1. Amit Poddar Associate Professor of Marketing Georgia College & State University Teaching Sales ManagementRole Playing the Recruiter

2. Challenges With Teaching Sales Management • Sales Management is an abstract concept for undergraduates • Undergrads generally don’t have the experience or maturity to grasp the issues with managing sales persons • Difficult to create realistic assignments that expose students to sales management

3. Pedagogical Tools • Creating Sales Plans • Interview assignments • Simulation assignments (computer based) • Resume sorting assignments • Sales management book assignments

4. General Teaching Goals for Sales Management Class • Recruiting Salespersons • Goal setting (targets/quotas) for sales persons • Motivating sales persons • Evaluating Sales persons • Determining Sales rewards

5. Teaching Sales Recruiting • General assignment • Provide a job description • Provide some resumes to students (generally past students) • Ask to sort resumes based on rubric • Write a report on whom they chose and why? • Problems encountered • Students find the assignment tedious • Don’t put too much effort on it • Report focused on trivial issues

6. Modified Sales Recruiting Assignment • Three parts • Part 1 • Students given a real sales job listing and asked to apply for the job • Cover letter • Sales resume • Caveat: Real resume – False Name and personal details • Goals achieved • How to apply to a real job • Good Resume skills • Students walk away with a usable sales resume

7. Recruiting Assignment Continued • Part 2 • Faculty collects the applications and shares with students • Students are now asked to take on the role of Sales Managers • Students tasked with developing a rubric • Explain the rubric • Students Rate and evaluate each candidate on that rubric, rank order each candidate (would interview, maybe, no) • Goals achieved • Real resumes –> Real effort • Students see 30-40 other resumes • Students can rate themselves against their classmates

8. Recruiting Assignment Continued • Part 3 • Small in-class groups – group of 3-4 • Tasked with coming up with a consensus list of top 3 candidates • Names of top 3 are put on the board. • The one’s whose names show up maximum number of times • Name reveal • Goals achieved • Work together in a group – reach consensus • Recognition

9. Effects of Assignment • Students really excited with the assignment • First time rating themselves against their own colleagues • Eye opener for students • Students believe they have the best resume till they see that their classmates may be better • Humbling and motivating experience • Students who are not chosen as the best can look at what made the top student stand out • Great self feedback potential • Students discuss with fellow students and come to consensus • Learn how to differentiate between the merely good and interview worthy

10. In conclusion • A simple exercise • Great learning potential • Great feedback potential • Great amount of realism • Students love it