See whether sales is in your wiring — in eight minutes.
A research-backed sales aptitude test based on the Big Five. Free, instant, no signup. Useful for your own read or for evaluating candidates.
Am relaxed and handle stress well
Am outgoing and sociable
Am inventive and find clever ways to do things
Tend to find fault with others
Am dependable and steady
See a Full Sample Sales Aptitude Report
Anonymised sample showing the eight-competency grid, six Sales DNA derailers, and a hire-verdict card. This is what you'll see at the end of your test.
Alex Morgan
Sales Profile
The Hunter
Each vertex represents a stage of the sales cycle. Distance from centre = competency strength.
Selling style
Relentless new-business pursuer who thrives on cold outreach, opening doors, and filling the top of the funnel. Energised by the chase and undeterred by high rejection volumes.
Best-fit roles
- ✓Business Development Representative (BDR/SDR)
- ✓Outbound Account Executive
- ✓New Logo Acquisition
- ✓Territory Opener
- ✓Channel Partner Recruiter
Peer comparison
How you compare
Where you stand relative to the broader population
Your Drive & Ambition score is in the top 17% of practicing salespeople.
Your Rejection Resilience is stronger than roughly 76% of salespeople. The cold-call engine holds.
Your Closing Instinct sits in the top 18% of sales profiles we see.
Your Pipeline Discipline ranks ahead of about 84% of sellers. Forecasts move with you.
8 Sales Competencies
Performance dimensions
Drive & Ambition
highThis person operates with a relentless internal engine. They set targets above what's required, maintain intensity through long sales cycles, and treat quota as a floor rather than a ceiling. Expect them to self-generate pipeline without external motivation, push for stretch assignments, and become restless in environments without clear upward mobility. Their activity volume will be high, their competitive metrics will consistently outpace peers, and they'll be the first to ask about accelerators and President's Club criteria.
Where it matters most: Prospecting → Closing
Rejection Resilience
highRejection rolls off this person like water. They can make 80 cold calls in a morning, hear 'no' 75 times, and pick up the phone for call 81 with genuine enthusiasm. Their emotional thermostat barely registers individual setbacks because they operate on a longer time horizon, they know the numbers will work in their favour across volume. Lost deals don't linger in their mind overnight. This is the profile that survives the first 90 days of outbound where most reps flame out.
Where it matters most: Prospecting → Objection Handling
Social Confidence
highWalks into any room, boardroom, trade show floor, networking event, and engages effortlessly. This person opens conversations with strangers naturally, reads social dynamics quickly, and adapts their energy to match the audience. C-suite meetings don't intimidate them. They'll volunteer for the keynote presentation, request the CEO meeting, and build rapport with gatekeepers who block other reps. Their social ease translates to shorter warm-up time in discovery calls and faster trust establishment.
Where it matters most: Discovery → Presentation
Competitive Fire
highIntensely competitive, tracks the leaderboard daily, knows their win rate versus specific competitors by name, and treats every deal as a personal contest. This person is energised by competitive displacement deals and will invest extra effort when they know a named rival is in the evaluation. They negotiate hard, push back on discounting pressure, and aren't afraid to walk away if terms don't serve the business. Expect them to thrive in head-to-head competitive environments and wilt in non-competitive, collaborative-only cultures.
Where it matters most: Negotiation → Closing
Relationship Building
moderateBuilds adequate professional relationships that support the sales process without becoming the primary differentiator. This person connects well enough to maintain deal momentum but may not generate the 'I just want to work with you' loyalty that relationship-first sellers inspire. They're effective in sales cycles where the product/solution is the primary decision driver rather than the individual relationship.
Where it matters most: Discovery → Account Management
Closing Instinct
highThis person reads buying signals with precision and asks for the business without hesitation. They know when to push, when to pause, and when to create urgency without manufacturing false deadlines. Negotiation feels natural, they maintain composure when procurement pushes back, hold firm on value, and navigate multi-stakeholder approval processes with a clear plan. Expect them to have the highest proposal-to-close conversion rate on the team and the shortest time from proposal delivery to signed contract.
