Seeking Advice on Hiring and Training a Sales Team for Pan India Expansion

I am Kalpita, an HR Executive working for an import company dealing in furniture fittings, wardrobes, kitchen accessories, and hardware fittings. We are currently hiring a sales team for Pan India. I kindly request your assistance with the following details:

Job Profiles for Sales

1. Job profiles for field sales and industrial sales.

Interview Questions

2. Interview questions for shortlisting candidates.

Training Process

3. Training process for the hired candidates or specific points to help me with.

Your prompt response would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Kalpita Rao

You have raised three questions. Answers to all three questions can be found in Cite HR archives. First, type "JOB PROFILE FOR FIELD SALES" inside the box. Find information that you see right above this page in the title bar. Then press the adjacent research button. You will get a lot of information. You can also get some more information as you browse through the selected postings under RELATED INFORMATION and DOWNLOAD THREAD, which are found in the column alongside these messages. Repeat the same for your other queries also.

Regards,
V. Raghunathan

Hi Kalpita, I agree with senior member Mr. V. Ragunathan. I would like to provide some input regarding sales training, although I am a Technical Trainer in a Mechanical Engineering-related field. Sometimes, we tend to focus excessively on "skill" or how to perform tasks "on the field" or "on the ground," and we design the training program and provide an outline for it. In this fixation, we should not overlook the other crucial aspects of learning for the sales force, such as knowledge and skills.

Training and Learning in a Corporate Context

Training and learning in a corporate context should encompass all three elements: Knowledge, often dismissed as the "theory behind," Attitude, and Skill. Don't undermine sales force training by solely focusing on skill development, neglecting knowledge and attitude. I am certain that someone working in soft skills may shed more light on this.

{I learned this in the HARDEST POSSIBLE WAY, after making an error or blunder. When I began, there was no platform like Cite HR (or I was unaware of it :-)) and unlike you, I was too hesitant to seek advice from others in my early days.}

Regards,

J. Srinivasan

DGM Training - S&N Hayakawa Enterprises

[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]