The most desirable personality traits of a salesperson in B2B sales lead to credibility, trust, and long-​term success. Successful professionals demonstrate grit, drive, curiosity, conscientiousness, modesty, resilience, achievement orientation, empathy and optimism. These personality traits ensure lasting impact instead of momentary gains.

However, there’s a disconnect when essential characteristics go missing among job candidates who seemed otherwise perfect for the job. There are three main characteristics necessary for sales success:

• Need for achievement
• Competitiveness
• Optimism

So how can one determine if they are suited for a job without the trial and error so common in our burgeoning gig economy?

Personality Testing Reveals Strengths and Weaknesses

Sales organizations use these tests to predict a candidate's potential success, guide training, and build stronger teams.

Personality traits

These assessments evaluate characteristics like extroversion, assertiveness, empathy, and resilience, which are commonly linked to sales success.

Skills and behaviors

They can also assess specific skills and behaviors relevant to sales, such as communication style, motivation, and the ability to handle rejection.

Cognitive capabilities

Some tests, like the Caliper Profile, also measure cognitive abilities alongside personality traits to provide a more complete picture of a candidate's potential.

Why are Personality Tests Needed?

Most critical personality traits of a salesperson are not revealed in a standard interview process. Moreover, it’s difficult to be objective and consistent when interviews are typically unique to each time and place. Therefore, sales organizations seek a more standardized and unbiased method to determine a candidate’s suitability before investing in their onboarding.

In addition to objective evaluations, testing provides:

Improved hiring

Identifying the personality traits of a salesperson with the specific mindset needed to excel in sales can prevent costly bad hires.

Targeted training

The results can provide insight into a new hire's specific needs, allowing for more targeted and effective onboarding and training.

Team building

By assessing the strengths and weaknesses of individual team members, managers can better pair people up to enhance overall team success.

Traits of the Successful Salesperson

Confidence and extensive product knowledge may be a key indicator that a candidate can get hired. However, will the applicant be able to sustain that certainty when faced with an obstinate buying committee? The best salespeople have a deep-​seated need to succeed, and they demonstrate both drive and grit.

Drive

Recognizing the need for achievement, a sustained optimism and a spirit of competitiveness defines drive. 

Conscientiousness, or drive, reflects a personality trait of a salesperson who remains responsible, organized, and committed to follow-​through. Candidates who rank high in drive on the sales test may not be the ones who interview well. Further, they may not fit the mold of the traditional seller, but they will be worth the investment.

Grit

Hard work, resilience and perseverance are gritty qualities. When sales cycles are long and complex, gritty salespeople can reliably keep clients engaged and focused. Seemingly, the high pressure and demanding world of sales can be the psychological foundation of grit-​fueled determination.

Grit in the form of resilience is a vital personality trait of a salesperson, overcoming discouragement and maintaining momentum. Seasoned B2B professionals emphasize that resilient salespeople quickly recover from setbacks and keep pursuing opportunities.

Blend Personality Traits for Continued Success

Constructing a lasting B2B career requires a blend of these personality traits of a salesperson rather than relying solely on product knowledge or charisma. Grit and drive fuel achievement while curiosity and conscientiousness bring credibility. Modesty and resilience foster trust, and empathy alongside optimism build enduring business relationships.

Photo by Justin Veenema on Unsplash​.com