Just as your facial profile is more than just your nose, your forehead, your chin, or your neck, there are also many aspects of a salesperson profile—they stand out individually, but they also work together to complete the whole picture. When you’re thinking about sales hiring, you probably have qualities in mind that are especially important for your particular business. If you somehow manage to find the perfect salesperson, she’ll be strong in every aspect of the profile.

But how many perfect salespeople are out there? If they exist, you can bet they’ve been noticed, and you may not get a shot at them. But you can make sure that you have a shot at getting the type of person with the particular attributes that are especially important to you. Start by closely examining the candidate’s pre employment assessment test to assess her strengths and weaknesses.

Let’s say you have the type of business where your salespeople must be strong in the consultant quality. These are customer-focused people who build relationships with customers and secure their loyalty for the long term. These customers view your salespeople as more than just grasping individuals out to get their money. While that type might work for some businesses, that’s the kind of salesperson profile you’d rather avoid.

The reason that you have customers is mainly because they have some kind of problem. A person who is strong in the consultant aspect of the salesperson profile is a creative problem solver. While some types of salesmen will throw facts and figures at the customer and then try to close the deal, the consultant type will listen to how the customer describes the problem, ask questions, determine the customer needs, and make the sales presentation based on those needs. Not just anyone has this level of human relations skills, but a salesperson profile that demonstrates a strong consultant ability will identify the right type of person.

The fact is, a strong consultant type comes across not just as someone who wants to sell, but someone who wants to help, to provide value. She responds to objections thoughtfully, allowing the customer to express her concerns, then alleviating them with relevant information. Customers respect her opinion, ask for her advice, and return to her when they need help with another problem. Her competence in knowing her product and providing outstanding service, coupled with her enthusiasm for dealing with her customers, creates a bond that’s virtually unbreakable.

Advanced Hiring System’s process of sales hiring helps you to identify the right type of salesperson profile for your business’s needs. After you’ve recruited the right candidates for the position, you can narrow them down to a manageable three or four once you analyze the results of their Values and Styles matrices. If you go through the process as recommended, the choice for your new hire should be as plain as the nose on your face!