Where it matters most: Proposal → Close
Coachability
moderateOpen to coaching when delivered well but may not proactively seek it. This person accepts feedback constructively and implements changes, though perhaps more slowly than highly coachable peers. They benefit from structured development programs, regular 1:1s with clear action items, and environments where coaching is normalised rather than corrective. Expect steady improvement over time with appropriate management investment.
Where it matters most: Onboarding → Continuous Improvement
Pipeline Discipline
highCRM hygiene is impeccable. This person updates opportunities in real-time, maintains accurate close dates, documents next steps after every interaction, and forecasts with precision that leadership can trust. Their pipeline coverage ratio stays above 3x consistently because they prospect even when current pipeline looks healthy. They run weekly self-audits on stale opportunities and aren't afraid to move deals backward in stage when evidence warrants it. Expect forecast accuracy within 5-10% and no end-of-quarter surprises.
Where it matters most: Pipeline Management → Forecasting
Selling strengths
High-volume prospecting endurance
Can sustain outbound activity levels that most reps find unsustainable, generating pipeline volume that creates statistical inevitability of success.
Fearless cold outreach
Approaches strangers without hesitation, cold calls, walk-ups, LinkedIn outreach, event networking, creating opportunities where others wait for inbound.
Self-starting pipeline generation
Never waits for marketing-qualified leads. Self-sources opportunities through personal research, networking, and creative outreach strategies.
Hiring considerations
Risk factors for sales success
Pipeline bloat without qualification
How it shows up
Fills the funnel with unqualified prospects to hit activity targets, creating noise that wastes closing resources downstream.
Compensating strategy
Pair with a structured qualification framework (MEDDIC/BANT) and track conversion rates alongside volume metrics to reward quality over quantity.
Account churn post-close
How it shows up
Moves on immediately after signing, leaving customers feeling abandoned. Handoff to account management is sloppy or non-existent.
Compensating strategy
Mandate a 30-day post-close engagement period before the deal is counted as 'closed-won' in comp calculations.
Team collaboration friction
How it shows up
Reluctance to share leads, competitive hoarding of relationships, dismissal of process requirements from ops or marketing.
Compensating strategy
Design compensation that rewards team pipeline contribution, not just individual quota attainment.
For the hiring manager
Interview questions
Behavioral probes targeted to this candidate's profile
"Describe a situation where you had to build rapport with a senior executive you'd never met, in a time-pressured context. What was your approach?"
Listen for
Specific rapport techniques (research, shared context, vulnerability), comfort with seniority, adaptability. Red flag: describes anxiety, over-preparation, or avoidance of executive conversations.
"How many of your current customers would take your call within 2 hours if you reached out today? What have you done to earn that access?"
Listen for
High number with specific examples of relationship investment, non-transactional touchpoints, genuine interest in customer outcomes beyond the deal. Red flag: transactional language, inability to name specific relationships.
"What's the most useful piece of sales coaching you've received in the last year? How specifically did you implement it?"
Listen for
Specific, recent example with observable behaviour change and measurable outcome. Red flag: generic answers ('always be learning'), inability to name a specific coach or lesson, defensiveness about past feedback.
Role fit recommendation
Best fit
Greenfield territory development, startup sales teams building pipeline from zero, outbound-heavy motions where persistence determines outcomes.
Worst fit
Existing account management, long-cycle enterprise deals requiring deep patience, post-sale customer success roles.
Team composition note
Pair the Hunter with a Farmer or Consultant for deal progression. The Hunter opens doors that others walk through, ensure clean handoff protocols.
Development plan
Expanding Social Range and Comfort
- →Set a 'first 30 seconds' goal for every networking event: approach one stranger and open with a genuine question about their role or perspective. Build the muscle through repetition in low-stakes settings.
- →Request executive ride-alongs with senior leaders at your company, observe how they build rapport at the C-level and debrief the conversation afterward.
- →Record your discovery calls and listen for energy, question quality, and rapport-building moments. Identify one behaviour to improve per week.
- →Practice 'power posing' before high-stakes meetings, research shows expansive physical postures reduce cortisol and increase confidence hormones.
Strengthening Relationship Currency
- →Implement a CRM-based 'touch cadence' for your top 20 accounts: personal check-in every 6 weeks with no commercial ask. Share an article, congratulate a milestone, or ask about a personal interest you noted.
