Business media powerhouse Fast Company asked Flourish MD Sarah Skelton for her expert insight on group interviews. We round-up Skelly’s take and explore Flourish’s unique approach to interviewing:

As sales recruitment specialists, group interviews are a key part of Flourish’s process and ‘7 steps to success’, except in our world they’re called Discovery Days. 

Discovery Days are delivered by Flourish colleagues, in person and are a combination of education, assessment and fun activities, including a quiz, individual tasks, group role play and teamwork, a pitch and an interview.

What are we looking for at a Discovery Day? 

In early career sales, raw talent and potential are often more critical than extensive experience. Our Sales DNA framework assesses key traits we see as vital for sales success, broken down into five core areas – and it’s not about what you already know, it’s about who you are and what you’re capable of becoming.    

The five areas of our Sales DNA are: confidence, communication, curiosity, coachability and character. 

Our DNA is a structured way to identify individuals who possess the foundational traits needed to excel. We focus on attitude over academics; candidates bring the drive and we bring the backing through coaching, mentorship and development programmes, to ensure they flourish. 

“By screening multiple candidates at once, this style of interview can save employers time, while also allowing them to observe candidates’ critical thinking and communication skills in action,” says Skelly. 

Not only is this interview style a timesaver for companies, but it also saves applicants time, too. “For the candidates, this can give an opportunity to showcase their skills in one day,” she added. 

“Successful participants will guide the team toward hitting key milestones throughout the session and ensure a clear conclusion is reached by the end.”

The Flourish hiring process

  1. Exploratory meeting – We get to know our client, their sales challenges, their goals and what their ideal salesperson looks like. 
  1. Specifying the role – What level you’re looking to hire at, everything from entry-level SDR, apprentice or senior sales leaders, and how many. 
  1. Vetting begins – We pinpoint existing talent in our candidate pool that matches your requirements and advertise for new applicants. 
  1. Invitations start – Our Talent Team pre-assess candidates over the phone and invite them to a Discovery Day should they fit the bill. 
  1. Discovery Day – We host regular sessions, along with delivering bespoke Discovery Days for clients hiring in multiples (6 or more), in which we’re able to tailor each element to individual business specifics. 
  1. Decision time – One day later, we give our hopefuls a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. 
  1. Post-placement – We provide 12 months after-hire support to ensure our placements succeed, helping to nurture their performance and support their wellbeing using the HumanOS platform. 

A bespoke, tailored approach 

For any new client, it’s crucial for us to understand fully your specific requirements and what “good” looks like to you. 

Once we have commercials agreed we are typically able to deliver a Discovery Day in four to five weeks, and if you’re hiring in multiples we can attend your office and facilitate a truly bespoke face-to-face event in-house. 

It’s our belief that in-person delivery provides a much more valuable and reliable outcome than virtual assessments, for a world class candidate and client experience. 

The result? One day to hire a whole team. 

If you’re looking to boost your sales performance with fresh talent or nurture your existing team with in-situ training, get in touch!