Each week we highlight a specific sales trait with definitions of how that trait manifests itself as a strength and a weakness. We do this for one simple reason – there are aspects of selling that can’t be taught. In a sense, certain traits are hardwired into top-performing salespeople.
And the only way to truly measure these traits is to use objective assessments.
An adept interviewer is able to ask insightful questions and drill down on the candidate’s responses to get to some understanding of the truth. Rarely is it objective truth. The information is presented by the candidate in the best possible light to the candidate. This approach should always be expected in an interview.
But how do you know if the sales candidate sitting across from you has the hardwired aptitudes to succeed in your role? The candidate has presented their past experiences (in a good light), their successful sales (in a good light) and their theoretical approach to selling. However, only an objective assessment can provide measurements of:
–Emotional control
–Handling rejection
–Initiative
–Practical thinking
–Problem solving
–Self-starting ability
These are just a few hardwired traits that are not clearly observable, yet alone measurable, in a face-to-face interview. The better process is to measure these traits before the interview and then pursue these topics for more clarification in the interview.