Tom Forder

I've spoken with clients recently that have struggled to secure talent for their SDR teams. Unnecessarily lengthy interview processes, amongst general market conditions seems to be the main culprit for this. With attrition rates as high as they are, striking the right balance of thoroughly evaluating suitability and maintaining momentum in the process can be a tough one. Here's how I would structure a succinct 3 stage interview process that should cover off both: Stage 1 - Behavioral Interview with Talent Team/Hiring Manager via teams - Assessing Cultural Alignment/Understanding of the company - Opportunity to get to know the candidate Stage 2 - In person Sales Focused Interview with 2 x roleplays - Sales related questions to assess general understanding/competency - Roleplay #1 to assess ability to think under pressure, rejection handling etc - Roleplay #2 to assess coachability and willingness to take on feedback Stage 3 - Meet The Team / Informal Offer Realistically these 3 stages could be completed in 10-14 days tops, but does require a commitment from all parties to keep things moving. What are your thoughts?

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💡TOP TIP TUESDAY💡 Considering here at Amberes we currently have 28 live SDR positions, I thought I'd share a few tips for individuals looking to kick-start their Sales career. Here are some tips to help you stand out in the competitive job market: 📝Polish Your Profile: First impressions matter! Ensure there are no spelling mistakes on your LinkedIn profile or CV. A flawless profile reflects attention to detail, a crucial trait for any sales role. 🤝Transferable Experience: Highlight experiences that showcase your transferable skills for sales. Whether it's customer service, leadership roles in student organisations, or even retail experience, emphasize how these roles have honed your communication and persuasion skills. 🥇Show Your Competitive Edge: Employers love candidates who thrive on competition. Don't overlook your hobbies and extracurricular activities that demonstrate your competitive spirit. Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a chess player, or a trivia night champion, these experiences showcase your drive to win – a quality valued in sales. 🏆Demonstrate Achievement: Showcase your track record of success. Whether it's exceeding sales targets in a part-time job or achieving academic excellence, highlight instances where you've gone above and beyond. Employers want to see evidence of your ability to deliver results. 😁Let Your Personality Shine: Beyond your professional achievements, let recruiters get to know the person behind the CV. Share a bit about yourself – your passions, interests, and what motivates you. A personable profile helps recruiters connect with you on a deeper level. #Sales #SDR #CareerAdvice #RecentGraduates

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💡Latest insights - Account Executive roles in the UK... 💰Basic salary and packages - Anything between £45k-£125k on base, double OTE plus accelerators. 💸 What triggers higher basic salaries and OTEs ? - Deal sizes - Sales cycle - Size of the annual target (higher the target higher the base) - Stage hiring company is at in their growth. Startups, especially those that have received recent funding, often pay more to limit perceived candidate risk of joining. 🔮 Top three Industries hiring the most Account Executives currently? 1. AI 2. Data & Insights SaaS 3. CleanTech/ClimateTech 🙅‍♂️ Top three put offs for Account Executives 1. Full time in the office 2. The OTE isn't double 3. Interview process dragging on ✨Want more insights? Comment "interested" below. I'll send you our latest Sales Salary Report that provides specific ranges, likely OTE and ways to succession plan four of the most popular AE hires.

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But how does a day in the life of a Recruiter differ to that of an SDR?? 🔍👇 Recruiter: -Can be 180 or 360 from day one -Source talent through various channels - Collaborate with other recruiters in the business - Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders - Prospect potential clients through calls, emails & socials - Provide guidance & support throughout the hiring process - Work with candidates- A.K.A. real people who CAN change their minds! SDR in SaaS: - Prospect clients through calls, emails, & socials (using a more extensive tech stack) - Collaborate with Marketing, AEs and other teams (i.e. Customer Success & Product) - Book meetings and demos with qualified leads for your Account Exec - Working with software which DOES NOT have a mind of its own! - Qualifying leads to ensure they’re the target customer profile - ALWAYS 180 What do you reckon? Could you make the switch from Rec to Sales? Drop me a message or forward your CV to [email protected] to chat further 💬 -- 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔? - Check out Timberseed’s latest opportunities 🎯 - Send your CV to [email protected] 📨 - Get in contact with our consultants 💬 -- #rectosales #salesjobs #recruitment

