Personality Traits of Successful Salespeople with Christopher Croner, SalesDrive, LLC

In this HRchat episode, we focus on challenges related to attracting, hiring, and onboarding Sales pros.

Joining Bill Banham on the show today is Psychologist and Sales Assessment Expert, Christopher Croner, Ph.D.

Chris is co-author of the book, Never Hire a Bad Salesperson Again, detailing his research and practice in identifying the non-teachable personality traits common to top producers.

Dr. Croner developed the DriveTest® online sales test and the Drive Interview, both used for hiring “Hunter” salespeople. Using this method, he has helped more than 1,400 companies worldwide to hire and develop top-performing salespeople.

He has served as an adjunct faculty member at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, teaching personnel selection in the Industrial Psychology Master of Arts program. Dr. Croner is an active member of the Consulting Section of the Illinois Psychological Association and former Co-Program Chair of Chicago Industrial/Organizational Psychologists (CIOP).

Questions Include:  

• Can you explain the difference between Hunters and Famers and how each fits into the sales efforts of a company? 
• The cost of hiring and keeping a bad salesperson can range from six to seven figures annually. Talk about the financial and time costs of making a bad Sales hire. 
• Who should lead efforts to attract and interview sales exec candidates? Is that HR, the Sales Manager or another department? 
• How can HR help to align sales competencies with the job spec? 
• What personality traits are critical to determining a salesperson’s long-term potential?
• What specific elements of a sales candidate’s resume indicate high drive?
• Is there an assessment to test sales candidates for drive before hiring?
• What interview questions can our audience use to assess drive in sales candidates?
• What onboarding steps can HR teams use to maximize a new salesperson’s success?
• Sales is a dynamic role, affected by factors such as the markets and hitting targets. How often should compensation be reviewed? 
• In Jan 2022, you released the second edition of your book, Never Hire a Bad Salesperson Again which details your psychological research and practice in identifying the non-teachable personality traits common to top-producing salespeople. Tell me about the book and how listeners can get a copy. 

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