HRM FPX 5025 Assessment 4 CapraTek Recruiting and Hiring Plan

Student Name

Capella University

HRM-FPX5025 Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning

Prof. Name

Date

CapraTek Recruiting and Hiring Plan

For a long time, CapraTek has been a leader in the design and manufacture of computer server components. Recently, the Georgia-based facility made a strategic decision to diversify its products by entering the emerging wireless technologies market. The company has commenced the production of a smart home technology system called Alfred that integrates all electrical appliances. Alfred makes it possible to control home appliances through a single wireless device and a web interface. To distribute Alfred, the company needs to hire sales representatives to sell the product, especially in the Southwest region. Consequently, the company needs to develop a recruiting and hiring plan for the position of sales representative.

The first step is to create a job description for the position using older job descriptions and the ONet online website to identify the position’s KSAs.

Sales Representative Job Description

Job Summary

The qualified candidate for the sales representative position must be a quick learner, possess a positive attitude, and be self-driven to excel. The successful candidate must also have previous experience selling in retail or business-to-business environments. The successful candidate will be responsible for the development of accounts, prospect communication, negotiation with buyers, and growing an account base.

Roles

The main roles for the sales representative include:

• Negotiate prices and terms of sales and agreements.
• Prepare and submit sales contracts for the delivery of orders.
• Visit consumer sites to evaluate needs and promote Alfred.
• Use automated computer systems to maintain records.
• Complete expense and sales reports.
• Ensure that customers receive products within stipulated times.
• Provide customers with ongoing technical support.
• Attend sales and trade meetings to obtain information on market, industry developments, and environmental regulations, among others.
• Answer customer questions about Alfred’s installation, availability, and credit terms.

Requirements

The ideal candidate must have a bachelor’s degree. The candidate must also have five years’ experience in computer or consumer electronic sales with a proven track record of exceeding annual revenue and profit targets. The candidate must also possess a robust consultative sales approach and cold calling experience. Finally, the candidate must be able to travel to up to 50% of the consumer sites.

Knowledge and Skills

The candidate must possess strong communication skills, persuasion, active listening, negotiation, and social perceptiveness. Moreover, the candidate must be a seasoned negotiator and closer, be able to express himself both orally and in written form, and must be able to comprehend messages both in verbal and written form. The candidate must also possess problem sensitivity, fluent ideas, and an ability to reason. Moreover, the candidate must have an ability to build “C” level executive relationships within named accounts.

In terms of knowledge, the candidate must be skilled in analytical software like IBM SPSS Statistics, customer relationship management (CRM) software like Salesforce, electronic mail software like Microsoft Outlook, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software such as NetSuite ERP, and database user interface and query software, for example, Microsoft Access.

The candidate must also be knowledgeable about customer and personnel service, sales and marketing, the English language, administration and management, mathematics, computers and electronics, and data processing.

Competency Model

A competency model is necessary in HRM functions not just in hiring and selection but also to support performance management, training, and succession planning (Biech, 2010). Developing a competency model involves identifying job requirements and the actions required to help employees acquire the skills needed for the job. In other words, competency modeling connects the individual competency requirements with organizational objectives (Biech, 2010).

To be successful in the position of a sales representative, candidates must be able to develop customer relationships. The position puts the candidate at the forefront of dealing with customers in the field. The candidate must thus be able to communicate effectively with customers. Moreover, the candidate must possess emotional intelligence and an ability to identify and address customer concerns. The second competency is closing sales. The ideal candidate must be able to persuade customers and negotiate with them. He/she must also be able to perceive customer needs and offer to meet them. The candidate must also possess excellent communication skills that will enable him/her to explain the product to the customer and answer their questions. The next competency required for the position is sales and marketing expertise and market knowledge. The candidate must be able to keep abreast of the labor market, industry, and environmental regulatory developments.

CapraTek has the option to hire candidates who possess the competencies or train after hiring. Since CapraTek is a relatively small organization, it may not have many resources to spare for training, especially since the organization is trying to expand. Moreover, the organization needs people who can start working immediately. Consequently, it would be affordable and convenient for the company to hire people with the necessary competencies. Therefore, the company will only need to conduct onboarding and orientation.

Labor Market Analysis

CapraTek has shown an interest in expanding in the Southwestern Region of the US. One of the states that the company can grow to is Texas. Specifically, the company can set a base in Austin. 93.9% of the households in Austin, Texas have a computer, and 85.8% have a broadband internet connection; this is higher than the state statistics at 89.2% and 79.3%, respectively (US Census Bureau, n.d). Since Alfred is managed through a web interface, Austin seems like a good location for CapraTek to base its operations.

The unemployment rate in Texas currently stands at 12.8%, owing to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, before the virus, the unemployment rate stood at 5.1%. Assuming that CapraTek’s operations have also been affected by the Coronavirus, the organization can only hire after the pandemic. During this time, most people will have gone back to their jobs, and probably, the unemployment rate will go back to pre-pandemic or slightly higher levels. Consequently, it may not be hard for CapraTek to get people to hire for its salesperson position in Texas.