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Do you need to have SDR experience to be a successful SDR? In my opinion, no. If hiring managers are just looking for existing SDR’s then a lot of talent is being missed. Call centre jobs, door-to-door sales…recruitment 😅 There are many roles out there that build resilience, grit and get people used to being told no… or worse, which is vital. Don’t get me wrong, hiring someone with SDR experience would be ideal and make them very likely to succeed. But, you might be hiring someone who wants to progress quicker than you like. If they’ve been an SDR for a year already, will they want to start from scratch and do another 12 months? They may be a bit more expensive and might even need as much training as someone with no SDR experience if they’re used to doing things a different way! There’s a lot of talent out there, don’t fish from a small pool 🎣 #recruitment #sdr #creativenatives

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Good morning! In today's competitive business environment, optimising recruitment processes is essential for attracting top talent and maintaining a strong workforce. Have you considered the benefits of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) or a Managed Service Provider (MSP) model? These innovative approaches offer significant advantages that can transform your recruitment strategy and yield substantial cost savings. Why Consider RPO or MSP for Your Recruitment Needs? 🤔 💼 Enhanced Efficiency: RPO and MSP providers bring specialised expertise and streamlined processes, significantly reducing time-to-hire and improving the overall efficiency of your recruitment operations. With their advanced technologies and industry knowledge, you can expect faster placements and more effective talent acquisition. 💰 Cost Savings: By leveraging economies of scale, RPO and MSP models can reduce your recruitment costs. These providers negotiate better rates, minimize administrative overheads, and optimise resource allocation, leading to substantial financial savings for your organisation. 📈 Scalability and Flexibility: Whether you need to ramp up hiring for a large project or scale down during slower periods, RPO and MSP solutions offer the flexibility to adjust recruitment efforts according to your business needs. This scalability ensures you always have the right level of support without overcommitting resources. 🔍 Access to Top Talent: With extensive networks and deep industry connections, RPO and MSP providers have access to a broader pool of candidates. This means you get access to highly qualified talent that might not be available through traditional recruitment channels. 📊 Data-Driven Insights: These models provide valuable analytics and reporting, offering insights into your recruitment performance. By understanding key metrics and trends, you can make informed decisions and continuously improve your talent acquisition strategies. 🤝 Focus on Core Business: Outsourcing recruitment allows your internal HR team to focus on strategic initiatives and core business functions. This alignment of priorities enhances productivity and ensures your team is dedicated to driving business growth. In Summary: Implementing an RPO or MSP model can revolutionise your recruitment strategy by enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, providing scalability, and giving you access to top talent. It’s a proactive approach that not only addresses current recruitment challenges but also positions your organisation for future success. Let's connect and explore how an RPO or MSP model can benefit your business! #Recruitment #RPO #MSP #TalentAcquisition #CostSavings #BusinessEfficiency #HRStrategy #WorkforceSolutions Feel free to reach out for more information or visit our website 👇🏼

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Whether you're hiring or looking to retain your best employees, it’s essential to ensure your salaries are aligned with market standards. Download our 2025 Salary Guide for insights on salary benchmarking across the UK, hiring trends, and exclusive candidate sentiment insights. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eU-nW8kQ

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'Can we talk about the economic state of UK staffing right now?' This UK recruitment downturn looks set to last 📉 "Net income fee is down YoY 14% Robert Walters, 15% Hays and 16.7% Page Group. Forecasts have been declining all year. Share prices have been heading broadly south since the post-Covid-19 hiring bulge." If costs stays the same, profit drops. Which could mean big redundancies in the market. You need a lower cost of carry whilst driving revenue. 💷 Instead of periods of large hiring and firing companies should seek to improve efficiency. Companies should look at strategies to improve data 📊 Better data can improve search results, which can reduce time to hire and job advertising spend. It can improve marketing and new business efforts as well as ability to leverage third parties and AI to drive more revenue. Finally, it's important for effective reporting and analytics. Which can lead to improved decision making and scalable growth. To improve data you need the right CRM, user adoption strategy and validation processes. You need it to be tailored to your service offerings and verticals. You need it to reinforce your proven processes that make your business successful. How are you improving your data?

