself or herself as someone that can successfully build the business, and will sell everything from the business plan to investors, to the growth potential to job applicants. 

To get back to the original question, I would say that sales experience is extremely valuable because it will help with nerves and allow one to build a better pitch or be better prepared to handle objections from potential customers/investors. That said, if an entrepreneur does not have sales experience he or she can still close the knowledge gap by meeting with friends, former colleagues, or advisers to role play the pitch and make tweaks.

What do you think? Agree or disagree with my advice? If you liked my response, follow the link above to the question I answered (look for the response from Steven Palumbo) and then vote it up. You can also add your own thoughts if you think I left anything out.

Thanks for reading,

Steven Palumbo

The Red Sox have gotten off to a slow start but have played better recently. There are still a lot of questions to be answered about this team, which is why Quora is a great place to discuss them.

I recently asked whether Daniel Bard is a starter or a reliever long-term. What do you think?

I also answered a question about whether it is better to have a manager that specializes in in-game decision making or a manager that specializes in managing personalities. That led me to consider whether or not Bobby Valentine is the right fit for the Sox. Check out my response (it’s the one by Steven Palumbo), vote it up if you like it, or add your own answer.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to connecting with you on Quora.

Steven Palumbo

If the video isn’t showing up for you, you can access it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-6O2hJxtSA  

Let me know what you think, or if you have any questions. If you want to see the pictures used for the video, you can find them on Pinterest.

Thanks,

Steven Palumbo

“Last summer, he heard about a new procedure called bronchial thermoplasty that opens constricted airways permanently. He had the third and final stage of the procedure at New York’s Beth Israel Medical Center two weeks ago and says he’s already feeling better. “Somebody near me on the train was wearing cologne. Normally, I’d need to take a couple of puffs on my rescue inhaler, but I didn’t have to do that,” Mr. Anderson says.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704865104575588262923189320.html?mod=wsj_share_in_bot&goback=%2Egmp_3874821%2Egde_3874821_member_105590375

The treatment has made it easier for asthma sufferers to get through life without relying on their rescue inhalers. Unfortunately its newness means that it is not covered by most insurance providers, and some individuals are being denied the treatment (like those under 18). Hopefully in time accessibility will improve and more asthma sufferers will be able to take advantage of this promising procedure.

One recent question asked about how a company can find stellar salespeople. I have never been in charge of hiring salespeople but I have been on the other side of the interview process so I shared some tips of my own. You can view the question yourself (look for the response by Steve Palumbo) or simply see my response below:

• Make sure to effectively describe your company
  and industry. Finding a stellar salesperson is not enough; you want to find a
  salesperson that will be stellar for your company within your industry. Being
  clear upfront about what the individual will be selling, will help them decide
  whether or not they are a good fit for your organization, which in turn will
  yield candidates that are a better fit for your company

• Use social networks. Social networks are a good
  way to reach out to salespeople already in your network, who might not have
  told you that they are looking for a new opportunity. Even when assessing
  candidates, those who have a lot of connections on LinkedIn will have a larger
  group of potential buyers to draw from.
• Consider assessment tests. A lot of companies
  will use assessment tests that will measure a candidate’s personality and core
  values to determine whether or not candidates are a good fit before bringing
  them in for an interview. These tests, if created effectively, can help you
  weed out bad candidates but can also be used to identify areas for improvement.
  By that I mean that it might identify a candidate as a pretty good fit, that
  can be coached or trained into being the perfect fit.
• Put a lot of thought into the interview process. This is the point when candidates will be selling themselves to you, so make
  sure that you do not do anything to interfere with the quality of their
  responses. Plan questions in advance so that you cover all key topics, and
  address specific questions related to the candidate’s resume. When planning, be
  sure to avoid leading questions or else candidates will tailor their response
  to what they think you want to hear.
• Provide plenty of support once new salespeople
  are brought on. You asked where you can “find” stellar sales people but I
  believe that they can be made as well. Acquiring a good salesperson is only
  half the battle, and companies that have ample support systems in place will
  find it easier to turn great salespeople into stellar salespeople, and will
  also be more likely to retain them.

What do you think? Do you disagree with my belief that a good salesperson can be made into a stellar salesperson? Did I leave anything out?

I have several tattoos, which you can view on my Pinterest board, and I enjoy getting away from it all on my Harley Fat Boy.

Check back often for my thoughts on everything from sales to medical device breakthroughs to motorcycles.