Typically, most employers look at factors such as age, gender and experience. Unfortunately, these do not always help you assess the potential success or failure of a sales person and may be considered discriminatory. Even considering previous performance may not help if the applicant is going to be working in a different sales environment.

One approach that employers are now finding increasingly helpful is to look at the personality of the applicant to see if he or she has what it takes to be a winning sales person.

When you next need a Sales Person, use the following checklist to see which of the six essential traits of a top sales person your applicants possess:

• Self-starter - sets his/her own goals and motivates him/herself to reach them

• Identifies with success - closing a sale reinforces his/her self-esteem

• Resilient - is never discouraged but reacts to failure with increased determination to succeed the next time

• Sensitive - tries to understand and address the potential buyer's point of view - talks with them not at them

• Perceptive - identifies hidden agendas, unspoken objections, etc and helps the potential buyer past them

• Committed to service - understands the importance of being of service and feels personally rewarded by the buyer's satisfaction.

Scorecard:
5 - 6: Hire them!
3 - 4: Depending on other considerations you might give them the benefit of the doubt
0 - 3: Suggest an alternative line of work!