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July 2024 has been my BEST ever month in recruitment! This month has been nothing short of extraordinary… 🎯 Hit my yearly target – With 5 months to spare! 🌟 Signed on 8 new clients through BD! 🤝 Closed multiple deals making it the best start to a Q ever! 🏢 Launched a new desk in Manchester! 🚀 Welcomed 3 new starters – Exciting announcements coming soon! 📈 Boosted my LinkedIn game and presence! BUT... here's the reality check. As amazing as this month has been professionally, it came with significant personal sacrifices. 💔 My mother faced serious health issues, landing in hospital twice. ⏰ I worked some insanely long hours and also did some intense rowing training. 😴 I hit a brick wall and was completely drained, needing a full day just to recover. As Graduates look to enter the world of recruitment this summer, it’s only right I share the highs with the lows. Agencies are quick to point out the earning potential and career progression, but often gloss over the realities of how hard and draining recruitment can be. The hard truth is that success in recruitment demands relentless hard work. To all aspiring recruiters this summer – be prepared. It's one f**king amazing journey, but not an easy one! #CareerGoals #RecruitmentTransparency #RecruitmentLife #Graduates

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B2B sales = where the progression and reward is as a salesperson If you’re serious about your sales career then you’ll need this experience. Particularly if you want to break into tech sales. If you have any cold outreach, prospecting or outbound calling on your CV from a B2B environment then use it. That’s transferable. And if you don’t, then it might be worth considering other B2B sales roles as a stepping stone. Sometimes it’s better to earn and learn. Rather than wait for the perfect opportunity. #salesjobs #jobhunting #salescareer

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Time for a Spring Clean??? 💐 Some crazy stats we've found at Bullhorn.. on average: ● Over 85% of candidates aren’t contacted by their agencies in a year ● Clients hear even less, with over 90% receiving no communication ● Agencies suffer a whopping 60% client churn annually It's understandable though, with a small team, and thousands of candidates on your database, your team just won't have the capacity for the constant outreach needed. So throw some of those unworn clothes out in your spring clean, but this year let's also clean up your database with Bullhorn Automation, to really start utilising what you have! Explore our upcoming data hygiene guide, upcoming webinar, and blogs to get started: https://lnkd.in/etP5XSiW #DataHygiene #SpringClean #Bullhorn #Automation

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SDR/BDRs are you looking for your next role but not progressing to interview? It’s a tough job market right now so here are a few tips on how to be seen and stand out from the crowd:   - Sales is all about numbers – Include your targets and what you achieved on your LinkedIn profile AND your CV. - Include awards that you’ve won on your LinkedIn and CV. - Cold-calling and cold outreach is an important daily activity as a S/BDR. Call or Email the Hiring Manager and let them know that you’ve applied and why you would be a good fit. Qualify the opportunity just like you would a prospect. - Your CV should be clean and concise. Remove irrelevant information and keep within 1-2 pages. Add your LinkedIn URL. - Reach out to Recruiters (like me🙋🏻‍♀️) who can get you in front of the hiring teams quicker.   What do you guys think? I’d love to hear more ideas from you on how to stand out ⬇

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"I’ve made loads of SDR applications but haven’t heard back” I hear you – this is where I come in💪 At Venatrix, we work hard to disrupt the unconscious bias in the recruitment process. We believe that every candidate should be given the opportunity to demonstrate their potential🚀 For their: Skills ✅ Passion✅ Character✅ Potential✅ Not their: Lack of experience❌ Gender❌ Neurodiversity❌ This is something I feel incredibly passionate about. In an industry where diverse perspectives are crucial, it’s essential that we open doors for superstar candidates🔥 Whether you're an experienced professional wanting to get into sales or just starting out, we're here to help you land the job👊🏼 If you’ve been applying for SDR roles but feel like you’re being overlooked, don’t give up! 🥊 Let’s work together to find the role that’s the perfect fit for you🙌 #DiversityInSales #Venatrix #SDRRecruitment #InclusiveHiring #OpportunitiesForAll

