Assessing Your Sales Talent
by Jim Ryan
Finding and retaining good sales people is a bigger challenge than filling most other positions in my experience. The operative word here is “good.” Many individuals choose a sales job by default rather than by design. Research has shown that, of 10 sales professionals, 5 should not be in sales at all, 3 might be OK in a sales position but not in the industry they are selling for or the industry they are selling into, 1 is in the right industry but in the wrong sales capacity and 1 is properly suited for the job they hold. That should scare any business owner or executive in an organization where sales are critical to success. Given this scenario, many organizations are looking for assessment tools to assist them in identifying the right person for their open sales position. One caveat…assessments are not to be used in isolation. They should be an integral part of a comprehensive selection process including thorough behavioral interviews and background checks. But, this article is about assessments so here we go.
We have written about assessments in this space before. Organizations that use them know the value they bring to the selection process. One tool that continues to gain increasing visibility and use worldwide is the Profile XT. One of the many reports that this outstanding, validated and reliable instrument can generate is the Profiles Sales Assessment. In addition to measuring Cognitive Skills, Behavioral Traits and Occupational Interests, it describes seven critical sales behaviors that will lead to success in sales. Those Critical Sales Behaviors are:
- Prospecting
- Closing the Sale
- Call Reluctance
- Self-starting or Initiative
- Working With a Team
- Building and Maintaining Relationships
- Compensation Preference
When you hire an individual for your sales position, you should know as much about these qualities as you can. The Profiles Sales Assessment is the key to getting those last critical bits of knowledge so that the decision you make is a sound one. We can help you design a selection process that works. Our search process and capabilities can also be put to good use in your quest to get the best sales folks you can find. Let us help. You’ll be glad you did.