Sales Assessments Archives - Page 13 of 14

My Candidate Has Years of Sales Experience, Do We Need to Use a Sales Test?

Sales managers sometimes wonder whether candidates with years of sales experience need to be tested as part of the hiring process. If a candidate has demonstrated success in a previous sales role, it can be tempting to forego a thorough vetting process, thinking he must be a sure thing. However, as interviewers, it is our job to vet each candidate carefully, regardless of experience. Here are two important considerations when recruiting an experienced sales candidate. How similar was the candidate’s product/sales cycle to yours? Some salespeople have a track record of success with established products with short sales cycles. If

The Illusion of “The Golden Gut”

Over the years, we occasionally get pushback from hiring managers who will dismiss a more scientific screening process in favor of their own intuition also referred to as their “golden gut.” A hiring manager with a golden gut is confident that he/she can pick candidates that will be successful salespeople through intuition alone, and that he just knows a winner when he sees one. Unfortunately, we have never seen the golden gut approach to be proven by the numbers. Inevitably, when we go deeper into the manager’s records it is revealed that the turnover rate is unacceptably high and production

My Candidate Passed the Test, Should I Hire Him Immediately?

One of the most exciting moments of the sales recruiting process is receiving positive testing results for a candidate. As we have noted previously, less than 20% of the population is high in Drive. So, when a candidate scores well on a sales test such as The DriveTest™, it can be very tempting to want to pick up the phone and make an offer. However, this is when we need to be careful. At this point, the test has done its job… it has helped us to weed out low-potential candidates and allowed us to focus on those with a

Sales Experience or Drive: Which is More Important?

Sales managers often look at a candidate’s level of sales experience as a key indicator as to whether he or she will be successful. Previous experience can be alluring, especially if your candidate was at the top of his company within your industry. Unfortunately, experience alone does not tell us whether the candidate will actually step up to the plate and perform. Sales Experience or Drive: Which is More Important? was last modified: October 14th, 2025 by Dr. Chris Croner

When is the Best Time to Use Sales Testing in the Recruitment Process?

Testing is used by a variety of industries to vet initial prospects before a formal interview process begins. Highly technical fields may require a proficiency test that includes knowledge of theory and application. Other candidates in fields that involve significant hands on work may require dexterity testing. Sales fields rely on psychological sales assessment tests to determine if sales candidates have the necessary personality traits needed for success in sales. Administer a Sales Assessment Early in the Hiring Process The most effective time to implement a sales assessment test is after a resume review and an initial phone screen, but

The Importance of Evaluating Your Current Employees

Obviously we are advocates of the combination of a thorough sales assessment test followed by a rigorous in-person behavioral interview for maximum results for new hires. Together, they yield high predictability for sales success within your company. But what about current employees? If we want all our new hires to test high in Drive, should we not hold the same standard for current salespeople? The Importance of Evaluating Your Current Employees was last modified: October 14th, 2025 by Dr. Chris Croner

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My Candidate Has Years of Sales Experience, Do We Need to Use a Sales Test?

The Illusion of “The Golden Gut”

My Candidate Passed the Test, Should I Hire Him Immediately?

Sales Experience or Drive: Which is More Important?

When is the Best Time to Use Sales Testing in the Recruitment Process?

The Importance of Evaluating Your Current Employees