Selection Report for:  Suzanne Example

Tested: 11/1/2008 1:09:44 PM

Contents:

About the SalesMax Report

Selection Profile

SalesMax Advice

Interview and Reference Probe Suggestions

Management Suggestions

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• Sales Personality - Relatively stable characteristics that do not change easily over time. Eight of these predict sales performance, while three others will help you to manage the candidate. All are work-related and have direct applicability to sales positions

• Sales Knowledge - The candidate's understanding of effective behaviors and strategies at key stages of the sales cycle. The emphasis is on consultative and relationship-oriented sales.

• Sales Motivations - The relative strength of eight sources of personal motivation to help you to manage and motivate the candidate, if you hire her.

• Sales Personality

  We recommend you first consider the candidate's sales personality. Using the Standard Success Profile, look at the number of scores inside the success zones (shaded areas). At a minimum, try to hire candidates who have personality scores that fall somewhere inside most of these success zones. If possible, look for candidates who have scores in the higher end of these ranges. In general, higher potential candidates will have personality scores that will fall in all or almost all of the shaded ranges. Further, the best candidates will most often have scores that fall in the high ends of the shaded ranges.

  The Sales Personality Success Index is a weighted scoring of the strength of these desirable personality characteristics. Possible scores vary from 0 to 48. From our research using earned sales compensation as a criterion, we recommend you avoid candidates with index scores below 19 and recommend you pursue candidates with scores of 24 or higher.

• Sales Knowledge

  Next, we recommend you consider the candidate's knowledge of effective consultative sales strategies. Her scores in this section of SalesMax are an indication of how well she knows what to do in various selling situations. If she is an experienced salesperson, this may be very important information. However, if she has little or no experience and you expect to put her through a good sales training program, low scores in this area may not influence your decision to hire her but may help you to target areas for her training.

• Sales Motivations

  If you decide, based on her sales personality and knowledge results and your interview, that you want to hire the candidate, the results of this section may be helpful in deciding if her motivational needs are a good fit for the job and your supervisory style. Are the things most important to her available as rewards? Can you effectively manage her given her needs and the potential rewards you have under your control?

The candidate's Sales Personality Index score was 27 out of a possible score of 48. This score falls in the fourth range of possible scores (Better). Our research indicates that candidates with scores in this range have a good probability of becoming successful. (About 7 out of 10 salespeople with scores in this range earned sales compensation in the top half and, as a group, these people had average performance levels 7% above the norm.)

Score	Range	Advice
---	00-18	Avoid
---	19-23	OK
---	24-26	Good
27	27-33	Better
---	34-48	Best

 
Personality Insights:

The following potential strengths (+) and potential weaknesses (-) may help you to understand how the candidate's personality may impact her sales performance.

+	She appears to have a positive, optimistic outlook.
+	She appears to be a resilient person who should be able to bounce back after rejection, missed sales or criticism of her performance better than most sales people.
+	She should be a people person who will enjoy most of the social aspects of meeting new clients or prospects and working with them in a sales role.
+	She appears to be more serious-minded than the typical salesperson. Her behavior should be businesslike and professional.
-	She may not always be dependable about following through on her commitments.
-	She has described herself as less expressive than most salespeople. She may be so reserved in her words and actions that she has difficulty displaying enthusiasm in sales interactions.
-	She appears to be somewhat less self-reliant than most salespeople. When faced with new problems or difficult situations, she may look to others for assistance or guidance.
-	She appears to be a very uncooperative person whose style will tend to be "I win, you lose."

The candidate appears to have a good understanding of effective consultative sales techniques in the following areas:

+	Negotiating and closing the sale.

 

Her results suggest that she may need sales training in the following areas:

-	Identifying sales prospects and pre-qualifying them.
-	Understanding the importance of first impressions in initiating positive and productive sales relationships.
-	Developing a clear understanding of the customer's specific needs.
-	Convincing the customer of the value of company products and/or services.

The candidate appears to be most motivated by:

• Attention, recognition, or "pats on the back."

Low Follow Through

The candidate scores somewhat low on the measure of follow through or dependability. People with low scores may not consistently follow through on their work responsibilities.