HRM FPX 5025 Assessment 4 CapraTek Recruiting and Hiring Plan

In Texas, females account for 50.3% of the total population. White people are still the majority at 78.8%. African Americans account for 12.8%, while about 10% of the population is made up of other minority populations (US Census Bureau, n.d). 83.3% of the people in Texas have a high school diploma, while 29.3% have a bachelor’s degree (US Census Bureau, n.d). Since one of the qualifications of the salesperson position is a degree, CapraTek will focus on the latter group. It may not be as hard to get a qualified person for the job of a salesperson in Texas in regard to educational qualification.

Currently, CapraTek needs only four sales representatives. It may thus be hard for the organization to balance the hiring of minorities. Nevertheless, CapraTek should ensure that minority groups and protected classes are represented among the four sales representatives that will be hired.

Selection and Screening

Once the human resource department has concluded job analysis and formulated a job description to be advertised, the company can expect to start receiving applications from candidates. As a result, the company must develop a selection plan to help pick the right candidate from the applications received. Consequently, companies utilize screening methods to identify the right candidates for the position advertised. CapraTek can use the following methods to screen candidates.

Resumes

One of the ways that companies use to screen and assess candidates is through the use of biographical data. Resumes are the most common source of biographical data. Biographical data is used on the premise that past performance predicts future performance (Riggio, 2015). Consequently, CapraTek can use biographical data to determine the past performance of employees. This way, the company can choose employees who performed well in their previous roles.

Interview

The second method of screening candidates is through interviews. Interviews are the most common forms of screening used in screening candidates for job positions. While organizations sometimes opt for unstructured interviews where questions are left to the interviewer’s discretion and there are no set standards to guide the direction of the interview, research has shown that unstructured interviews have minimal results in predicting job performance (Pulakos, 2005). Consequently, CapraTek should opt for structured interviews. Structured interviews can be used to test for the KSAs, but they are mostly used to determine the candidates’ interpersonal skills. One of the competencies of the sales representative position is excellent communication skills. CapraTek can use interviews to test this in candidates.

Cognitive Ability Tests

Another method of screening is cognitive ability tests. Just like their name suggests, cognitive ability tests measure the mental abilities of candidates (Riggio, 2015). These include verbal and mathematical ability, reading and listening comprehension, and reasoning skills. These are all necessary skills in the position of a sales representative. In the past, CapraTek has used the benchmark group to test for cognitive ability in its candidates.

Personality Tests

Another tool used in assessment is personality tests, which assess the personality traits that a candidate possesses that are related to their position (Riggio, 2015). Personality tests are either administered on paper or on a computer. In the past, CapraTek has also used personality tests in the screening of candidates. CapraTek uses the Dunlop personality test that checks for nine personality types which are relevant to the position of sales representative and which contribute to the success of this position.

Job Knowledge Tests

As mentioned earlier, candidates for the position of sales representative need to possess prior experience working in the post and need to display knowledge of the requirements of the position and the industry conventions and software used. Job knowledge tests are another screening tool that CapraTek can use to choose qualified candidates. Job knowledge tests assess the knowledge that the candidates have in the position and are mainly used to determine where candidates need more training (Pulakos, 2005). Since CapraTek does not have the resources or time to train candidates exhaustively on the position of sales representative, a job knowledge test is necessary to separate those who are knowledgeable from those who may need more training. CapraTek also uses a standardized test to determine the job knowledge of candidates. The test has 80 questions.

Work Sample Tests

Finally, CapraTek can also use work sample tests. Work sample tests use actual samples of the work that the candidates will be expected to perform (Pulakos, 2005). They involve role-playing exercises where the candidate demonstrates how they can perform the work in question. Work sample tests predict job performance since they ask candidates to show how they will perform on the job.

CapraTek can use all the above tests to determine the right candidate for the position. In the past, the company has used some or all of the tests mentioned above. The tests have enabled the company to get the right candidates for the job and to understand their training needs. For the position of sales representative, CapraTek will use resumes, structured interviews, cognitive ability tests, personality tests, job knowledge tests, and work sample tests. The tests will be administered to the 12 candidates who will be shortlisted for the sales representative position.

Conclusion

In conclusion, CapraTek must develop a recruiting and hiring plan for its new product, Alfred. This process must start with job analysis and formulation of a job description and requirements. CapraTek must then develop a competency model to guide the candidate’s performance in the position of sales representative. Next, the company needs to conduct a labor market analysis to determine whether the requirements and skills needed for the position are available in the market and the likelihood of finding the right candidates for the position. Finally, the company needs to use screening methods to assess and determine the right candidates for the position. These screening methods include resumes, structured interviews, cognitive ability tests, personality tests, job knowledge tests, and work sample tests.

References

Biech, E. (Ed.). (2010). The ASTD leadership handbook. American Society for Training and Development.

Pulakos, E. D. (2005). Selection assessment methods: A guide to implementing formal assessments to build a high-quality workforce. SHRM Foundation.

HRM FPX 5025 Assessment 4 CapraTek Recruiting and Hiring Plan

Riggio, R. E. (2015). Introduction to industrial/organizational psychology (6th ed.). Pearson Education.