Select SalesPro is an online assessment that helps organizations choose the right people for sales roles by creating a complete candidate profile. It is designed to save recruiters time, money, and resources by eliminating the need to interview candidates that need to be a better fit for the role.
Most sales assessments focus on past sales success to predict future performance, but this approach needs to be revised. The best tools have documented “Predictive Validity” and are designed to evaluate salespeople’s core competencies, behavioral styles, and motivations.
Predictive Validity
Predictive validity is the degree to which a test score or construct scale predicts a criterion variable that measures a future outcome, behavior, or performance. Various assessments have predictive validity, including personality tests predicting future behaviors, surveys determining your risk factors for a disease, and pre-hire assessment scores predicting job performance after a year. This type of correlation is known as predictive validity, a subtype of criterion validity.
In the context of sales hiring, predictive validity refers to how well a specific test can predict future performance regarding tasks and cultural fit. It is an important aspect of choosing a challenger sales assessment tool because it provides evidence that the assessment is useful and can be relied upon to make better hiring decisions.
To establish predictive validity, a test must correlate with a criterion that can only be measured after the test is administered. It is why it’s often easier to test for concurrent validity before testing for predictive validity. However, establishing concurrent validity can be more time-consuming and resource intensive than predictive validity. It can encourage researchers to focus first on establishing concurrent validity and then move on to predictive validity when more resources are available. In the case of sales hiring, predictive validity could be compared to actual performance data collected by managers who have hired candidates using the same assessment method.
Construct Validity
The construct validity of a sales assessment test is the extent to which it measures what it’s supposed to measure. It is determined through several forms of evaluation. One form is face validity, which means the assessment measures what it claims at first glance. The other two are convergent and discriminant validity. Both types of validation show how well a particular measurement measures a specific construct and doesn’t overlap with indicators of theoretically irrelevant constructs.
Sales assessments are handy tools for screening and evaluating candidates, as they provide objective, predictive data that helps to distinguish top performers from the rest of the pack. The key to choosing the right sales assessment is to find one based on scientific research, has material predictive validity, and is easy to use. This way, you can avoid the time-consuming process of screening resumes and conducting interviews and rely on a hunch when selecting salespeople.
For example, a great sales assessment tool evaluates candidates based on the common personality traits of top-performing salespeople. It measures a candidate’s optimism and drive and the non-teachable characteristics required to achieve and exceed sales goals consistently. A science-based approach allows you to seamlessly sift through candidates and identify the most highly qualified, reputable salespeople with surgical precision.
Ease of Use
A sales assessment tool should be easy to use. It should be easy to understand and interpret the results so that the assessments are a valuable part of your hiring process. It allows you to effectively sift through candidates and select the best salespeople based on science rather than relying on a hunch or intuition.
A good sales assessment will give you a fact-checked picture of everything a candidate tells you during an interview. It will also help you objectively measure personality traits that are difficult to assess in an interview, such as optimism, the non-teachable trait of top salespeople.
Many sales aptitude tests out there claim to be able to identify the best salespeople. But most of them are ipsative tools that don’t accurately predict how well someone will perform in the role, and they also create liability for you if used to make employment decisions.
Reporting
It’s critical for sales assessment tools to provide clear, concise, and easy-to-read reports so you can evaluate your candidates’ strengths and weaknesses. In addition, your sales assessment tool should help you identify which traits are the most important for success in the role and suggest interview questions to ask candidates based on their results.
The most effective sales assessments are built upon a large volume of data from scientifically validated sources. They also have specific sales roles in mind so that you can assess each candidate’s potential for a particular sales role. For example, a sales assessment tool was developed based on 20 years of research and half a million sales professionals. It makes it a highly accurate tool for predicting sales success for an individual.
Using the right sales assessment tools can elevate your hiring process and help you build an effective team of top-performing sales reps. However, not all sales assessment tools are created equal, so choosing one that provides valid, reliable, and useful results is important to ensure you get the most out of it.
Investing in a superior sales assessment tool will save you time by weeding out low-potential candidates early in your hiring process. Unlike traditional interviews, which can be lengthy, sales assessments are designed to help you quickly determine whether or not a candidate has the personality and skills necessary for a given sales role.
