Sales: Are You a Farmer or Hunter?
In terms of sales skills overall, and your own personal development, where would you like to get even better? What is the next developmental step for you?
What you’re looking for: With this question you’re looking to find out the candidate’s level of self-awareness and confidence. Someone with a high need for achievement should have a clear sense of his or her developmental needs and the topic will be important to them. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an experienced hunter ready to hit the ground running, you need to make sure their developmental needs and skillset fit the position.
Tell me about the greatest goal that you’ve ever accomplished professionally? You’ve got to be proud of that. How do you intend to top that?
What you’re looking for: This question measures a candidate’s need for achievement, says Croner. Be sure to allow the candidate to fully answer the first question before proceeding to the second one. “A hunter sales person will have already accomplished a very challenging goal, and will be excited to tell you their plan to top it,” he says.
The farmers are often left waiting in the dust while their proactive, persistent hunter competitors land new jobs. Farmers don’t do anything “wrong” or “bad,” but neither do they do anything innovative. Farming only works if business is already in hand and the competition is asleep at the wheel. Yet this is not the case with the current market. Positions are not abundant; it takes some hunting to scope out potential openings.
Today, all job seekers are in sales. They are marketing themselves to employers who have lots of choices. With stiff competition for openings, candidates cannot get a job just because they are talented. To get a foot in the door, job seekers need to assert themselves and appeal to employers’ interests. Insist that a new job could be created just to meet a specific challenge.
Are you going to be a hunter/shopper/opportunist and land a new exciting career challenge as quickly as possible? Choose to network purposefully and connect with insiders who know about potential openings before they are advertised. Show employers that you are a hunter who will deliver for them.More from Ladders
Let’s review your resume together. As we discuss each job, I would like you to tell me if you were on a sales team, where did you rank? And what got you to move on to the next position?
What you’re looking for: “A hunter type sales person will always know where they ranked on a sales team,” says Croner, so an answer of any kind is important. If the candidate responds to the question about why they moved on with vague or evasive statements, then ask the following question: “If we had a magic wand and could improve three things about that job so you would never want to leave, what would they be?” This is a disarming question, says Croner that will often get you something closer to the truth.
The goal is to discover a repeated pattern about why a candidate leaves employment. “You’re looking for answers that prove the candidate left for a logical reason that was no fault of their own,” states Croner. “Chances are if it has happened repeatedly, it will likely come to bear for you somewhere down the road.”
FAQ
Do you consider yourself a hunter or farmer?
What is the difference between hunter and farmer?
What makes a good hunter in sales?
- Can you describe any environmentally friendly practices which you have used to replace chemical pesticides? …
- How do you ensure the proper functioning of farm equipment? …
- What method do you use to demonstrate and describe techniques, practices, and safety regulations to laborers?
