Hiring managers and business owners have to rely on more than their instincts when looking to hire good salesmen and more are requiring applicants take a sales personality test before they even consider interviewing them for a sales position. Testing job applicants has been the norm for many businesses for years, with tests often developed by psychologists to help hiring managers read into the person’s personality to determine if they are going to be a good fit for the position.
The tests do not necessarily help managers understand how to hire salespeople; rather a sales test can help them hire the right people for sales. Not everyone can be effective in sales as it does take the right personality. Most are outgoing, giving them an edge at becoming what seems to be friends with their prospective clients, but a sales personality test can be a better judge of whether they have the personality for the job or not.
Being able to influence the one who make buying decisions can be extracted from the results of a sales personality test, but so can the person’s penchant to either follow directions or think on their own. In many instances good salesmen will be able to make adjustments in their presentation in order to influence the buyer without getting off track from the company’s guidelines. While the sales test being able to determine the applicant’s ability to adapt to changes, if they do not have the natural style and drive to succeed, they may not make the best salesmen.
When managers are first learning how to hire salespeople, one of the first things they should know is what the results of a sales personality test shows and how to read those results. Some applicants will attempt to beat the system, so to speak, by answering the test questions in a way to influence the results more favorably. However, a quality sales personality test will be able to detect attempts at manipulating the results and if you know how to read the results can quickly determine that applicant won’t be the best fit for your company.
The best results from a sales personality test will show the applicant’s ability to influence others as well as their dependability in completing the job assigned to them. Meaning, they are willing to do whatever it take to reach a successful conclusion on sales jobs, even if it means dedicating more time and effort to be the best.
