National Sales Center

How To Pass Sales Personality Tests

By, Nick Moreno

Here I go being controversial again. This time I want to be controversial about understanding Sales Personality Tests. I just don’t get 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 on how to pass sales personality tests.

Just what are these sales personality tests testing and how to pass sales personality tests? I know salespeople and more importantly, I know successful salespeople. I work with them everyday and I know they fit no mold. Yes, they all liked being paid for what they produce but is that a personality trait? Perhaps I’m too close to the situation.

The Development Of Sales Personality Tests

So, some non-salesperson studies a group of salespeople and comes up with a sales personality test based on what the salespeople have in common. If you don’t fit the 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.

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 in to the hiring sales manager and 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.

In High School I took one of those personality tests. I was told I should work for the Forest Service. I grew up in NYC and at the time, 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.

If you want to become a salesperson, go for it! Forget what the sales personality tests say, just go for it. My advice is to get some solid sales training and develop your sales skills.

To your success!

Nick

Tags: Career Training Articles