November 14th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
By Dave DeMelo Senior Consultant at Treeline, Inc.
Dear Dave,
I recently found out that the company I’ve worked at for the past four years is going to be restructuring and making changes in the sales department. While I’ve been contemplating moving on in my career I hesitate launching my search for a better sales opportunity. I am a top producer and doing very well where I am, however the restructuring of my department is concerning. I decided that it’s time to actively search for a new sales opportunity.
I realize that the upcoming holiday season might have an impact on my job search. Do you think that I should wait until after the New Year to start introducing myself to hiring managers and networking with my colleagues, or should I start now?
Should I stay or should I go?!
Great question! This time of the year can be quite hectic and if you cannot fully invest yourself in your job search than it might be a better idea to stay at your current job and see what happens to your sales department. However, if you are committed to your job search, have the time and you’re willing to put in the hard work that goes into finding a new sales opportunity then start making some introductions.
Don’t let the holiday season deter you from putting yourself out there. Companies are hiring in record time during this time of the year; they need to fill headcount by the end of the year and are seeking top talent to fill the pipeline for 2012.
Since you are still employed and will be taking time off it is a good idea to organize your job search and time your interviews accordingly. Since no two companies have the same hiring process it is crucial to uncover the steps of the hiring process and have an approximation of when they will hire.
It all starts with you. Are you ready for your job search? If so, qualify each opportunity. Changing careers is a risk, but if you put in the time and effort you will be rewarded. The holiday season does have its challenges, but as long as you are open, up front and ask the right questions you are bound to find success in your new sales opportunity.
November 14th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
With 2012 fast approaching, is the economy stable enough to support looking for a new opportunity?
By Alex Bender Consultant at Treeline, Inc.
If you are a good sales person you should always be selectively keeping your ear to the ground and listening for new opportunities. It’s when you are at the top of your game that you are most marketable. With so much economic uncertainty in the market people are becoming complacent. They stay in positions where they may not be happy or fulfilled because of fear of the unknown.
In mid October a small group of the Treeline team attended a symposium on the hiring trends for New England in 2012. The keynote speaker was Mike Goodman of the Massachusetts Donahue Institute. Goodman talked about how New England has some interesting advantages as we move into 2012. While we have been hit hard in the construction and housing market we are incredibly strong when it comes to technology.
Goodman credited the saturation of colleges and universities in the area for the continued growth in the technology market. They have provided sustained innovation and the breeding ground for new companies and employment.
Goodman’s hypothesis is that we will continue to see drastic changes in the stock market for the foreseeable future, but the local economy will continue to be stable.
According to a new report released by the University of Massachusetts, the state’s economic recovery continued to outpace the nation’s, although economists predicted shrinking global demand for the state’s technology products could hurt future growth.
The quarterly report on the state economy noted that the better-than-expected growth will help the state likely avoid a second, or “double dip” recession. However, the pace of growth appears insufficient to make a significant dent in unemployment. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts was 7.3 percent in September, compared to 9.1 percent nationally.
Massachusetts’ economy grew at an annual rate of 3.9 percent between July and September, up from 3.4 percent in the previous quarter. The U.S. economy grew at a 2.5 percent annual rate during the same period, nearly doubling from 1.3 percent pace in previous quarter.
The report, however, projected that the state economy will slow to 2.7 percent growth rate in the last three months of this year, noting several risks on the horizon. Among them: an economic meltdown in Europe and the possibility that US political leaders could fail to resolve the nation’s debt problems. European leaders have reached agreement on a package aimed at addressing debt and banking problems.
These economic variables and risk factors have had an effect on economic growth and specifically the unemployment rate. The fear of the unknown continues to dissipate throughout the nation.
Do you agree with Goodman’s hypothesis? Will New England’s economy continue to be stable? How will the technology industry effect sales hiring?
Woolhouse, Meghan. “Mass. Economic Recovery Continues to Outpace Nation%u2019s – Business Updates – Massachusetts Business News from The Boston Globe.” Business Updates from The Boston Globe. Boston.com, 27 Oct. 2011. Web. <http://www.boston.com/Boston/businessupdates/2011/10/mass-economic-recovery-continued-outpace-nation/EYtU871A1FQ8CzLYPynRLI/index.html>.
November 9th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Should You Hire For Skill Or Spirit?
By Michelle Randall Expert Blogger at FastCompany.com
Companies spend a huge amount of time and resources crafting business strategies. Even so, most of these strategies end in failure.
I saw one company spend half a million dollars and hundreds of employee hours implementing a new strategy, only to admit that it wasn’t working. They had to spend even more money and lay off employees trying to put things back to the way they were before. The next time the company tried to introduce a new strategy, it was met with considerable employee resistance.
