hiring sales reps Archives - Page 3 of 4

What Questions Should I Ask in a Salesperson Phone Screen?

After reviewing sales candidate resumes, hiring managers often add a phone screen to determine whether to move the candidate forward into the testing and interviewing process. This 20-30 minute phone call helps bring the candidate’s resume to life and provides some excellent clues about whether he or she has the characteristics the company is seeking. Since the time is short, hiring managers often wonder about the best questions to ask. Here is a salesperson phone screen protocol, we use and recommend, to help you determine whether a candidate is likely to be successful in the testing and interviewing process. What Questions Should

When is the Best Time to Use a Sales Test During the Hiring Process?

Hiring managers frequently ask “When is the best time to use a sales test during the hiring process?” Some managers are initially inclined to wait until the very end, after they have “fallen in love” with the candidate, and hope the test reinforces their opinion. However, waiting too long to administer a sales test to a candidate carries a big risk . . . the longer we wait to test a candidate’s underlying personality traits, the more we risk wasting time with a candidate more motivated to get the job than to do the job. Many candidates are clever and

Should I Add a Sales Presentation to My Sales Hiring Process?

When developing their sales hiring programs, many companies add a mock sales presentation to help gauge their candidates’ ability to sell. These presentations are a great opportunity to find out whether the candidate knows how to engage the prospect, handle objections and sell effectively. However, we need to be careful about the conclusions we draw from the candidate’s performance. Should I Add a Sales Presentation to My Sales Hiring Process? was last modified: August 14th, 2014 by Dr. Chris Croner

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Sales Assessments

How To Determine Whether Your Sales Candidate Is Really a “Self-Starter”

Many of our clients have told us that they want their salespeople to be “self-starters,” operating with high levels of independence and initiative, sometimes even from a home office. Learn how self-starters are beneficial for business in a multitude of ways. Benefits of Self-Starters: Decrease the amount of time managers have to spend overseeing employee activities Improve productivity, naturally Step out of the box and fulfill needs that are not within a job description Inspire others and serve as role models within a team Can be long-term assets to a company What Makes a Self-Starter? Self-starters are defined by their

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Sales Assessments

Can Sales Tests Be Faked? Learn How to Separate Actors from A-Players

One of the most common questions we receive is whether a sales assessment test can be faked. This is an important concern, since the purpose of a sales employment screening is to separate the good actors from the high potential candidates. It is prudent to take a good look into any test before relying on it to screen your candidates. Unfortunately, many tests are very easy for candidates to quickly size up and fake their way through, creating a false impression of their level of motivation or ambition. These tests can create even more wasted time and money than if

Why is Need for Achievement so Important in Sales?

In our hiring recommendations to sales managers, we stress the importance of sizing up candidates relative to all three elements of Drive: Need for Achievement Competitiveness Optimism Learn why a high Need for Achievement is especially crucial during the vetting process and can mean the difference between having a banner sales year or a headache of a candidate on your hands. Why is Need for Achievement so Important in Sales? was last modified: December 8th, 2025 by Dr. Chris Croner

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What Questions Should I Ask in a Salesperson Phone Screen?

When is the Best Time to Use a Sales Test During the Hiring Process?

Should I Add a Sales Presentation to My Sales Hiring Process?

How To Determine Whether Your Sales Candidate Is Really a “Self-Starter”

Can Sales Tests Be Faked? Learn How to Separate Actors from A-Players

Why is Need for Achievement so Important in Sales?