Discover the Predictive Index^®: what it is, how it works, what it can tell you, and why you may want to add it to your sales recruitment strategy.

While deciding to expand your sales team is an exciting one, it’s only the first step. Next comes the taxing effort of recruiting someone. We all know that finding the perfect salesperson can be a hefty investment of your time and money. So how can you ensure that you’re making the right choice? By adding the Predictive Index (PI) behavioral assessment to your recruiting process.

What’s the Predictive Index?

According to TechTarget.com the PI is a “theory-based, self-report measurement of normal, adult, work-related personality that was developed and validated for use within occupational and organizational populations.” The scientifically backed behavioral assessment (there’s a second cognitive assessment) measures four core behavioral drives—dominance, extroversion, patience, and formality.

What’s it used for?

In addition to recruiting, the PI is used for various human resource management purposes, including executive onboarding, leadership development, coaching, team building, and culture change. Ultimately, studying the four behavioral drives helps to provide a pattern for understanding workplace behaviors and increasing productivity and retention.

How does it work?

The behavioral assessment is presented as two lists of words. From the first list, participants are instructed to select the terms that describe them best. Using the second list, they’re asked to choose the words that describe how others expect them to behave. These are then summarized to provide an overview of probable workplace behavior.

As mentioned above, the PI measures four core behavioral motivators:

• Dominance is the degree to which an individual seeks to control their environment. A high score indicates independence and self-confidence. A low score suggests a cooperative and accommodating personality.
• Extroversion is the degree to which an individual seeks social interaction. High scores suggest a personality that is outgoing and social. A lower score suggests a more serious and task-oriented disposition.
• Patience is a measurement of how consistent a person is in their environment. A high score points toward a patient and deliberate stance. A lower score suggests fast-paced and urgent.
• Formality is a prediction of the degree to which an individual seeks to conform to structure. High scores predict the participant is organized and precise. A low score indicates a more informal and casual demeanor.

When it comes to a salesperson, you may want to lean toward a candidate who scores relatively high in dominance and extroversion (but don’t discount the introverts). This type of team member can help steer cold calls in the right direction while also genuinely wanting to forge a connection with prospects. The ideal candidate will be patient, enabling them to be tenacious when nurturing a lead. Lastly, a candidate who possesses a high score in formality is more likely to stay on script and organize their thoughts in a database more than someone who scores relatively low.

The takeaway

If you want to ramp up your recruiting and hiring strategy, consider integrating the Predictive Index. It’s proven to increase your productivity and retention.