If employees don’t buy into a strategy, it’s doomed to failure from the start. After all, strategy doesn’t execute itself. People execute it. This is why it’s vital to integrate strategy and people.
Because people represent the potential of the business, high-growth companies need high-growth employees. Employee development is the key ingredient in breaking through to the next level of growth. Employees have to develop new skills that allow them to perform at higher levels so that they can quickly deliver on the potential of the strategy and the company itself.
While it’s certainly possible to hire for new capabilities, there are tremendous benefits of promoting from within. Just a few benefits include: retaining technical knowledge; honoring the informal, social fabric of the organization; and fostering the culture of the company.
Employee development needs to be included in both strategy creation and execution. There are two main ways to assess people and their development: skills and spirit.
Skills are things that can be trained. A leader can be coached on how to become more influential and engage their team to achieve great results. An employee can be trained technical skills such as engineering, accounting, and marketing that they need to do their jobs really, really well.
Spirit refers to the “soft” skills that can’t be trained effectively. You have to hire for them. These are hard to find but are necessary for a company to function smoothly.
One of these skills is teamwork–the ability to put the needs of the group ahead of personal desires. Another is heart, as in “put your heart into it.” This describes true commitment and passionate engagement. Employees with heart take ownership of their jobs and go the extra mile.
One of my clients, a growing manufacturing company, got a huge order that had to be delivered on a rush basis. Everyone at the company had to pull out all the stops to get the job done on time.
Two women working on the manufacturing floor had the idea to make posters to keep track of progress. These were updated several times a day so that everyone could see how close they were to completion. The posters helped keep everyone motivated, and with a lot of extra effort the order was filed with zero errors.
The two women demonstrated both teamwork and heart. They were promoted to management positions shortly afterwards.
Too often, companies hire for skills without enough consideration for spirit. When that happens, you end up with a bunch of wonks who can’t work together. There needs to be a balance between skills and spirit across the entire company.
This same balance needs to exist within individual senior managers. A VP of global marketing at a IT company recently asked me about this. He told me that one of his senior managers had great skills and was a decent leader, but he wasn’t showing any heart–he just didn’t seem to care about the company. The VP said that the manager’s bad attitude was starting to wear off on his entire team.
My reply was clear and simple. I told him that if the manager’s heart wasn’t in it, there were two options: move him into a purely technical position or let him go. Senior managers are a microcosm of your company. They are the role models for other employees. As such, they need to have both skills and spirit.
Integrating strategy and people accelerates the potential growth of any organization and is critical for high-growth companies.
Randall, Michelle. “Should You Hire For Skill Or Spirit?” Where Ideas and People Meet. Fast Company, 8 Nov. 2011. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. <http://www.fastcompany.com/1793369/hiring-for-skill-or-spirit>.
Company Profile: Our client is a leader in the telecommunications industry. They have shown consistent growth over the years and are known for their best in class products. They pride themselves on their dedicated team of employees who provide next to none service to their customers nation wide. This organization offers excellent benefits and lots of growth opportunities.
Job Description: This opportunity is calling for a proven Outside Sales Representative to sell telecommunications solutions to a base of hospitals throughout Boston. This rep will conduct strategic conversations with “C” level executives as well as department heads.
Requirements: The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of outside sales experience exceeding quotas. Must have experience selling technology in a consultative manner. Degree required. Must have clean driving record. Employment, criminal & driving records will be checked.
Base Comp. $40,000.00
Total Comp. $70,000.00
If you are interested pleaseJoin Our Private Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
October 24th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Treeline Sales Job of the Week!
Company Profile:
Our client is a rapidly growing Software Company that has grown at 46%. They have positioned themselves as an industry leader in the hottest technology space in the market today. Our company offers an energetic, competitive and driven environment. The executive team is dynamic and incredibly talented. If you work in the software industry and are looking for a fast growing, dynamic company this could be a great opportunity for you.
Job Description:
This opportunity is calling for a successful sales engineer with excellent presentation skills and a proven effectiveness to demo solutions via webinars in the security space. This requires a deep technical understanding and an ability to convey business value to Fortune 100 accounts. Must be able to work in a team environment and assist customers with evaluations and pilot implementations.
Requirements:
Minimum of 5 years Sales Engineer Experience
.NET exp is a must
Java, java script and VB and XML are a plus
Strong technical expertise
Strong sales acumen
Experience delivering technical demonstrations and a strong understanding of the Microsoft world is a must.
Must be able to adapt on the fly and train customers on the product.
Virtualization technologies experience and Microsoft cert is preferred.
Solid technical skills (MSFT, C#, .NET,)
Strong time management skills/Travel is 50%
CRM, ERP, Oracle, SAP experience
Professional Services level skills highly desired
If you are interested pleaseJoin Our Private Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
October 21st, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Treeline Sales Job of the Week!
