Deck 8: Personal Characteristics and Sales Aptitude: Criteria for Selecting Salespeople

Question 1

Factors that sales managers cannot control or influence-such as role perceptions,skills and motivation-account for the largest proportion of the variance in performance across salespeople.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The educational background of a potential salesperson is one of the most reliable factors that a sales manager can use to predict the subsequent success of an individual.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

How salespeople are managed is even more crucial to their ultimate success than how they are hired.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act applies to all private employers of 15 or more persons.

Question 5

There is no strong correlation between demographic factors and sales performance.

Question 6

Many sales executives have somewhat mixed feelings concerning what it takes to become a successful salesperson.

Question 7

Training and supervision are management actions that primarily attempt to influence:

A)Role perceptions and motivation
B)Aptitude and skill levels
C)Motivation and aptitude
D)Aptitude and motivation
E)Skill levels and role perceptions

Question 8

Aptitude is defined as learned proficiencies and attitudes necessary for effective performance of specific job tasks.

Question 9

Sales managers should not use sex to explain differences in performances among a cross-section of salespeople.

Question 10

All of the selection criteria that provide relevant information for predicting the future success of salespeople can be legally collected through interviews and job resumes.

Question 11

Research has proven that a salesperson's success rate is directly related to how closely his or her physical characteristics,personality and attitudes are similar to those of the prospect.

Question 12

Women have achieved greater acceptance in the construction and primary metals and industries than in the insurance industry.

Question 13

The most potentially useful approach to defining sales aptitude and evaluating a person's potential is first to determine the kinds of tasks involved in a specific sales job.
Multiple Choice Questions

Question 14

Extensive empirical research compares the job performance of minority salespeople with that of other ethnic groups.

Question 15

Salespeople are born not made.

Question 16

Vicon Pharmaceuticals spends considerable effort testing and interviewing candidates for their sales positions,determining which candidates have the traits and characteristics needed for success.Vicon has developed ________________ to use in choosing sales reps.

A)Corporate visions
B)Selection criteria
C)Character references
D)Performance indicators
E)Industry guidelines

Question 17

The ways in which people spend their time outside of their jobs do not appear to be closely related to their likely performance as a salesperson.

Question 18

There is no way to integrate and evaluate the findings of the hundreds of different research projects done to determine the relationships between the performance of an individual salesperson and the number of personal and organizational factors that might influence his performance.

Question 19

Aptitude and personal characteristics are typically thought to place an upper limit on an individual's ability to perform a given sales job.

Question 20

Selecting recruits with personal traits and abilities appropriate for specific selling tasks is an important determinant of their ultimate sales performance but,how those salespeople are managed is even more crucial to their success.

Question 21

Which of the following characteristics would a sales manager for a company that sells meat process equipment be likely to consider MOST important when looking at potential sales recruits?

A)Selling experience in the athletic shoe industry
B)Enthusiasm
C)Verbal skills
D)Well-organized
E)Ambitious

Question 22

After studying the "Summary of the effect of variables on salesperson performance" many sales managers find

A)Demographic variables are consistently the most important factors
B)Responsibility among salespeople overcomes weaknesses in other areas
C)Some traits commonly used to evaluate new recruits have not proven effective in accounting for differences in sales performance
D)Sociability and self-esteem are negative variables taking away from sales performance
E)All of the above

Question 23

Results indicating that demographic factors account for less than 5 percent of the difference in performance among salespeople

A)Implies sales managers should hire more women
B)Refutes the conventional wisdom espoused by some sales managers in the past
C)Suggests managers hire taller and attractive salespeople
D)Confirms the idea that lifestyle is less important than gender
E)None of the above

Question 24

One of the variables affecting sales performance is organizational and environmental factors.What can a sales manager do to incorporate this in their sales management strategy?

A)Design recruitment and selection policies
B)Improve training and supervision
C)Reduce supervisory pressure
D)Institute competitive rewards systems
E)Organize logical and effective territory designs

Question 25

One of the variables affecting sales performance is "personal characteristics".What can a sales manager do to incorporate aptitude in his/her sales force?

A)Carefully design recruitment and selection policies
B)Improve training and supervision
C)Reduce supervisory pressure
D)Institute competitive rewards systems
E)Organize logical and effective territory designs

Question 26

Which of the following statements about the characteristics sales managers look for in potential salespeople is true?

