Hiring the wrong salesperson for a job happens all too often in the industry. This is because the capabilities of a salesperson are nuanced – there is no full proof sales style. Whether a candidate makes for the right fit is dependant upon many factors such as the type of product a company is selling, and the sensibilities of the organization’s target market. A strong sales person for instance will be able to intuit the needs of those they’re speaking to and adjust their approach accordingly. Different sales personalities are required for different positions as well and this must be considered throughout the hiring process. For example, to cultivate a list of prospects for larger future transactions, you might choose to hire a farmer to sow the seeds over a hunter.
In order to decipher what sales personality your company would benefit from having on staff, you must first look inward and analyze the positions you’re hiring for. You must also consider what you’re selling and ask yourself: What qualities should a spokesperson for this product or service posses? One way is to look to your existing sales team and pinpoint what about them makes them successful, then create a target profile based on your findings. As a hiring manager however, it is easy to exhibit bias and it is challenging to look at your role objectively. You may for example be very impressed with a headstrong and confident applicant with an impeccable resume and good interviewing skills – but it’s difficult to say whether or not that candidate, while seemingly qualified, will fill quotas.
One tool that can help to take the pressure off is implementing sales assessment testing within the application itself, as these tests are highly scalable and can be modified to fit a variety of roles. Providers like SalesTestOnline will be able to perform the analysis of the position(s) you are looking to fill, and determine an ideal profile for each of them. The results of an applicant’s test determine how close they are to matching that profile, and in which areas they show promise (i.e. temperament, motivation, assertiveness, sociability, sense of urgency, dependence, emotional maturity and stamina). The company can even create a target profile by using mock test results from their most successful employees.
With a 90% accuracy rate, this test has been proven to significantly reduce the potential for unwanted hiring risks in the sales departments of many companies. It has saved managers an invaluable amount of resources by producing results in little to no time, and ultimately has allowed for great gains by enabling companies to hire the right people. Finally, the test itself costs only a fraction of what comparable testing services cost. Enhance your hiring procedures by choosing a tool that will give clarity about the type of salesperson your organization needs and transparency where the applicant is concerned. This way, you’ll never have to worry about yet another prospect not working out.
