| When I accept a consulting assignment, I insist on | | | | series of pre-employment tests.What's your track |
| administering psychological tests to each of the | | | | record been at changing people? If you're like most |
| managers and salespeople in the organization before I | | | | managers, you are a miserable failure when you try to |
| arrive on site.I am no stranger to psychological testing. I | | | | persuade or browbeat someone into being someone |
| majored in clinical psychology in college, worked in a | | | | they are not; that is, when you try to get people to |
| clinical environment in my first job following graduation | | | | operate against the grain.We're all more effective at |
| and brought testing with me when I joined the business | | | | our jobs when we are able to be ourselves and |
| world.Psychological testing is about the closest thing to | | | | operate with rather than against the grain. Here are |
| a crystal ball I have found to predict future | | | | some of the natural characteristics we look for when |
| behavior.Don't misunderstand me, psychological testing | | | | hiring salespeople who have the highest odds of |
| is not perfect. It is not as accurate as, say, a blood | | | | turning out to be "keepers."1. Personality characteristics. |
| test. However, it is by no means inaccurate, either. In | | | | Anyone can sell, but the odds of sales success are |
| fact, when I review an employee's psychological | | | | the highest when you hire a salesperson with the |
| testing results with them, most are amazed at how | | | | following personality characteristics:- High drive |
| much insight I have into their strengths and | | | | - Outgoing and persuasive personality |
| weaknesses from the way they filled out the test.In | | | | - Strong sense of urgency |
| my company, we have tested over 44,000 people, so | | | | - High energy level |
| we believe our success models are second to none.I | | | | - Attentive to detail |
| believe you will agree with me that it's important that | | | | - Innovative |
| managers take hiring seriously. After all, most | | | | - Good verbal skills |
| managers resist terminating employees long after they | | | | - A natural willingness to live up to commitments.2. |
| have given up on them. Plus, when you consider that | | | | High economic values. This is especially true if your |
| personnel-related expenses make up between 60% | | | | company pays its sales force all or in part via a sales |
| and 70% of most company's total operating expenses, | | | | commission. If salespeople are not "hungry" they will |
| it just makes sense to take the time to do the job right | | | | not be motivated by an opportunity to control their |
| the first time?.In the absence of testing, most | | | | income.3. Strong work ethic. Willing to work the hours |
| managers make hiring decisions based on their gut | | | | necessary to get the job done.4. Passionate about the |
| feelings. They also tend to hire people in their own | | | | profession of sales. Genuinely enjoys all aspects of |
| image. This is not to say that there's anything wrong | | | | selling, loves people and is willing to work hard on their |
| with the manager's image, but it is not wise to hire | | | | sales skills.5. Industry experience. Note that we've listed |
| everyone with the same or similar psychological | | | | experience last, not first. A track-record of sales |
| characteristics because this causes cloning. And | | | | success increases the odds of success |
| cloning creates inertia in an organization.Psychological | | | | substantially.When it comes to your sales force, it is |
| testing probably won't tell you much about a person | | | | especially important to make sure that you have the |
| you won't learn after knowing them for six months to | | | | right people on the bus. Taking business away from |
| a year, but by gaining insight into a candidate's talent | | | | the competition without having to resort to using price |
| and temperament before you put them on the payroll, | | | | as a weapon is a lot easier when your people |
| you will save yourself both a lot of heartaches and | | | | possess the right talent and chemistry to get the job |
| money.While psychological testing is not dirt cheap, it's | | | | done.Bill Lee is author of "Gross Margin: 26 Factors |
| one heck of a lot less expensive than making a hiring | | | | Affecting Your Bottom Line" ($29.95) and "30 Ways |
| mistake. All managers have learned that it costs | | | | Managers Shoot Themselves in the Foot" ($21.95) plus |
| thousands of dollars when a hiring mistake is made, | | | | $6 S&H for the first book and $1 for each additional |
| and that doesn't count all of the lost opportunity. So | | | | book. |
| compare that cost to a couple of hundred dollars for a | | | | |