Digital Sales Executive 861 – Boston, MA – Digital Marketing – $80K
Company Profile: Our client is a leader in innovative digital marketing focusing on the life sciences; they make scientific research easier by simplifying the process of finding, managing, and analyzing papers then what is otherwise available in the marketplace. Our client’s industry leading search technology and tools are fueling exponential growth and a large and growing community of users. Our client’s tools also enable advertisers and marketers to target relevant prospects in a more cost effective and specific manner than available in the marketplace. This is a fast growing company with a dynamic culture.
Job Description: This is a sales role for an aggressive and smart hunter who is comfortable prospecting and selling into Marketing and other C-Level executives across the Life Science domain.
Requirements:
Degree is required (preferably Life Science)
2+ years of sales experience
Digital marketing experience with the ability to communicate core industry concepts
History of setting and reaching goals
Desire to prospect for business
Ability to communicate and collaborate within a fluid, fast-paced, and growing/changing environment
Base Comp. $50,000.00
Total Comp. $80,000.00
If you are interested pleaseJoin Our Private Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
October 14th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Are you afraid of the dark?
By Chris Simone, Vice President at Treeline, Inc.
Despite the constant drum beat of doom and gloom from the mass media, there are plenty of statistics that provide the basis of hope for our businesses and economy.
Economic activity expanded in September in the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors, and employment increased. In short, businesses increased spending and investment. The increases were slight, but they exceeded market expectations and increases beat decreases.
We are not economists at Treeline and don’t even pretend to play economists on TV: we are just salespeople who work hard every day for other salespeople. So we are simply sharing what we are experiencing; which is to say that our clients are hiring more sales people in 2011 than 2010. That’s good news.
Yes, there are big issues out there that are real, such as sovereign debt in America and in Europe namely Greece. Consumer spending is a factor. The Federal and State regulatory policy are also creating uncertainty at the moment. However, the media is exacerbating fears around these issues and making us afraid of these largely nebulous and uncertain risks. They are making us afraid of the dark.
Lately, I am reminded of the mass media drum beats every summer about shark attacks. Yes they happen every year, but every year the media amplifies reported incidents and sightings and make many people believe that the danger is new and escalating beyond control. Honestly, I’m a bit afraid of swimming in the ocean and that was never the case before.
Shedding light on reality can help us make better decisions -
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in September for the 26th consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 28th consecutive month, according to the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business®.
Economic activity in the non-manufacturing sector grew in September for the 22nd consecutive month, say the nation’s purchasing and supply executives in the latest Non-Manufacturing ISM Report On Business®.
The employment report is actually two separate reports which are the results of two separate surveys. The household survey is a survey of roughly 60,000 households. The establishment survey is a survey of 375,000 businesses. Both surveys cover the payroll period which includes the 12th of each month. The establishment survey not only surveys more businesses, but each business employs many individuals. Source: http://www.Briefing.com
Employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 91,000 from August to September on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report®.
Total nonfarm payroll employment ticked up by 103,000 in September. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, and construction. Government employment continued to trend down.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor
As I mentioned above, Treeline placement activity is up. In fact, placements are up approximately 55% year over year. Companies are hiring more sales people in 2011 than 2010 through Treeline’s sales-focused executive search firm. Now, we are not sharing this information to brag because that’s not our style. We are sharing this information to cast one ray of light on the shadows and fear that consume news reports on a daily basis.
So, together we can chose to be afraid of what might be lurking in the dark, or we can harness the power of positive expectations. We can control the quality of our products and services, the inspirational tone and substance of our corporate missions, the ways in which we align talent with our corporate strategies, the efficacy of our sales forces, the accuracy of our forecasts, and the decision processes around prudent investment that drive the sustainability and scalability of our businesses.
Let’s decide not to be afraid of the dark.
Now, if I could only stop being afraid of sharks…
Treeline, Inc. (www.treeline-inc.com) is recognized as an award-winning sales-focused executive search firm. Treeline is also the developer of DADO — a first of its kind Social Recruiting platform and community that fuses 21st century technologies (including social media) and behaviors with recruiting best practices. In this new paradigm, recruiters add knowledge and support thereby fostering and reinforcing the social recruiting service for the 21st century, which is knowledge-powered, technology-enabled, collaborative, and social.
October 14th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
“Ignore the Noise”
By Sean Cashman Recruiter at Treeline Inc.
“Ignore the noise” These words are plastered on the locker room walls of the most successful NFL football teams in the game. This phrase is at the top of a list of best practices that have been proven to help the team to be the best at what they do. For the players inside that locker room, it helps them be the best NFL football players, but this practice can be applied to you and if you can effectively execute ‘ignoring the noise’ on a daily basis, it will help you to be the best at what you do.