- →After every significant meeting, send a same-day personalised follow-up that references something non-transactional discussed in the conversation.
- →Build a 'give first' library: 10 things you can offer prospects/customers without asking anything in return (introductions, insights, invitations, articles, benchmarks).
- →Track your Net Promoter Score informally: how many customers proactively refer you without being asked? Set a target to increase this number quarterly.
Maximising Learning Velocity
- →After every lost deal, write a one-paragraph 'lesson learned' and share it with your manager in your next 1:1. Demonstrating vulnerability with losses accelerates coaching quality.
- →Record one call per week and self-review with a specific rubric (discovery quality, talk-time ratio, next-step commitment, objection handling). Score yourself honestly.
- →Request 'feedforward' from peers: instead of asking what you did wrong, ask 'what's one thing I could try next time?' Future-oriented feedback reduces defensiveness.
- →Set one specific behaviour-change goal per quarter (not an outcome goal). Track daily execution. Example: 'Ask three open-ended questions before presenting any solution.'
Scientific basis
- Vinchur, A. J., Schippmann, J. S., Switzer, F. S., & Roth, P. L. (1998). A meta-analytic review of predictors of job performance for salespeople. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83(4), 586-597. — The meta-analysis that identified Conscientiousness and Extraversion as the strongest personality predictors of sales success.
- Barrick, M. R., & Mount, M. K. (1991). The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44(1), 1-26. — Foundational evidence for Conscientiousness as a cross-occupation performance predictor.
- Grant, A. M. (2013). Rethinking the extraverted sales ideal: The ambivert advantage. Psychological Science, 24(6), 1024-1030. — Evidence that moderate Extraversion outperforms both extremes in sales revenue, shaping our competency weightings.
- Hogan, J., Rybicki, S. L., Motowidlo, S. J., & Borman, W. C. (1998). Relations between contextual performance, personality, and occupational advancement. Human Performance, 11(2-3), 189-207. — Evidence for rejection resilience as a distinct sales competency.
- Barrick, M. R., Stewart, G. L., & Piotrowski, M. (2002). Personality and job performance: Test of the mediating effects of motivation among sales representatives. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(1), 43-51. — Evidence for the motivational pathway linking Conscientiousness to closing performance.
- Adamson, B., Dixon, M., & Toman, N. (2012). The Challenger Sale: Taking control of the customer conversation. Portfolio / Penguin. — Contemporary framework behind the six sales archetypes (Hunter, Farmer, Closer, Consultant, Challenger, Relationship Builder).
This report derives its dimensions and interpretations from the published research cited above. Scoring is deterministic and reproducible: the same IPIP-60 responses always produce the same report. It is designed for self-awareness and development, not clinical diagnosis.
A sales-specific read on the same personality data
One 60-item Big Five assessment. Two lenses: your own, or a candidate's.
Most sales tests either measure surface skills (can you write a cold email?) or hand you a one-word label. This one reads your personality against the traits and facets that sustained research (Vinchur et al. 1998, Barrick & Mount 1991) link to sales performance, and translates them into eight practical competencies, six derailers, and a four-level hire verdict when you use it for hiring.
The eight sales competencies scored
Every Sales Profile scores all eight, with a short rationale under each.
Each competency is anchored in specific Big Five facets. The mapping is transparent: you can see which traits drive which score, and disagree with us honestly if your lived experience differs.
Prospecting Discipline
The steady, self-started effort it takes to build pipeline when no one is watching. Rooted in Self-Discipline and Achievement Striving, the muscles that carry reps through cold weeks.
Calibrated Skepticism
How carefully you separate genuine opportunity from friendly conversation. It rests on intellect and healthy skepticism: the habit of asking one more question before committing time.
Rapport Depth
The warmth that makes buyers lean in rather than brace. Anchored in Friendliness and genuine Altruism: connection that reads as interest, not technique.
Assertive Closing
Asking for the decision clearly, at the right moment, without flinching. Built on Assertiveness and Self-Efficacy: the belief that you have earned the ask.
Rejection Resilience
How quickly you reset after a no. Lower Anxiety and Vulnerability mean one cold call does not colour the next five. Different from toughness; closer to steadiness.
