Sales assessment: what the test really shows
When Ewout's report came in, I read it twice. Almost 20 years in sales and key account management, and yet low scores on prospecting, closing and ownership. My first thought, honestly: is our test even right?
A sales assessment maps whether someone fits a commercial role: from prospecting to closing, from building relationships to follow-up. But sometimes such a test shows more than skills alone. I only truly understood that through Ewout, one of my test users.
I'm sharing his story below, literally, in his own words (translated from Dutch). I couldn't say it better than he does. And then I'll tell you what I learned from it, for anyone who works with assessments or wants to hire a salesperson.
First things first: what is the sales assessment?
Our Sales Assessment is an online sales personality test with 180 behavioural questions you complete in under half an hour. It measures 12 sales scales and translates them into 6 archetypes: the Hunter (chases new clients), the Farmer (grows relationships), the Deal Maker (closes), the Solution Seller (advises), the Technical Sales (sells through expertise) and the Executor (delivers and follows up). For each commercial role you get a clear answer: fits, fits with a point of attention, or does not fit.
I fine-tuned it over the past months with a group of test users. And it was exactly in that test phase that something happened that taught me more than any calculation.
The report that made me doubt
We sat down together, Ewout and I. And the answer was yes, the test was right. It just measured something I had not been looking for.
Ewout's story, in his own words
I have been working in sales for almost 20 years now. Yet I recently received a sales assessment that was quite confronting. On paper I scored low on things like prospecting, closing skills and ownership. Not exactly the scores you would expect from someone who has been active in sales and key account management for years.
My first reflex? “Wait... is this right?”
The truth is that at that moment I was not at my strongest, emotionally and mentally. Looking back, I can see how that translated into my answers. What this assessment mainly taught me is that it does not only make talent, competencies or working style visible. It also became a mirror.
Sometimes an assessment shows more than skills alone. It also shows your energy level, your mental space, your resilience and the phase you are in at that moment.
And I think that is an important nuance. A score is not an identity. A red cross is not an endpoint. An assessment is not a verdict, but a starting point for an open, honest and vulnerable conversation. Together with Nancy I am now looking at how we can use this experience to help others: professionals, entrepreneurs and salespeople who may be strong in what they do, but temporarily no longer operate from their full potential.
Because sometimes the most important question is not: “Are you right for this role?” But rather: “What do I need to function from my real strength again?”
Sound familiar?
What I take away from this
A score is not an identity. Since that conversation, that has become my benchmark.
A sales assessment measures behaviour as it shows today. Usually that aligns nicely with what someone can do. But if someone is going through a rough patch, you see it in the numbers. An extra layer of information, if you are willing to see it.
That is why, for me, the report is never the end of a procedure. It is where the conversation starts. Why does someone score low on ownership? Rough period or fixed pattern? You cannot read that from a percentage. You only hear it when you talk about it.
What does that follow-up conversation look like with me? No slides, just the report between us. I go through the most striking scores, ask what the period of filling it in was like, and above all: I listen. Usually within ten minutes I know whether I am looking at a pattern or a moment.
Where companies go wrong when hiring salespeople
What I often see in sales recruitment: a candidate gets rejected based on one report, without a conversation. A waste. You might be throwing away someone who simply had a bad month.
The opposite happens too: blindly trusting a top score without asking further. That is also misusing the report. A good assessment gives you the questions for the conversation. The conversation itself remains your job.
If you want extra certainty when hiring a salesperson, combine the report with a good conversation and, if needed, our scientifically validated Big Five personality test.
Frequently asked questions about the sales assessment
Can you take a sales assessment at a bad moment?
Yes, and you will see it in the scores. The test measures behaviour as it shows at that moment, so your energy and mental space play a part too. That is why a follow-up conversation is always part of it: that is how you tell a temporary dip from a fixed pattern.
What exactly does a sales assessment measure?
Our sales assessment measures 12 sales scales through 180 behavioural questions, from prospecting and closing to stress resilience and structure. Those scores translate into 6 archetypes such as Hunter, Farmer and Deal Maker, and an advice per commercial role.
Which sales types does the test distinguish?
The sales personality test works with 6 archetypes: Hunter, Farmer, Deal Maker, Solution Seller, Technical Sales and Executor. Nobody is one single type. You get a score on each archetype, and that mix determines which commercial role fits someone best.
Is a low score a reason to reject someone?
No. A low score is a starting point for a conversation, not a verdict.
How long does the test take and in which languages?
The sales assessment takes 25 to 30 minutes and is available in Dutch, French and English. Results are available immediately in a clear report you can read without an HR background.
Closing
Ewout shared his story with his name and his consent, and I think that is brave. If his words strike a chord, or you would like to see what such a report looks like, just send me a message.
Read also
Hiring a salesperson without a mishire
Sales recruitment, the toughest job there is
Written by Nancy Steels. Founder of TalentTester. 25+ years of experience in HR recruitment, online assessments and personality profiling. Connect on LinkedIn.