A)Company executives typically know what characteristics are needed and direct sales managers to hire individuals with those characteristics
B)General sales experience is considered more relevant than specific product or industry experience
C)Research has replaced opinions and experience as the primary tool for selecting an individual who will be a successful salesperson
D)A study of a large cross-section of salespeople to determine what factors make a salesperson successful would be useless because it would not be industry specific
E)All techniques used by sales manager to determine which potential recruits will be successful salespeople are completely subjective

Question 27

One of the variables affecting sales performance is motivation.What can a sales manager do to influence his sales force's level of motivation?

A)Make sure that the company only recruits highly motivated individuals to be salespeople
B)Set up extensive and thorough training programs for all salespeople
C)Set up a compensation and reward system that directly satisfies the needs of the members of the sales force
D)Set up a management hierarchy based on wide spans of control
E)Do any or all of the above

Question 28

Which of the following statements about women in sales is TRUE?

A)Women have achieved greater acceptance in some industries than others
B)Older sales managers often thought women were too emotional for sales
C)Some male managers feared having to supervise women
D)Some managers thought the turnover rates among women would be higher
E)All of the above

Question 29

_________________ are management actions that primarily attempt to influence aptitude and personal characteristics.

A)Interviews and testing
B)Aptitude and skill levels
C)Recruitment and selection policies
D)Aptitude and motivation
E)Training and supervision

Question 30

Which of the following statements is based on research that has been done about the characteristics needed for a successful salesperson?

A)Research has shown that a candidate's aptitude for sales is unimportant because aptitude can be taught
B)On average,factors that sales managers cannot control account for the largest proportion of the variance in performance across salespeople
C)Personal characteristics do not explain and cannot be used to explain individual differences in performances
D)The performance of a given salesperson is a function of organizational variables and unrelated to personal traits
E)Successful salespeople are both born and made

Question 31

Different types of selling situations appear to require salespeople with

A)Consistent educational achievement
B)Different personal traits and abilities
C)A variety of references
D)Experience and authority
E)Psychological profiles consistent with the work requirements

Question 32

Research indicates which of the following is NOT one of the personal characteristics that sales managers look for when selecting new salespeople?

A)Nonverbal communication skills
B)Enthusiasm
C)Organization
D)Persuasiveness
E)Ambition

Question 33

Which of the following questions CANNOT be legally asked during a job interview?

A)Do you have a college degree?
B)How long have you worked for your previous employer?
C)What characteristics do you have that you think make you suited to a job in sales?
D)What kind of extracurricular activities did you participate in while in school?
E)How old are you?

Question 34

Which of the following statements about how personal characteristics can be used as predictors of sales performance success is true?

A)Some personal variables such as personal history,family background,current marital status and vocational skills are related to differences in performance among salespeople
B)Sex is an important factor for explaining the differences in performance across salespeople
C)Sales aptitude and self-esteem explain the largest portion of the variance in performance across salespeople
D)Physical appearance is a strong predictor of whether a candidate for a sales job will be a successful salesperson
E)Marital status,family status and financial status cannot be used as predictors of an individual's success in a sales job

Question 35

From the research summarized in the text,which of the following categories of personal and organizational variables has the greatest impact on sales performance?

A)Aptitude
B)Personal characteristics
C)Motivation
D)Role perceptions
E)No one category has the greatest impact

Question 36

Which of the following aptitudes is most relevant to the success of a person who is hired for a sales position?

A)Intelligence
B)Math ability
C)Cognitive abilities
D)Sales aptitude
E)Verbal intelligence

Question 37

One of the variables affecting sales performance is skill levels.What can a sales manager do to incorporate skill levels in his/her sales force?

A)Carefully design recruitment and selection policies
B)Improve training and supervision
C)Reduce supervisory pressure
D)Institute competitive rewards systems
E)Organize logical and effective territory designs

Question 38

Research suggests older salespeople _________________ than younger salespeople.

A)Have higher energy levels
B)Have greater knowledge of products/services
C)Have lower commitment to clients
D)Are more adaptive to travel demands
E)All of the above

Question 39

The chances that a salesperson will quit or be fired in their first five years are:

A)1 in 100
B)90 out of 100
C)Almost 100 percent
D)50 out of 100
E)Almost zero percent

Question 40

You would NOT expect to find a high percentage of women on the sales staff in companies in the _____ industry.

