On the surface, a strong salesperson and a weak salesperson can look a lot alike during a job interview. They will both be dressed professionally, present themselves well, and will both highlight their skills. Unless you know what to look for and learn the right questions to ask, you might end up with a sub-par sales rep.
A research project conducted by a sales strategy professor at USC Marshall School of Business involving nearly 800 sales reps and sales leaders helped shed some light on what specific attributes separate top sales performers from underachieving sales reps.
Achievement Oriented Personality
According to the study, 84% of the top performers scored very high in achievement orientation and 85% of top salespeople played an individual or team sport in high school.
Goal oriented salespeople set high goals for themselves and have a high standard of performance. This type of achievement will be apparent in their resume with indicators such as ‘Exceeded quota’ or if they’ve won any awards. Also, asking questions about their hobbies and what they do for fun can provide insight into what motivates them. For example, someone who competes in triathlons or trains for marathons is likely to be very goal oriented.
Verbal Acuity
Verbal acuity refers to the ability of sales reps to establish credibility by communicating at the customer’s level, and not too far below the level of words the customer uses. Top performing sales reps are at a communication level where they are personally understood by the customer.
When interviewing a sales rep, pay close attention to what words they use when answering questions. Ideally, high-performing salespeople communicate between the 11th and 13th-grade level while underperforming salespeople communicate at an 8th and 9th-grade level. Some other things you should pay attention to are whether or not they are talking over you, if they are clear and concise or if they ramble, and if they’re using slang or not. All of these factors can help you determine how they will relate to potential customers and whether they will be successful in communicating with your typical client base.
Sales Manager Impact
The study also asked sales reps specific questions about the time they spend with their sales leaders and whether sales leaders impact individual performance. The study found that sales managers actually don’t have that much influence on top sales reps’ or weak sales reps’ individual performance. However, the conversations between sales leaders and top performers vary greatly from those with weak salespeople. Underperforming sales reps have conversations about daily duties and directional instructions while top performers have strategizing sessions about prospective deals and are collaborative.
When interviewing a potential sales candidate, talk with them about their strategy for closing a big deal and their thought process behind their plan. Look for traits of a self-starter and of someone who doesn’t need constant direction. You can determine this by asking them how they plan their typical week and what takes top priority. Also, ask them what’s the difference between activity and results, and how they personally define this difference. Their answers will help you determine if they are able to manage weekly tasks in order to accomplish a bigger goal, or if they’re simply going through the motions of what the sales manager assigned to them that week.
Knowing the signs of a top sales rep will help you find the best candidates for your position. Learn more about the traits of top sales people in our Employer Interview Guide. Our guide includes sample interview questions targeted at each 3 of the attributes discussed above, plus 2 other attributes of top sales reps.