Pipeline Discipline
Forecast hygiene, CRM updates, next-step clarity. Fed by Dutifulness and Self-Discipline: the quiet habits that turn activity into reliable revenue.
Learning Agility
How fast you absorb new products, verticals, and objections. Shaped by Adventurousness and openness to new methods: the instinct to try the rewrite before the retreat.
Negotiation Stance
Holding value under pressure without breaking the relationship. A calibrated mix of Assertiveness with the self-awareness to know when to trade and when to hold the line.
Six derailers the report surfaces
The quiet patterns that slow ramp, named and scored, not hidden.
Objective Management Group coined the "Sales DNA" label for this cluster of hidden-weakness constructs. We score an openly documented version of each, so reps and managers can talk about them with the same words. Every profile shows at least one; the goal is awareness, not judgement.
Need for Approval
The pull to be liked more than trusted. High need for approval can soften qualifying questions, delay the ask, and accept a late "maybe" as a real answer.
Money Comfort
How steady you are when talking about price. Low money comfort shows up as flinching at list price, pre-discounting, and shying away from commission conversations.
Rejection Resilience
A derailer when it runs low. Repeated rejection weighs everyone; the question is how long it sits on your shoulders before you dial the next number.
Emotional Discipline
Staying composed under pressure. Weak discipline shows as over-talking when nervous, arguing with prospects, or letting a single hard call bleed into the day.
Excuse-Making (inverted)
Scored high for accountability, low for blame. Reps who locate the cause of a lost deal outside themselves tend to lose the same deal twice.
Buy-Cycle Health
Awareness of your own buying habits. Reps who never buy without three quotes often grant the same hesitation to their prospects, then wonder why deals stall.
A four-level verdict, with the reasons spelled out
No single-word NO. No unexplained rank. One signal, not the decision.
For hiring, every Sales Profile ends with a four-level verdict computed deterministically from the eight competency scores and the target weights you set for the role. Each verdict ships with a short rationale, supporting factors, and watchouts so the hiring manager can interview against them rather than argue with a number.
-
Strong Yes
Competency profile meets or exceeds target on the dimensions this role weights, no red-flag derailers.
-
Qualified Yes
Good match overall with one or two watchouts to probe in the interview.
-
Stretch
Meaningful gaps in role-critical competencies. Hire only with clear evidence of compensating strengths.
-
Reconsider
Multiple role-critical gaps or active derailers. Framed with reasons, never as a personal verdict.
The verdict is one signal. Pair it with structured interviews, work samples, and reference checks. The report says this on every page for a reason.
Candidate
Alex M. · Senior AE
Supporting factors
Strong qualifying habits and reliable forecast hygiene; high Achievement Striving.
Watchouts
Moderate rejection resilience. Probe how Alex handled a recent deal loss.
Illustrative preview. Anonymised sample.
The Deal Flow Diamond
Your sales profile across the four phases every deal moves through.
Each vertex sizes to your competency strength in that phase. A balanced diamond reads evenly; a lopsided one tells you where to practise.
Prospecting
Activity + discipline to fill pipeline
Qualifying
Judgement on where to spend time
Closing
Asking cleanly and holding value
Retaining
Relationship depth after the sale
Compared to practising salespeople, not the general population
Sales self-selects. That changes what a percentile means.
Sales-population norming, in one example
On Assertiveness, a candidate might land at the 72nd percentile compared to the general population, which sounds strong. Compared to practising salespeople, though, the same score sits around the 48th percentile, because sales self-selects for high Assertiveness, high Achievement Striving, and lower Anxiety.
The Sales Profile shows both numbers. That is the difference between "looks like a seller" and "looks like a seller compared to other sellers." Calibration draws on the sales-performance meta-analysis by Vinchur, Schippmann, Switzer & Roth (1998).
Want the primer on the Big Five itself? Read the Big Five personality test explainer.
