These recruitment tips will help you spot and hire your new business development executive in no time
Looking to hire a business development executive? Your new employee will play a crucial role in evolving your company from start-up to powerhouse, so following these recruitment tips is the key to making the right hire.
Firstly, congratulations! If your company is looking to make a business development hire, you must be in a great place. Your new executive will hopefully boost your client-base, public image and revenue to new heights, so be ready to have a lot more work to do.
Because this role is so instrumental to the success of your growing business, taking the time to get it right is critical. These tips will help you quickly spot your new hire in interviews and get your business on track to success in no time.
Recruitment tips for hiring a business development executive, representative or manager
1 – Look out for technical knowledge
Your business development exec needs to learn your company inside-out. How else are they going to convince other people to invest their time and money in your business?
At the interview stage, your perfect candidate will have tried to find out everything they can about what you do, what your company does and what the industry looks like. It’s this kind of enthusiasm and love of learning that makes someone a great business development exec.
Consider asking your candidates about industry trends to discover what they know.
2 – Pay attention to passion
The day-to-day job of a business development exec is relentless. They’re constantly reaching out to new people, chasing leads and evolving their strategy. To keep up with this fast paced life, your new hire needs to be passionate.
This passion will just ooze out of then. They’ll love every aspect of the job, your company and what you do.
A good way to discover just how passionate your candidates are is with a simple why did you apply to this role question.
3 – Are they sales-minded?
Sales and business development are close friends – many of the skills needed for these roles are similar. And although your sales specialist can be just that – your development exec won’t be successful without great sales skills. How else will they expertly pitch your products all the time?
Looking for previous experience in sales roles might be the easiest way to ensure that you hire a well-rounded candidate, but try not to overlook those without it.
Ask them to pitch a product to you mid-interview. This is a great way to discern who can think on their feet and who flounders at basic sales tasks. Bonus points if they pitch your own company’s product to you.
4 – Pick out the communication experts
Another essential skill is communication. Your new hire will be talking to people on the phone, social media and email all day – they should at least be good at it.
This skill is one of the easiest to screen for because you’re probably conducting a telephone interview and speaking with them over email anyway. Pay attention to their communication style: if it’s too polished it could put some clients off, and if it’s not polished enough they might not be taken seriously. There’s a nuance to communication that some people just get – and some don’t.
5 – Find someone strategic
Finally, pay attention to the way your candidate’s mind works. Your business development exec should be able to analyse data and use their instincts to make strategic decisions. Their job isn’t a walk in the park: there will be hurdles and issues that they have to adapt to and overcome. If they can strategically plan ahead, their life will be a lot easier.
Asking them about their favourite way to reach out to new customers or manage a negotiation is a fantastic way to find out whether they’re strategic or all over the place.
Where to find your candidates
Now that you’ve read our recruitment tips, you’re ready to hire your new business development executive. To find a strategic, passionate junior check out DigitalGrads. Our unique recruitment process is built for success because we screen our candidates before they even apply – saving you time and money. Create your account today to look at our junior business development talent.