Our Hiring Hero Series showcases talent acquisition pros across the globe who are dedicated to connecting people with their next great opportunity.
Terry Houston manages a team of ten recruiters at EMG & Sundance Payment Solutions, which is a nationwide payment processing and merchant services provider. His team hires hundreds of remote workers across the country every month, making him no stranger to the world of remote recruiting.
So how does he do it? We recently sat down with him to learn about his strategies for success.
“To make sure our recruiters aren’t overlooking someone great, we ask them to build out a profile on every candidate. We want them to look beyond the resume.”
What does it mean to you to be a hiring hero?
“I’m always just trying to find that perfect fit—not only for the company but for the candidate, too. I love making those connections and seeing people succeed. I’m not sure it makes me a hero, but it’s what I love about the job.”
You’ve worked at several companies over the years, but what excited you about recruiting at Sundance Payment Solutions?
“Sundance asked me to join the team to help them meet their recruiting goals—they hire 100 remote sales reps from all over the country every month. I knew it would be challenging but I saw it as a great opportunity!”
And what have been some of your greatest challenges so far?
“Our biggest challenge at Sundance is recruiting a high volume of sales reps that are hungry, ambitious, and want to take on a full-commission job.”
That is hard and yet, you’re still meeting your monthly goals. How do you do it?
“To make sure our recruiters aren’t overlooking someone great, we ask them to build out a profile on every candidate. We want them to look beyond the resume to uncover transferable skills like ambition, customer service, and upselling experience.”
And how do you set up your candidates for success?
“Our 5th best salesperson right now came with no sales experience. We recognized that she had customer service and upselling skills, and then we took the time to help her grow. Some companies will not hire anyone without sales experience but we do because we are willing to train and give people the extra attention they need to be successful.”
How do you make sure they’re getting that extra attention?
“Once we hire someone, we match that person to a sales manager who is fully dedicated to them. They are not simply part of a group of new hires, they immediately have someone to rely on for advice and support. We also consider personalities, interests, and backgrounds when pairing people to help them more easily form a bond.”
“We introduce people to others on their team right away. The worst thing you can do with remote workers is allow them to work in a bubble.”
Your team recruits all over the country. How do you keep remote workers engaged?
“Yes, 85% of them, we’ll never meet in person so staying connected every day is important. We encourage all new hires to sit on daily conference calls to learn how to improve their skills and we also have lots of incentives for them. But the biggest thing is remembering that it is a step by step process. You have to hold their hand all the way through or else you may lose their interest.”
And how do you make people feel like they are part of a team from afar?
“We introduce people to others on their team right away. The worst thing you can do with remote workers is allow them to work in a bubble. We have company-wide meetings every week to recognize wins, and we match new hires with managers that we think they’ll connect with.”
Terry’s Tips for the Future of Recruiting
“The future of recruiting will be remote even after the pandemic clears. I think people will start to find that there isn’t a need for us to be in the office and companies can save money on space. If you are shifting towards remote recruiting, here are some strategies that have helped me be successful:
- Spend time building relationships. Since you won’t be meeting candidates face-to-face give them your direct line to help build trust and show they can reach you anytime.
- Make candidates feel welcomed right away. Offer to give them a peek at what the job is like before they start and introduce them to everyone on their team.
- Remain professional. Keep the same mindset you had while working with people in the office and keep up your energy! It shouldn’t be any different because you’re at home on your couch.”
Join the Sundance team! Committed to creating opportunities and providing salespeople with tools to succeed, Sundance Payment Solutions is always on the lookout for self-motivated individuals to bring on board. Check out some of the roles Terry and his team are hiring right now.