Interview Probes:

• During the interview, ask the candidate how she thinks a sales manager should handle an employee who misses deadlines or doesn't consistently follow through on her work. Listen for responses that indicate sympathy for the employee or unrealistic expectations from the manager.

• Ask the candidate to describe a time when she was unable to complete an assignment or couldn't follow through on what she promised she would do. Listen for responses that indicate that she didn't think too much of it, or is prone to making excuses. Ask if she would have handled the situation differently today.

When talking with her references ask the following types of questions.

• "How does she compare with other salespeople in her ability to follow through on tasks in a timely manner?"

• "Would her customers and peers say that she honors her commitments or does she tend to let things slip?"

Very Low Expressiveness

The candidate appears to be less expressive than most salespeople. People who score low on this measure are apt to be controlled and reserved in their dealings with people. As a result, they may hold back and fail to express enthusiasm or conviction in the product or service that they are selling.

Interview Probes:

• During the interview, attempt to assess her ability to convey genuine enthusiasm about the product or service she is selling. If she has previous sales experience, ask her to describe what she believed to be the key features and benefits of the product or service she sold in her last (or present) job. Ask yourself whether she makes you "believe" in the product. (If she lacks previous experience, ask her to role-play selling a common object.)

• Make it a special point to observe her ease in talking with you and other people who are part of the interview process. Listen for her ability to express her thoughts and ideas. Was she able to put you at ease or was the conversation awkward?

When talking with her references ask the following types of questions.

• "How would you describe her style when presenting to customers?" Probe for how she interacted with customers one-on-one and in groups.

• "How would you say customers reacted to her interpersonal style? What strengths would they highlight? What would be her major areas for improvement?"

Low Self-Reliance

The candidate scores somewhat low on the measure of self-reliance. People who score low on this measure sometimes overrely on other people for advice, support, direction or favors.

Interview Probes:

• During the interview, attempt to assess her willingness to take care of things on her own versus tending to rely on others. Ask her what types of assistance and support she needs to do her job well. Probe for what types and the extent of help she needs from her boss, peers and support staff.

• Ask for descriptions of some recent responsibility she has assumed. Listen for indications of active pursuit of increased responsibility versus passive acceptance.

• Ask her to describe an ideal boss and a bad boss. Probe for indications of independence and self-reliance versus dependence on her superior for decisions and direction.

• Information regarding early career experiences can sometimes be useful. For example, ask questions about her first job (this would include teenage employment): how she found the job, why she was working, how she felt about it. Listen for responses that suggest initiative and a take-charge attitude versus a tendency to wait to be told.

When talking with references ask the following types of questions.

• "Compared to the typical salesperson, how would you describe her in terms of showing initiative and taking care of her responsibilities?"

• "Would you say she requires more or less of her manager's time to provide direction or support?"

• "Can she be relied upon to take charge of situations and make decisions without excessive support? -- In normal, day-to-day situations? -- In unusual situations where no clear guidelines exist?"

Low Accommodation

The candidate scores low on the measure of cooperativeness or agreeableness (low accommodation to others). People who score low on this measure are sometimes quick to confront others or find it very easy and natural to respond to situations in an aggressive, competitive fashion. If they do not moderate their competitive style, they can be seen as unnecessarily disagreeable, difficult, and may fail to put customer needs first.

Interview Probes:

• During the interview, attempt to assess her ability to get along with others and maintain reasonably amicable work relationships.

• Ask her to describe those situations where it is very important for her to win. Then ask her to describe those situations where she works toward compromise and a win-win outcome. It may be helpful to ask for specific examples.

• Ask her to describe a team of which she has been a member. How did she accomplish her goals within the team? How did other team members react to her? Ask her to describe interactions with specific team members. Try to determine her attitudes and general feelings about them.

• Ask her to describe her general style in dealing with people. Listen for responses that suggest friendliness, agreeableness and a concern for getting along with others versus responses that imply excessive competitiveness or a "me first" style.

• Ask her to describe a situation where she has "gone the extra mile" to meet a customer's needs. Why did she do so? What was the result? Would she do it again under the same circumstances?

