I think most people would agree that companies who hire sales people expect them to be respectful, responsive, and communicative with their customers. Unfortunately, the majority of these companies don’t practice what they preach when they are doing their sales hiring. In fact, many job applicants are often left in a puddle of confusion after the application process, and often never really know if their application was even considered.

It’s basically a matter of manners. To stay successful, a company needs to maintain a positive image, not only with the public and its employees, but with those who may or may not end up working for the company someday. When candidates apply indirectly online, through the mail, or otherwise, it’s important to acknowledge receipt of the application. Otherwise, the applicants find themselves in an agony of indecision: should they assume that the application has been rejected, or reapply and risk being thought of as a pest?

When you hire sales people,  it may take a little time and effort to send applicants an acknowledgement, but it’s a courtesy to the applicant to let him know that he is or is not being included in the hiring process. Considering the positive perception it will create for your company, and the relative enormity of the rest of the sales hiring process, it’s a small price to pay.

Another small courtesy that could have a big impact on your company’s image is a respectful rejection letter sent to candidates who don’t make the cut at different levels of the hiring process. Timely notes to candidates who have been eliminated will allow them to know where they stand so that they can focus their attention on other opportunities. It will also save you the time and trouble of answering emails and phone calls checking their application status.

Your rejection letters should be sent to every candidate who is eliminated from the hiring process, no matter what stage of the process this occurs. The AHS sales hiring materials include a form letter that you can use when initial applications and résumés are declined, but you can also choose to write a note that’s a little more personal. In fact, the further through the process the candidate has progressed, the more personal you can make the rejection letter.

Two things your rejection letter should do:  show appreciation to the applicant for taking the time to apply to your company, and state the reason for the rejection in a diplomatic way. (Skills don’t match the job requirements, pre assessment tests don’t indicate a match, position has been filled, etc.) You can also indicate what the company might do with the applicant’s information (i.e. forward it to another department, hold on to it for a specific amount of time, in case of future opportunities, etc.), or offer some advice on how to proceed.

Your note should end by wishing your candidate the best, and it should be personally signed. With a considerate, respectful rejection letter, you not only provide closure for the applicant, you also leave the door open for some positive PR.

Can DISC explain why some couples, like my wife Leah and me, have stayed married for 36 years? Or why other couples “throw in the towel” long before “death do us part?”

I didn’t pick my wife based on her DISC profile — in fact, I didn’t know beans about DISC when I first met her. I just really liked being around her. However having learned to read DISC styles has helped us stay together.

Our marriage has had its ups and downs. There were many times over the past 36 years that I was ready to call it quits and so was she.

DISC is a personality style system. It’s a tool that’s been around for nearly 90 years and has gone through constant refinements. In DISC we measure four aspects of the human personality. We then look at the relationship of those aspects and  establish both a Natural more permanent style and an Adapted situational style.

In order for DISC styles to be helpful in making a marriage work, the interface of the two partners styles needs to be managed by them. This is easier for some styles to do than others — regardless it can be learned. For a marriage to work, often the responses need to be “Oh, its their personality style that is causing them to…”

I think one partner will tend to compromise more than the other. Certain styles are more happy to bend.

In a society that values Drive and Achievement, there may be a tendency to partner for maximum achievement. In my opinion, this tends to partner two high Drives. Unless Drivers are very self-aware, this is often a prescription for disaster.

The four aspects of DISC are Drive, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance.

DRIVE: That voice inside my head saying “I’ve got to make it”, “I can do it”, “I’m the one who can make this happen”, “It’s all about me”. Drive is about putting my ego on the line, if I fail I am hard on myself. The Drive voice inside my head talks tough to myself.

Under pressure Drivers tend to push people, rather than lead and they become impatient.

INFLUENCE: My ability to communicate with others in a way they like to be communicated with. Influence is about my flexible communication style. Influence is my ability to measure the effect of my communication on others — on the fly — and my ability to adjust to get my message through.

Under pressure Influencers become all heart over head and rely too heavily on verbal ability.

STEADINESS: My desire to stay for extended periods of time on one physical location. Steadiness is the desire for less movement and more stability. It is my desire for routines.

Steadies under stress resist change and internalize feelings when they should be discussing them.

COMPLIANCE: My belief in the value and importance of rules. My comfort in following the rules.

When feeling pressure Compliants experience analysis paralysis and avoid controversy.