You might be thinking, NFL football players have a lot more noise to ignore than typical professionals. I disagree. Granted, their noise consists of national and local media coverage. They have to deal with enduring the ins and outs of the 17 week NFL season. Other than the physical demand of the game and the fame that goes along with being a professional football player, their ‘noise’ is just like our noise. They have family, friends, bills, errands, chores – all the various parts of our lives that demand our attention and time.
As professionals we have to work through our own noise every day; get the kids to school, fix the dish washer, paint the bathroom, dinner with the in-laws, your college buddy’s out of town wedding, and the list goes on. I am not trying to say that these parts of our lives are any less important, but when you are trying to work, these pieces make up your ‘noise.’
Now, I am not trying to give you anxiety about getting your ‘to do list’ complete. Instead, my point is that all the things I listed can be considered ‘noise’ disrupting your professional life. While, you have to keep these things on your radar and recognize that they are there, you have to ignore that noise when you are working.
You have to focus on the job. You have to ignore the ‘noise’ and get to your goal. At the end of the day, the ‘noise’ will still be there. You must not let it impair your ability to effectively do your job the best you can.
Learn to ignore the ‘noise’ and focus on the task at hand and you find that you be more efficient with your time and improve your results. This will ultimately lead to more time to deal with your noise.
How do you ignore the noise? That is something that you are going to have to figure out for yourself. The first step is to recognize it is there and will distract you. You will have to figure out how to work past it and ignore it.
My advice is to keep a “to-do” list. Prioritize your list of and don’t be afraid to include even the most mundane task. Accomplishing a task on the list often motivates you to keep on going. Another way to stay on track is to reward yourself. Often I find myself getting distracted at work and thinking about the ‘noise’ at the end of the day. However, if I reward myself for all the hard work I did that day I will stay on track. Lastly, while the ‘noise’ can often distract you from work it can also give you a reason to work harder. The ‘noise’ usually includes responsibilities that you have as a father, friend, husband, wife, etc. Remind yourself that your hard work will pay off in the end.
In the comments section, please share some of your best practices that help you ‘ignore the noise.’ I am sure it will help your fellow professionals.
In the meantime, get out there and play like a champion!
October 13th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Treeline Sales Job of the Week!
Sr. Sales Trainer 865 – Boston – Technology – $130K
Company Profile:
This organization is an award winning company that is considered a leader in its space. They have an incredible work environment that offers financial and professional growth opportunities.
Job Description:
This opportunity is calling for a successful Sr. Sales Trainer to conduct large group trainings to both new hires and current employees. This individual will collaborate with sales managers to create training that will add value in driving revenue, help sales reps close business and be better at what they do. This is an office based position with minimal travel to other nationally based offices.
Requirements:
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 7-10 years as a skills focused sales trainer. Must have excellent presentation & delivery skills, great personality and credible presence. Prior sales management experience a plus. Must have a Bachelors Degree.
Base Comp. $110,000.00
Total Comp. $130,000.00
If you are interested pleaseJoin Our Private Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
October 13th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
HOT Hiring Managers!
By Ray Mills, Consultant at Treeline, Inc.
Do you approach your interviews by uncovering what turns on the hiring manger or do you bore them to death with irrelevant information? If you are not spending the time to truly understand what makes the hiring manager “HOT” you are going to lose out on an opportunity with another client.
Many sales candidates walk into the interview and spend the entire time speaking to their resume, talking about their prior employers and spouting out metrics. This scenario often leaves candidates wondering what went wrong and asking why the client isn’t interested when their background seemed to be great on paper. The truth is their background may be perfect but the hiring manager is looking for evidence of their soft skills not just verbiage.
The hiring manager wants relative information that will help them understand what is under the sheets; to see if you have what it takes to close the deal in their sales environment. The only way to truly demonstrate your ability to get the sales job done is to ask the key questions that will enable you to really turn them on by understanding what matters most to them.
What is the greatest challenge for this sales position?
What qualities do they view as important for this position?
What specific skills from the individual you hire would make your life easier?
What would you like to see the successful candidate accomplish in his first 6 months?
Sit back and listen at this point to understand what will get the hiring manger HOT for you. If you can establish yourself as someone who has already seen and lived similar situations, your perceived value will skyrocket. If you don’t, you will be deleting another phone number from your list of HOT clients.
Take the information the hiring manager shares and position all of your responses in a way that leverages your relevant background to be successful in THEIR environment. Hearing the relevant information will excite the hiring manger to get that warm fuzzy feeling about you becoming successful in their organization. They will now feel that personal connection; they will see you as more than a bunch of words on a sheet of paper and can visualize you selling successfully because you have the qualities they are looking for. This is what will drive a hiring manager to become HOT for a now relevant sales candidate.
Now go out there and approach that interview as if you are on your first date with the hiring manager. Dress for success, look them in the eye, relax, be yourself, be genuine and speak to exactly what will get them HOT for you.