A)Steel
B)Publishing
C)Insurance
D)Management consulting
E)Television

Question 41

Research in the area of personality traits indicates

A)Willingness to assert oneself is an important indicator of sales success
B)Sociability is more important than creativity as an indicator of sales success
C)Willingness to cooperate is a key characteristic for sales success
D)Self-esteem explains over 15 percent of sales performance
E)Needs for achievement is more intrinsic than extrinsic

Question 42

Aptitude tests

A)Are a good predictor of sales performance
B)Such as general intelligence tests,are highly correlated to sales performance
C)Are illegal under Title VII employment law
D)That test cognitive ability,are a relatively good indicator of likely sales success
E)Are good predictors of aggressiveness

Question 43

In the area of skills,the variables affecting sales performance the most are

A)Sales presentation and interpersonal skills
B)Vocational and general management skills
C)Interpersonal and vocational esteem skills
D)General management and sales presentation
E)Responsibility and dominance

Question 44

Regarding older salespeople,sales managers now know that:

A)Lack energy
B)"Stereotypes about them have definitely lost their thunder."
C)Are too inflexible
D)Are less committed
E)None of the above is true

Question 45

In a survey of customers and salespeople,which of the following was considered MOST important in determining whether a salesperson was trustworthy?

A)Product knowledge
B)Positive attitude
C)Well-dressed
D)Intelligent
E)Asks good questions

Question 46

Individual personality traits

A)Include demographic and lifestyle characteristics
B)Explain very little of the differences in salespeople's performance
C)Show Aptitude and work background are more important than responsibility
D)Submissive salespeople are equally effective as dominant salespeople
E)Show skill variables explain differences in salespeople's performance

Question 47

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act:

A)Has been unaffected by political changes in the executive branch of the federal government
B)Prohibits withholding jobs or promotions because of either customer preferences for salespeople of a particular race or sex or presumed differences in turnover rates
C)Applies to all private employers,no matter what size their organization
D)Applies to both public and private employers with 20 or more employees
E)Is administered by the U.S.Department of Justice

Question 48

When asked "What type of sales representative has a tougher time making sales?" sales managers most frequently stated,salespeople who

A)Speak too fast
B)Have a heavy accent
C)Are older
D)Dress sloppily
E)Are overweight

Question 49

Which of the following personal characteristics is the best predictor of sales success?

A)The salesperson's sex
B)The salesperson's ethnic background
C)The result of the salesperson's intelligence test
D)The salesperson's personal history and family background
E)Results of sales aptitude tests

Question 50

What is fundamentally incorrect with the hypothesis: "Salespeople are more likely to be successful when dealing with prospects who are similar to themselves in demographic characteristics,personality traits and attitudes than when their prospects have characteristics different from their own."

A)Federal legislation makes it illegal to gather this information about individual salespeople
B)The hypothesis is illogical because it is a well-known fact that opposites attract
C)Research does not support the similarity hypothesis
D)No research has yet been done to prove this hypothesis
E)Research has shown there is nothing wrong with this hypothesis which should be widely used by all sales managers

Question 51

Which of the following personal characteristics appears to reflect a salesperson's emotional maturity and motivation and is,therefore,a relatively good indicator of sales performance?

A)The applicant's current marital and family status
B)The applicant's educational attainment
C)The applicant's scores on intelligence and math ability tests
D)The applicant's self-esteem
E)None of the above

Question 52

Which of the following background and experience variables is the best predictor of a candidate's potential for sales success?

A)Educational attainment
B)Educational content
C)Sales experience
D)General work experience
E)Personal history and family background

Question 53

While salespeople indicate ____________ are most critical in building trust with the customer,customers themselves rank ____________________ as the top characteristic needed for salespeople to win customer trust.

A)Self-confidence;ask good questions
B)Intelligence;good listening skills
C)Positive attitude;Likable
D)Likable;understands business
E)Good listening skills;Product knowledge

Question 54

In a survey of customers and salespeople,which of the following was considered LEAST important in determining whether a salesperson was trustworthy?

A)Product knowledge
B)Positive attitude
C)Well-dressed
D)Intelligent
E)Asks good questions

Question 55

Surprisingly,companies continue to focus on hiring sales representatives _____________ even though this does not do a good job in explaining differences in sales performance.

A)With prior experience
B)Without college degree
C)Without aptitude testing
D)With close relatives in the company
E)None of the above

Question 56

Which of the following statements about the personal variables that produce successful salespeople is true?

