The comprehensive assessment used by Highmark Solutions was developed by sales guru and author of Mindless Selling, Dave Kurlan, and has assessed 250,000 salespeople and evaluated more than 7,000 sales force since 1990. The assessment is primarily aimed at distinguishing those individuals who will succeed in a sales position from those who will not. Our experience has shown us that most companies misidentify top performers, confusing them with top account managers (salespeople who live off their extensive existing business but who do not go out and find new opportunities, grow their account base and their revenue). Traits that these people have in common may not have anything to do with what makes salespeople successful.

In a recent analysis of 5,000 sales candidates assessed, the data showed that 24 percent, or one out of every four candidates, could not, do not, and will not prospect for new business. The same data showed that 45 percent, nearly one out of every two candidates could not, do not and will not close. With Highmark’s extensive background in recruiting top sales talent, our assessment helps us to better determine whether the candidate will sell effectively for your company.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Star Hire Screening

The Dave Kurlan Sales Force Profile has been thoroughly tested through extensive research methods utilizing Predictive Validity. Research data is collected on people new to the job to determine how well the assessment predicted their success down the road. One year after testing, 95 percent of the candidates who were recommended for hiring were still employed by their respective companies. Since the companies consider these people successful, this indicates that the screening will accurately predict sales success 95 percent of the time.

Only 5 percent of the candidates who were recommended failed and most of the companies that hired those salespeople filed to meet recommended conditions for hiring. When we look at the failure rate in companies that met the conditions for hiring, the failure rate drops to less than 1 percent. In those companies where the conditions for hiring were met, 92.3 percent of the salespeople hired with this test outperformed those hired previously. This strongly suggests that candidates hired with this tool will outperform those hired using alternate methods.

Click here to download the entire white paper “White Paper on Kurlan Assessment”.

These results strongly suggest that this Profile is clearly able to distinguish very accurately between individuals who sell effectively for a particular company and those who will not.

Assessments Compared

Candidate assessments are available in several varieties: Psychological, Personality, Behavioral, as well as Aptitude. Most of them accurately report their findings that are better suited for general employment testing rather than specific SALES testing.

Click here to download more information on “Assessments Compared”.