Comments on: Abraham Maslow, SPIN Selling, and Recruiting http://www.ere.net/2008/06/20/abraham-maslow-spin-selling-and-recruiting/ Recruiting intelligence. Recruiting community. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:56:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Spin Selling - How to make the Larger Sale | Business Bits Blog http://www.ere.net/2008/06/20/abraham-maslow-spin-selling-and-recruiting/#comment-7787 Spin Selling - How to make the Larger Sale | Business Bits Blog Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:26:16 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=3230#comment-7787 [...] Spin Selling and Recruiting [...] [...] Spin Selling and Recruiting [...]

]]> By: Michael Maisel http://www.ere.net/2008/06/20/abraham-maslow-spin-selling-and-recruiting/#comment-5273 Michael Maisel Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:45:23 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=3230#comment-5273 I agree that effective use of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs can be an effective screening tool, but Lou you describe a use that is further downstream - with resumes you have, that you are mining for referrals than it should be. For over a decade, I've used Maslovian needs to generate responses, weed out undesirable candidates and differentiate the position from similar ones at different companies. Here is where I think one gains the most "value" from its utilization. For whatever position you may be recruiting, there is something different about it than the same position at a competitor. Determine what that difference is (talk to recent hires and tenured people in that position), and put that right up front, in a prominent place. Sometimes, I've even phrased it as a question, for example: "Do you thrive in a fast-paced entrepreurial environment?" For candidates that feel they do, this will attract them and make them read the rest of the ad/posting. Candidates that don't do well in this environment tend to self-select out. The magic here, is that the most valuable differences are in the soft skills rather than in the skillset. Since most hiring decisions are made on the basis of soft skills, why not recruit for them upfront, too? Differentiate or die, sell what's different not what's the same. Otherwise, the only way you can differentiate is through comp and not many are willing to play that card right now. I agree that effective use of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs can be an effective screening tool, but Lou you describe a use that is further downstream - with resumes you have, that you are mining for referrals than it should be. For over a decade, I’ve used Maslovian needs to generate responses, weed out undesirable candidates and differentiate the position from similar ones at different companies. Here is where I think one gains the most “value” from its utilization.

For whatever position you may be recruiting, there is something different about it than the same position at a competitor. Determine what that difference is (talk to recent hires and tenured people in that position), and put that right up front, in a prominent place. Sometimes, I’ve even phrased it as a question, for example: “Do you thrive in a fast-paced entrepreurial environment?” For candidates that feel they do, this will attract them and make them read the rest of the ad/posting. Candidates that don’t do well in this environment tend to self-select out.

The magic here, is that the most valuable differences are in the soft skills rather than in the skillset. Since most hiring decisions are made on the basis of soft skills, why not recruit for them upfront, too?

Differentiate or die, sell what’s different not what’s the same. Otherwise, the only way you can differentiate is through comp and not many are willing to play that card right now.

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