Businesses suffer in sales recruitment skills race

Businesses are running the risk of falling behind in the sales recruitment skills race, research by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) suggests.

Some 77 per cent of construction companies are likely to demand specific degree subject skills from employees for roles such as sales jobs.

However, more than half of employers are concerned about the IT skills of their existing staff, while over two-thirds (69 per cent) are investing in essential training for basic skills.

With 40 per cent of employers claiming poor basic skills have a negative impact in client and customer-facing roles such as sales jobs, many are likely to be turning to a specialist sales recruitment agency to fill new positions.

CBI director-general John Cridland comments that a "worrying number of employers" are letting poor skills "drag on their business performance".

"Employers have little confidence that they will be able to plug their skills gaps," he added.

But 86 per cent of firms surveyed also emphasise softer skills such as employability, teamwork and a positive attitude.

Mr Cridland notes that it is these softer skills requirements that are often the biggest surprise for candidates applying for skilled sales jobs and other positions.

Filed: 18-04-2008