How this compares to OMG, Caliper, TestGorilla, and SalesGenomix
Honest positioning. The tools we mention are respected; we describe what we do differently, not worse or better in blanket terms.
| Provider | Instrument | Verdict style | Pricing (indicative) | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SeeMyPersonality Sales Aptitude This page | IPIP-60 (Big Five, public-domain) | Four-level hire verdict + Sales DNA derailers | Free self-assessment · transparent per-candidate hiring plans | Open, deterministic scoring |
| Objective Management Group (OMG) | Proprietary | Recommended / Not Recommended, plus Sales DNA | Typically ~$100–500 per candidate | Closed methodology, 30+ years of proprietary data |
| Caliper Profile | Proprietary 22-trait inventory | Role match + trait breakdown | Typically ~$150–300 per candidate | Closed methodology, research-backed |
| TestGorilla (Sales Skills) | Skills + aptitude library | Score per test, no sales-specific verdict | From ~$75/month, per-seat | Mixed library; sales fit not the central lens |
| SalesGenomix | Proprietary | Sales-specific recommendation | Roughly ~$249 per candidate | Closed methodology |
Prices are indicative based on publicly available figures as of 2026 and vary by contract. OMG's decades of proprietary sales-performance data are genuine and are their primary moat; we do not claim an equivalent dataset. We make a different trade: open instrument, deterministic scoring, instant results, and transparent pricing.
Three readers. One test.
The instrument is the same; the lens changes to suit the question you walked in with.
Reps curious about their wiring
Thinking about sales, already in sales, or wondering whether you should be. Get a structured read on eight sales competencies and the derailers that most often slow reps down.
Sales managers evaluating candidates
Hiring one rep at a time. Send a link, get a Sales Profile with a four-level verdict, read the rationale, then have a better first interview. No long procurement cycle.
VPs of Sales hiring at scale
Running multiple requisitions across SDR, AE, and field. Role profiles let you set target competencies per role; dashboards let you compare candidates on the same yardstick.
How the test works, and what's behind it
Public-domain items, deterministic scoring, published evidence.
The instrument
The 60 items come from the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), a public-domain library of peer-reviewed personality items developed by Lewis R. Goldberg. The 60-item form measures the five broad domains of the Big Five (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Emotional Stability) with reliability coefficients that meet standard psychometric thresholds. Scoring is deterministic: your answers are translated into scores by a published formula, not by AI.
The sales-specific lens
Three findings anchor the sales mapping:
- Vinchur, Schippmann, Switzer & Roth (1998). A meta-analysis of personality and sales performance that identified Conscientiousness (especially Achievement Striving) and Extraversion (especially Assertiveness) as the most consistent correlates of sales outcomes. This anchors our sales-population norming.
- Barrick & Mount (1991). The foundational meta-analysis connecting the Big Five to job performance across occupations. Conscientiousness predicts broadly; Extraversion and Emotional Stability predict for roles with strong interpersonal and stress demands, which describes most sales roles.
- Hunter & Hunter (1984). The classic review of selection-predictor validity, used here to remind readers that no single predictor, including personality, should carry a hiring decision alone.
Additional references used in the report: Costa & McCrae (1992) for the NEO parent framework, Goldberg (1999) for IPIP origin, and Grant (2013) for the ambivert-advantage finding that shapes how the test treats introverted candidates.
What we do not claim
This test does not forecast future revenue, rank candidates as a single number with no rationale, or substitute for structured interviews, work samples, and reference checks. Research-backed personality scoring narrows uncertainty. It does not remove it.
Responsible pre-employment use
Read before you deploy this test in a hiring pipeline.
Responsible pre-employment use
Personality assessments used in hiring in the United States fall under the EEOC Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (29 CFR § 1607). To use this Sales Aptitude Test responsibly in a hiring process, the guidance we follow and recommend is:
- Job-relatedness. Use the sales-specific competency weights only for roles where those competencies are genuinely job-relevant, and document that link.
- Consistent administration. Apply the same assessment to every candidate for a given role, not selectively.
- Not the sole criterion. Pair the verdict with structured interviews, work samples, and reference checks. The report states this; your process should back it up.
- Adverse-impact monitoring. Big Five items generally show smaller subgroup differences than cognitive tests, but no instrument is bias-free. Monitor outcomes and keep records.
- Open instrument. The IPIP items are public-domain and inspectable. Scoring is deterministic, with no hidden AI in the score itself. Candidates can be given an explanation of the process.