When talking with her references ask the following types of questions.

• "Compared to other salespeople, how would you describe her ability to get along with people in a pleasant manner?"

• "How would you describe her ability to work with co-workers in a cooperative rather than competitive manner?"

• "Compared to other salespeople you have known, would you say she has a notably strong need to win or is she willing to work with others toward win-win outcomes?"

• "In general, how would you describe her style in dealing with customers and co-workers?"

Low Consultative Sales Knowledge

This candidate's understanding of effective behaviors and strategies at key stages of the sales cycle appears weak in one or more areas listed below. If the candidate lacks sales experience, it may be that she has little background upon which to draw and will benefit from sales training and coaching. However, if she is an experienced sales professional, her low score may indicate bad habits or a lack of knowledge.

Identifying Sales Prospects And Pre-Qualifying Them:

Interview Probes:

• Ask her how she would go about identifying potential customers for your organization's products or services.

• If she has previous sales experience, ask which prospecting strategies have worked well for her in the past, and which proved more futile.

• Ask what criteria she would use to pre-qualify a prospect and how she would gather this information.

When talking with her references ask the following types of questions.

• "Compared to the typical salesperson, how would you describe her in terms of her ability to prospect for new customers?"

• "How well did she pre-qualify her potential leads?"

Interview Probes:

• Note what type of initial impression she makes in the interview. Does she present herself to you in the way you would want her to present herself to a customer? Remember, a job interview is much the same as a sales call, except the candidate is selling herself.

• Ask her how she spends the first five minutes of a call and why.

• Ask her to describe how someone could make a favorable first impression on her? Conversely, what would create a negative first impression?

When talking with her references ask the following types of questions.

• "Compared to other salespeople you have known, how would you rate her ability to make a positive first impression?"

• "How would her customers describe their first impression of her?"

Interview Probes:

• Ask her what she thinks are the most important issues to address at the start of the customer relationship. Probe to find out how she gains an understanding of these issues.

• If she has previous sales experience, ask her to describe a situation where she had difficulty understanding exactly what the customer wanted. Ask her to describe the situation, what she did and how she overcame her misunderstanding.

When talking with her references ask the following types of questions.

• "How would you describe her approach in gaining an understanding of her customer's needs?"

• "Compared to other salespeople, how would you describe her ability to probe and clarify the customer's needs?"

Interview Probes:

• Ask her to convince you of the value of the last product or service that she sold.

• Ask her to select any other product or service that she has knowledge about and explain to you the value it offers to the customer.

• Ask how she identifies what might be of value to a prospective customer.

When talking with her references ask the following types of questions.

• "Compared to other salespeople, how would you describe her ability to convince the customer of the value of your product/service?"

• "How well would you say she 'knew' her product/service?" Probe for how she developed this knowledge and how she conveyed her understanding to her customers.

Improving Follow Through:  She should be encouraged to assume more responsibility to follow through on her responsibilities. In managing her, make sure that she has a clear understanding of that to which she has committed and by when. ("John, you said that you will have the sales projections for Company X to me by next Tuesday.") For long-range activities, suggest that she set interim deadlines to make sure that she is progressing toward her goals. If she falls behind, hold her accountable and help her to find strategies to avoid this shortcoming in the future.

Increasing Expressiveness:  Her reserved style may cause others to see her as too aloof. In a sales situation, customers may see her as someone who "goes through the motions" but lacks enthusiasm. Before she makes a sales presentation ask her to make a list of the reasons she feels her product or service is best for the customer. Encourage her to choose her words carefully and to use those that have power or that will inspire others. Have her role-play presenting these ideas or rehearse her full presentation. Give her objective feedback. Training in the dramatic arts or presentation skills may also be helpful.

Becoming More Accommodating:  Her competitive nature could cause her some difficulty in a consultative sales role. She may tend to trade off long-term relationships for short-term gains. If this happens, she may need coaching to develop a more win-win style in dealing with customers. Encourage her to identify and work towards long-range goals rather than short-term goals (e.g., percentage revenue increases over a time period rather than the size of today's sale). Further, courses or readings in conflict resolution and teambuilding could be useful to her.