I’m seeing a trend lately where sales reps – even A Players – are taking any job they can find, even if it doesn’t make sense for them in the long-term, then continuing to shop for the right position. In many cases, it’s an economic necessity. Which is why hiring managers may need to adjust their opinions of job-hoppers, at least until the economy recovers.
The reality is that professionals who would have once waited out the job market are now accepting the first position they’re offered, either because they’re next in line for a pink slip or they’ve already received one. They’re frightened, which is understandable. The current state of the economy has put things into perspective for us all.
It has also forced many sales pros into the role of entrepreneur, figuring out how to survive on 100% commission positions that are the now the norm among companies that are currently hiring in sales. Once, these positions would have been disregarded by highly qualified A Players. Now, they may be the only opportunities out there.
This trend goes hand-in-hand with another one I’ve noticed: Hiring managers relaxing their standards a bit when it comes to vetting potential sales candidates.
A year ago, no one would have looked twice at a resume from someone who had been on a job for less than a year and was already looking or out of work. Nor would they have put much faith in the decision-making abilities of someone who was in a position for which they were clearly overqualified.
But it appears – and perhaps rightly so – that today’s hiring managers recognize that a shaky recent employment history doesn’t necessarily mean the candidate is high-risk. It may simply be the case of an A Player doing whatever it takes to pay their mortgage and put food on the table. When that’s the case, any position is better than no position. And even if they aren’t happy, because they are A Players, they will put 100% toward earning their commission to ensure they can continue to survive.
What are some of the recent economy-related employment trends you’ve noticed?