National Sales Center

Sales Personality Tests Start Sales Careers

By, Nick Moreno

The story behind my “money back guaranteed” book about helping reps prepare to pass a sales personality test.

Here I go being controversial again. This time I want to be controversial about understanding Sales Personality Tests. I just don’t believe in them but what do I know? I’ve only been in and around sales my whole life and I’m old enough to remember when the Dodgers played in Brooklyn. Hey,,, I was just a kid!!! So, here is my article, based on my opinions, on how to pass sales personality tests.

Just what are these sales personality tests testing and how do you pass sales personality tests so that you get the job? I know salespeople and more importantly, I know how successful salespeople think. I work with them everyday and I know they fit into no standard molds. Yet, these sales personality test continue to exist so we have to deal with them.

Top salespeople are focused on securing commissions but is that a personality trait? My knowledge of reps got me thinking about sales personality test and ways to prepare reps to pass them.

The Development Of Sales Personality Tests

How did sales personality tests get developed? A non-salesperson typically studies a group of salespeople and comes up with a sales personality test based on what traits the salespeople have in common. They feel that if you don’t fit their mold, you may not succeed in sales. I say, bologna!

I’ve been around successful salespeople for quite some time. Some were more competitive than others. Some were more resilient than others. If they had anything in common it was a commitment to further develop their sales techniques and their prospecting skills.

 

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Sales Personality Tests And Experience

In my early days, I was guilty of having some vague preconceived notions of the type of personality it took to succeed in sales. My experiences enlightened me. Sometime it came from successful reps I inherited, as was the case with a very successful rep named John G. Other times it came from sales reps like George. I did not want to hire George but I caved into the hiring sales manager’s requests and to my amazement George M. went on to become a top rep. Who knew?

I’ve seen all types of personalities succeed in sales. I don’t see how a sales personality test can allow a sales manager to reject a candidate. Worst yet, I don’t see how a sales personality test can allow someone to limit his or her career ambitions. That why I want reps and potential reps to prepare to pass sales personality tests.

In High School I took one of those personality tests. The test recommendation was that I should work for the Forest Service. I grew up in NYC and at the time of the test, I never even been to a forest. Working for the Forest Service sounds great but I know it’s not right for me. Don’t let a sales personality test or any other test limit your ambitions.

I use to shiver whenever I interviewed an entry-level rep and heard the applicant say they wanted to be in sales because they are a “people person”.  I still shiver whenever I hear a mother say her child is a “natural salesperson”. Sales is a profession that requires sales skills and those skills must be developed.

Sales personality tests have little to do with being a “people person”.

If you want to become a salesperson, go for it! Forget what the sales personality tests say, just go for it. However, if you first need to pass a sales personality test, prepare for it and improve your opportunity to get the job.

Once you pass your sales personality test, get some solid sales training and develop your sales skills.

To your success passing your sales personality test!

Nick

Tags: Career Training Articles