- Role-profile documentation. Before deploying at scale, document why the chosen role-profile weights fit the job, ideally supported by internal job-analysis data.
SeeMyPersonality has not completed a formal criterion-related validity study for any specific role; the competency weights are informed positioning, not a substitute for local validation. This is guidance, not legal advice. Employment law differs by jurisdiction; consult your employment counsel for your specific context.
Bring this to your hiring process
Three steps from 'create a role' to 'read a verdict'.
Create the role profile
Set target weights for the eight competencies based on the role: SDR, AE, field, account manager, or sales manager. Start from a template, tune to fit.
Send candidates the apply link
Each candidate receives a unique link, takes the 60-item assessment, and finishes in about eight minutes. No account needed on their side.
Review the Sales Profile in your dashboard
For each candidate you see the eight competencies, the Sales DNA derailer panel, the four-level hire verdict, and the rationale, all ready to interview against.
Sales aptitude test: FAQ
Twelve for reps and the career-curious, twelve for hiring managers.
Is this sales aptitude test really free? +
Yes. The 60-item test is free, the Sales Profile appears as soon as you finish, and no account or email is required to take it or view it. If you later want to save or share results, that can involve an email address, but the test and its report are free.
How long does the test take? +
About eight minutes. There are 60 items, and most people finish in six to nine minutes. The goal is not to go fast; it is to answer honestly based on how you are most of the time.
Am I good at sales? Will this tell me? +
It describes how your personality maps onto eight sales competencies, flags derailers that often show up in early-career ramp failure, and gives you a plain-language read. It will not promise future performance. No research-backed instrument ethically can.
What makes a good salesperson, according to the research? +
Since Barrick & Mount (1991), the most consistent findings have been: high Conscientiousness (discipline, achievement striving), moderate-to-high Extraversion (assertiveness more than sociability), and emotional stability under rejection. This test reads all three, and Vinchur et al. (1998) specifically meta-analysed how these traits connect to sales performance.
What does a sales aptitude test actually measure? +
Personality traits that correlate with sustained sales performance, plus derailers that historically show up in early failures. It is not a maths test, a trivia test, or a role-play exercise; those measure different things.
Is sales the right career for me? +
The report gives you structured evidence to think with. A lower-fit read does not mean you cannot sell; it means your wiring may fight against it more than it does for others. Many successful salespeople have mixed profiles and compensate consciously.
Can I retake the sales aptitude test? +
Yes. Personality is stable over weeks, so retake scores tend to agree closely. Retest after a major life change, a new role, or roughly six months.
What's the difference between a sales aptitude test and a personality test? +
An aptitude test is a lens on a personality test. The instrument (IPIP-60) is the same; the lens is sales-specific, covering eight competencies, six Sales DNA derailers, and sales-population norms.
Will this show me my weaknesses? +
It will show your derailers (the patterns that most often get in the way for salespeople), framed as watchouts with suggested moves, not deficits. Every profile has some; the report is honest without being harsh.
Can I use this to prep for a sales job interview? +
Yes. Take it honestly and use the language to articulate your fit in your own words. Do not try to game it. Hiring teams can spot answers tuned to a stereotyped "right" sales personality. See our <a href="/hiring">sales interview prep guide</a>.
What if I'm introverted? Can I still be in sales? +
Yes. Grant (2013) and others find that ambiverts (people in the middle of the Extraversion scale) often outperform very high extraverts in sales. The report describes how your style plays in sales, not whether you are allowed to be there.
Is this an IQ test or a sales IQ test? +
No. It measures personality traits and sales-related competencies, not cognitive ability. Cognitive ability is a separate, legitimate predictor that this instrument does not cover.
How do you test sales candidates with this tool? +
Send a candidate an apply link; they take the 60-item assessment online; you see their Sales Profile in your dashboard with eight competencies, a Sales DNA derailer panel, and a four-level hire verdict. See <a href="/hiring">how hiring works</a>.
Is a pre-employment sales assessment legal? +
Personality tests used in hiring are legal under EEOC guidelines provided they are job-related, applied consistently, not used as the sole criterion, and monitored for adverse impact. This is not legal advice. Document your process and consult your employment counsel for your specific context.
