Experience is important when hiring sales and marketing professionals in the agriculture industry, but experience alone doesn’t mean someone will be a great employee. That’s why it’s important to look beyond technical skills and previous experience and look at some less tangible soft skills. Keep an eye out for these skills during your hiring process to pick out the best candidates.
Creativity
Creativity is important because new challenges are always cropping up. You need people who can come up with creative solutions to new challenges, bring fresh ideas to the table to meet customer needs, and people who think beyond the way things are “normally” done.
Service Skills
The pandemic of 2020 shone a light on exactly how important customer service is to the survival of any business. The way you deliver service to your customers has a direct impact on your bottom line. Customers are looking to save money, to work with companies that provide exceptional service, and address their concerns quickly and empathetically. When hiring for any customer-facing position, look for people who can empathize, de-escalate situations, provide service with a smile, put customers at ease, and make those customers feel confident that they are making the right buying decisions.
Team Player
Even in a remote-first work environment, no one works in a bubble. Your employees must trust each other, rely on one another, and pull together in the same direction to achieve shared goals. Look for people who can work effectively as part of a team, put group goals first, step in to help, etc.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to appropriately adjust emotions and responses according to the situation. People with high emotional intelligence measure their emotions and actions and rarely respond reactively in a situation. It is important to hire people who don’t react emotionally to challenges but rather assess situations rationally, especially in high-pressure situations.
Problem Solving
Problems are never–ending. Just when you think you have something under control, a new problem arises. More than ever, you need to look for candidates who can think independently to solve a problem when a challenge arises, rather than becoming overwhelmed or needing their hands held by a manager.
Do You Need Top Sales and Marketing Talent?
If you are looking for top sales and marketing talent for your agriculture business, contact the expert recruiters at Morris Bixby today. Our process is designed to deliver accurate matches quickly and cost-effectively.