A)Factors that reflect a person's emotional maturity and cooperative behavior also tend to be good predictors of sales performance
B)Matching salespeople with customers on the basis of personality similarities is the most preferred method for assigning accounts
C)Salespeople with equal motivation,role perceptions and training will invariably perform equally well since these are the factors that management can influence
D)Sales managers should hire salespeople with relatively similar personality traits,aptitudes and skills to minimize the differences within the sales force
E)The more similar the salespeople are to their customers,the higher the probability of success

Question 57

The more skill a salesperson has

A)The easier it is to become a sales manager
B)The lower his or her creativity is likely to be
C)The greater his or her need for extrinsic rewards
D)The better his or her performance is likely to be
E)The greater his or her sense of responsibility

Question 58

As the technology and customers become more sophisticated,

A)Sales managers hire younger workers
B)Sales managers hire people with technical backgrounds
C)The quality of the presentation must get better
D)Industrial buyers are leaving the industry
E)Interpersonal skills are becoming less important

Question 59

Research indicates interpersonal skills

A)Are not closely related to sales performance
B)Are more important than vocational skills
C)Are equally as important as general management skills
D)Are less important than vocational esteem skills
E)None of the above

Question 60

Research indicates that within the category of a salesperson's present marital,family and financial status,salespeople __________________ tend to have better sales performance.

A)With a diverse lifestyle
B)Who are conservative
C)With larger mortgages
D)Who are in the process of a divorce
E)None of the above

Question 61

Which of the following characteristics is most crucial for Jay's sales success?

A)Age and maturity
B)High energy and stamina
C)Empathy
D)Ability to deal with stress
E)Problem-solving

Question 62

What skills and traits have been found to be relatively good predictors of success for jobs involving the sale of services?

Question 63

Compare the salesperson characteristics most important in trade selling versus missionary selling.

Question 64

What types of aptitude test are relatively good predictors of selling success?

Question 65

What quality in a sales representative makes it tougher to make sales?

Question 66

For people selling business-to-business products," _________ " skills and traits are relatively good predictors of successful performance.

A)Basic
B)Key
C)Professional
D)High-level
E)None of the above

Question 67

From the studies cited in the text,what variables explain sales performance?

Question 68

Which of the following characteristics is important for someone who is planning to take a position as a technical salesperson for a chemical company?

A)Product and customer knowledge
B)Age and maturity
C)Customer empathy
D)Sales aggressiveness
E)All of the above

Question 69

Arlene is a _____ salesperson for the company.

A)Missionary
B)New product
C)Order-taking
D)Trade
E)Technical

Question 70

A characteristic that is important for a salesperson engaged in new business selling is:

A)The ability to set up long-term relationships with customers
B)Persistence
C)Youthful energy and stamina
D)Customer empathy
E)High-ego involvement in selling

Question 71

Compare the salesperson characteristics most important in technical selling versus new business selling.

Question 72

What skills and traits have been found to be relatively good predictors of success for business-to-business institutional sales?

Question 73

The potentially most useful approach to defining sales aptitude and evaluating a person's potential is to:

A)Gain all the demographic information possible about the job candidate
B)Establish the person's aptitude and if and where any training is needed for a general sales position
C)Match the salesperson in terms of demographics,personality and attitude with the customers he or she will be calling on
D)First determine the kinds of tasks involved in a specific sales job
E)Rely on managerial opinion and experience in the selection process

Question 74

What sales force selection criteria used in developing countries would be considered illegal or inappropriate in the United States?

Question 75

Which variable was found to account for the largest percentage of variation in sales performance?

Question 76

What characteristic do customers think make a sales rep trustworthy? What characteristic do sales reps think make them trustworthy?

Question 77

Research indicates that in jobs involving the sale of services

A)Sales presentation skills are important
B)Intelligence and self-esteem are good indicators of sales success
C)Professional skills and traits are good indicators of sales success
D)Being well-dressed is a major predictor of sales success
E)Aggressiveness and motivation are good indicators of sales success

Jay's job is to visit hospitals to explain to physicians and nurses the advantages of his company's line of bandages.Jay hopes this activity will encourage the medical personnel to request their hospital to stock Jay's brand.Arlene works for the same company,but her job is to convince pharmacies and supermarkets to carry the company's line of consumer adhesive bandages.

Question 78

Which of the following characteristics is crucial for Arlene's sales success?

A)Empathy
B)Age,maturity
C)Knowledge of customer
D)Knowledge of business methods
E)All of the above

Question 79

Jay's primary job for the company is to engage in low-key _____ selling.

A)Missionary
B)Order-taking
C)Technical
D)Trade
E)Consumer

Question 80

Which of the following organizations would be most likely to have members of its sales force acting as technical salespeople?

A)A manufacturer of baby food
B)A manufacturer of road building equipment
C)A television network
D)A newspaper publisher
E)An advertising agency