How does this compare to OMG (Objective Management Group)? +
OMG pioneered Sales DNA and the Recommended/Not Recommended verdict style, with decades of proprietary data. Our read is openly documented (IPIP-60), instantly delivered, priced transparently, and surfaces Sales DNA–style derailers with a four-level hire verdict. If OMG is working for you, stay. If you want an open, self-serve alternative, this is built for that.
OMG vs Caliper: which should I use? +
Both are respected. OMG is sales-specific and categorical. Caliper is broader (22 traits used across many roles) and more expensive per administration. Ours is sales-lensed, self-serve, and transparent, at a lower per-candidate price point.
What is Sales DNA? +
It's Objective Management Group's label for a cluster of hidden-weakness constructs that predict ramp failure independently of surface sales skills: need for approval, money comfort, rejection resilience, emotional discipline, excuse-making, and buy-cycle health. We score our open version of each in the report.
What is a "hire verdict" and how is it calculated? +
A four-level summary (Strong Yes, Qualified Yes, Stretch, No) computed deterministically from weighted competency scores and dealbreaker thresholds you set in your role profile. Each verdict comes with a printed rationale, supporting factors, and watchouts.
Can this be used as the only hiring decision? +
No. Treat it as one signal alongside structured interviews, work samples, reference checks, and your own judgement. That is both sound hiring practice and the EEOC-aligned position.
How do you prevent adverse impact? +
Big Five items generally show smaller subgroup differences than cognitive tests, but no instrument is bias-free. We publish the item bank (IPIP is public-domain), use deterministic scoring with no hidden AI in the score itself, and recommend documented role-specific validation before scaled deployment.
What sales roles does this work for? +
SDR and BDR, AE, field sales, inside sales, account manager, and sales manager candidates.
How is this priced for hiring? +
Transparent per-candidate pricing and annual plans. Start free, add seats as needed. Positioned well below OMG and Caliper in per-candidate cost. See the <a href="/hiring/pricing">hiring pricing page</a> for current numbers.
Can I customize the verdict weights for my role? +
Yes. Each role profile carries its own target weights for the eight competencies, set when you create the role. An SDR profile can weight Rejection Resilience more heavily; an AE profile can weight Assertive Closing and Negotiation Stance.
Does this work for ramp prediction, or only hiring? +
Both. The derailer panel is calibrated against early-tenure failure patterns that teams repeatedly see, and many managers use it on existing reps to diagnose ramp slowdowns before they turn into attrition.
Related guides and tests
Go deeper on the science, the workplace lens, or the rest of our report suite.
Free Big Five Personality Test
The underlying instrument. See your full five-trait profile without the sales lens.
Personality Test for Hiring
How Big Five personality data fits into a structured interview process, with role profiles and panel-ready scoring.
The Big Five Personality Test
The five traits and 30 facets that underpin the sales competencies, measured by the IPIP-60.
Hiring Platform Overview
How the employer dashboard, role profiles, and candidate reports work together.
Hiring Pricing
Per-candidate pricing and annual plans for teams using the Sales Profile at scale.
See yourself clearly — in eight minutes.
Take the free sales aptitude test now, or see what it looks like in your hiring dashboard.
Methods & Sources
What this test is based on
The eight sales competencies map IPIP-60 facets onto traits with established meta-analytic links to sales performance — most notably Conscientiousness, Extraversion (assertiveness), and Emotional Stability under rejection.
- Barrick, M. R., & Mount, M. K. (1991). The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44(1), 1–26. DOI
- Vinchur, A. J., Schippmann, J. S., Switzer, F. S., & Roth, P. L. (1998). A meta-analytic review of predictors of job performance for salespeople. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83(4), 586–597. DOI
- Sackett, P. R., Zhang, C., Berry, C. M., & Lievens, F. (2022). Revisiting meta-analytic estimates of validity in personnel selection: Addressing systematic overcorrection for restriction of range. Journal of Applied Psychology, 107(11), 2040–2068. DOI
- Goldberg, L. R., Johnson, J. A., Eber, H. W., et al. (2006). The International Personality Item Pool and the future of public-domain personality measures. Journal of Research in Personality, 40(1), 84–96. DOI