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2 tips to increase how often you get approached for relevant roles on LinkedIn ⬇: ✅ Add as many keywords to your profile as possible, you would be surprised how many Payments sales professionals don't have Payments on their LinkedIn profile and it can be causing you to lose out on loads of amazing opportunities. Recruiters use specific keywords to search for the most relevant candidates for a role, some jobs will be industry specific or will require someone who has sold in to a specific vertical so get them on your profile!! ✅ Know what role you want to be approached for and mirror your LinkedIn to be similar. I'm not saying lie about your experience but you can highlight key points which are more relevant to your desired role. These things not only make my life easier when head-hunting but will make sure you are getting approached for more desirable positions. Salt

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🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨 This is for you if you work in sales or customer success in tech. It's time to find out if your basic salary and package is inline with market rate in 2024. Our Sales & Customer Success Salary Guide 2024 is available now! We’ve crunched the numbers and analysed 1,112 sales function hires and leavers, across the software and technology industry.. And it’s available to download COMPLETELY FREE! 🎉 - Discover and benchmark salary ranges for over 30 roles (from entry to C-Suite level). - Learn which sales role has grown by over 15% YOY. - Find out how long people typically stay in roles and potential internal career routes. Comment 'interested' below and I’ll send it directly to you! 👇 P.S Know someone in Sales or Customer Success who would benefit from seeing the guide? Share this message with them! 🙌

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Chucking it out the window OR Peeing it up the wall? 4 recruitment businesses reached out to me about Vincere, who pay for too many seats on their current CRM contract and have no option to scale down. A LinkedIn Sales Nav search for UK Recruitment Businesses with 11 - 50 employees, using this technology provider, who reduced headcount in the last 12 months, showed that there were around 50 others ... That's 50 recruitment companies paying for too many licences at a time where costs keep rising! Money out the window for no reason ... If this is you, feel free to drop me a private message and I will see what I can do to help (it might mean buying Vincere.io 😁 - but I am also here for free advice on what to say to this vendor to get them to wiggle on your contract) Its Friday and its sunny - you could be spending that money down the pub!!! #recruitment #vincere #recOS

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Sales recruitment – Q3 market update Sales recruitment is growing. Employers are beginning to feel more confident and looking to aggressively grow their top line rather than worry about maintaining the status quo. This provides a huge opportunity for high calibre sales candidates as the demand currently outweighs the number of available people. Companies are feeling the pressure to hold on to their top performers with counter offers increasing therefore driving salaries/packages higher. A candidate-driven market There is currently a tangible shortage of high-quality sales candidates. With the help of the improving economy, skilled sales candidates are hitting and exceeding targets and therefore are not actively looking for new roles. As a result, sales candidate attraction in the current market needs to be far more proactive. Attracting these candidates into new roles is challenging as they are now seeing their hard work pay off, both in career progression and higher OTEs. Looking ahead...sales recruitment in the near future  We should continue to see positive economic growth and in turn, the creation of new jobs and career opportunities. As good candidates continue to become harder to come by, the market drive for temporary and interim sales options will continue in order to achieve aggressive short term targets while waiting for the right permanent option. If you want to find out more regarding the market conditions in both the US and UK please do reach out today. I would love to hear from other people with their thoughts also!

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How to hire the best high potential early career sales talent: 1) Use a specialist company / person who knows the space (hello 👋🏼😂) It can be very tricky identifying top talent from a CV alone (I’d actually argue, you can’t!) Therefore using a business who can screen in volume and identify “potential” and soft skills for you can save you a lot of time and effort. 2) Think about your business from the perspective of someone starting out and what’s important. In no particular order but for example; - training & development - progression - earning potential - DE&I - CSR - culture - incentives - vision - leadership - remote, hybrid or office? - what sets you apart from other organisations in your space? 3) Show don’t tell. Have a diverse panel of people interviewing. If you’re office based make sure you invite the candidates in and give them a tour. 4) Remember good candidates have choices / it doesn’t matter if they lack experience. An interview is a two way process and you need to showcase your business as much as you “interview”. 5) Did I mention using a specialist to help?! Thank you Matthew Griffin for the recent recommendation, it’s been brilliant partnering with you over the years. What else would you add?

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