Uncovering Raw
Sales Talent
Through a 12-Week Academy
Uncovering Raw
Sales Talent
Through a 12-Week Academy
Where It All Began...
A leading provider of leasing, contract hire and asset finance, Shire Leasing PLC are an industry-leading provider of B2B finance solutions, trusted by over 600,000 British SMEs.
Finding top talent for the finance and leasing industry is no mean feat. This is because it’s not the first industry that budding sales reps think of when they start their careers.
To combat this potential pitfall, Shire needed a bespoke hiring solution that would capture sales superstars at the start of their careers, creating excitement about what Shire do and finding people who had the potential to learn about the leasing sector.
An “off-the-shelf” solution simply wouldn’t do for their requirements.
Where It All Began…
A leading provider of leasing, contract hire and asset finance, Shire Leasing PLC are an industry-leading provider of B2B finance solutions, trusted by over 600,000 British SMEs.
Finding top talent for the finance and leasing industry is no mean feat. This is because it’s not the first industry that budding sales reps think of when they start their careers.
To combat this potential pitfall, Shire needed a bespoke hiring solution that would capture sales superstars at the start of their careers, creating excitement about what Shire do and finding people who had the potential to learn about the leasing sector.
An “off-the-shelf” solution simply wouldn’t do for their requirements.
The AvA-V Solution
Having understood Shire Leasing’s candidate requirements, we began crafting a solution to finding quality hires just for them.
“The Shire Academy”, we mapped out the floor plans for a detailed 15-week process (3 weeks recruiting, 12 weeks training) where we would assess, recruit and train multiple candidates who help Shire Leasing achieve their growth plans.
Here’s how we did it.
Sourcing The Thousands
We spoke to over 1,200 budding candidates over the phone. Sourced from job platforms, our carefully crafted adverts and our internal database, we screened candidates with different backgrounds and experiences.
Interviewing The Hundreds
We conducted first-stage interviews for over 150 candidates who demonstrated potential and eagerness for the opportunity to join Shire Leasing.
Assessing The Dozens
Over half of the candidates who were interviewed were invited to the final stage group interview. In a bespoke session facilitated by AvA-V, we organised a full day’s worth of activities and events designed to test candidates just for Shire.
Training The Select
Once Shire’s team leaders had reached their decision, we negotiated offers and got eight budding candidates to start with the business. We then provided the new hires with sales training that was tailored to the needs of the group and the wider Shire business.
As it was not yet decided which division these new hires would sit in, our global learning and development team created a 3-month programme that taught the new recruits soft sales skills they could apply to any new role.
The Results
The Shire Sales Academy proved to be a big success, with 100% of chosen applicants passing the academy and taking up full-time positions with the business.
Every candidate has joined a division that best suits their natural skillset (enhanced by AvA-V’s tailored training), and they’ve all since hit the ground running.
Having seen great success from The Academy, Shire Leasing plan on working with AvA-V on another academy intake.
Shire Were Full Of Praise
Shire Were Full Of Praise
The day was brilliantly structured, people were made to feel comfortable and the AvA-V team were outstanding. Everyone was engaged!
When we spoke to the team at AvA-V, it was quite clear they would go into the market and get a huge pool of people.
They were diverse. They brought in different talents from a range of ages and experiences; there was a vast range of people.
This allowed us to pick the best of the best.
When we decided to set up a sales academy, we wanted someone to run the whole thing for us. The Beauty of AvA-V was that they’d manage the whole thing.
The day was brilliantly structured, people were made to feel comfortable and the AvA-V team were outstanding. Everyone was engaged!
When we spoke to the team at AvA-V, it was quite clear they would go into the market and get a huge pool of people.
They were diverse. They brought in different talents from a range of ages and experiences; there was a vast range of people.
This allowed us to pick the best of the best.
When we decided to set up a sales academy, we wanted someone to run the whole thing for us. The Beauty of AvA-V was that they’d manage the whole thing.
Get In Touch
We’re always looking for specialists who can join the team and deliver quality solutions.
Whether you’re interested in pairing candidates with their dream jobs, selling quality services to global organisations or training a new wave of quality sales talent, there’s a job waiting for you.
Get In Touch
We’re always looking for specialists who can join the team and deliver quality solutions.
Whether you’re interested in pairing candidates with their dream jobs, selling quality services to global organisations or training a new wave of quality sales talent, there’s a job waiting for you.