| From Job Seeker Weekly Article: | When To Look For A New Job |
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By Pat Schuler
Is it time for you to seek for greener pastures? What's holding you back?
Here's how one VP handles it: One of my sales coaching clients has a VP who insists each team member interview outside the company every year. When I first heard this I thought the VP had to be crazy. Top-producing executive sales reps don't exactly grow on trees. What if someone offered them a better position? The VP said, "Pat, if they are offered something that looks that much more attractive, they belong with the other company." This is not a casual offer on his part. Typical ramp time to full production for a sales rep on his team ranges from nine to 18 months. His philosophy has several interesting results: - People on his team want to be there
- His team is not complacent
- The "Whine Quotient" is significantly lower in his region than others
- Attitude and morale are stronger than other regions
- Sales reps know clearly what their value is in the marketplace
- There are no resentments festering
- No sense of being held captive in the position against their will
If the VP hears complaints about the company, about processes or compensation, he has a simple answer. He asks, "When did you interview last?" This is not said with arrogance or a take-it-or-leave-it attitude. He is genuinely concerned his team is satisfied and feels supported to the highest degree possible, within the constraints of his authority. But there are limits to what he can change in a Fortune 500 environment. No company engaged in a long term, complex technical sale is immune to challenges and outright nightmares.
When I asked him how he came upon this philosophy, he told me early in his long sales management career, he felt concerned when his team was unhappy. Unhappy sales reps are rarely peak producers. He noticed that reps with the greatest longevity sometimes seemed to complain the most, while offering the fewest suggestions for improving the situation. One complainer could taint the entire team in a surprisingly short time.
"When I suggest that the most vocal complainer should interview to see what other companies are experiencing in our challenging areas, some interesting dynamics come into play." By making it clear he is not threatening to terminate, he gives his people permission to see if the grass is really greener.
His reps who interview frequently find other companies have at least as many significant challenges as theirs. They get to compare apples to apples. Perhaps see that the overall compensation may not be quite as juicy. Or discover the hiring manager might not be quite as understanding or supportive as he is.
Is his approach effective? Did I mention that his region is consistently the top producer in the country?
Pat Schuler is a Business Development Coach and founder of The Gemini Resources Group, a company specializing in sales training. Her corporate clients typically see a 30% increase in sales within their first 90 days. She brings her bottom-line approach to career seekers.
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