ABSTRACT
Perhaps no decision made by the sales manager is as paramount as sales force selection. In today’s global marketplace the diverse skills, knowledge, abilities, and relationships exercised and maintained by the sales force significantly impact the success of global operations. A survey of Canadian CEOs reported that attracting skilled employees was a major concern of 58 percent of the responding executives.1 Perhaps this is because salespersons operate independently, often at great distances from management, in culturally distinct situations. To succeed, it is absolutely essential that highly skilled and competent people be hired for global sales positions. The hiring process consists of four steps:
Determining the unique skills, knowledge, and attitudes required for the open position. Attracting sufficient applicants to assemble a pool of potential new hires. Conducting an interview process to assess the applicants’ qualifications for the
position. Making an offer to one or more applicants.
