If you could determine the likelihood of a prospective employee to succeed at your company, would you? More companies are turning to assessments like the Meyers-Briggs personality inventory during the interview process to see if an employee will be a good fit. Certain personality types are said to have natural talent for sales. Here are the main personality types that seem to bring sales talent to the table: ESFP
ESFP
- Extroverted people like being around others and prefer social interaction to solo time, while introverts prefer to be alone. Extroversion is essential to sales, as people with this trait tend to be outgoing and have natural social skills.
- A person with a “sensing” focus tend to process information that’s occurring in the moment, and don’t overlook the details. Sensing individuals appreciate the practicality of ideas, while intuitive people appreciate their possibilities.
- People who are “feeling” make their decisions based on emotions and their value system. Feeling individuals are more likely to consider the feelings of other people, which is essential for sales and negotiations.
- A perceptive person is flexible and adapts readily to change. The motto of a perceiving person could be “the beauty is in the journey.” A judging person, by contrast, likes the destination over the journey.
ENFJ
- ENFJs are extroverted and feeling, which seem to be two of the main important traits for sales. These traits imply that candidates are good at social interaction, and they readily show empathy for others. These traits are essential in understanding a person’s wants and needs, and active listening forms the basis for effective negotiation. However, intuitive personality types can also be well-suited for sales. An intuitive personality type appreciates the possibilities of ideas, and he or she can see multiple paths to a favorable outcome. This can be especially beneficial for sales, a discipline that often requires quick thinking.
- Judging personalities tend to value end goals over the process of achieving them. This, too, can be well-suited for sales. Judging personalities tend to set goals and stick to them, so they can be hard-working members of your team. On the other hand, they may need some training in learning how to adapt to certain situations, as some “judgers” can be rigid in their decision-making process.
Some personality types seem to be better suited than others when it comes to sales success. If you plan on using a Meyer’s Briggs inventory in your hiring process, look for one of these personalities.
