Sigma Survey for Sales Professionals

Douglas N. Jackson, Ph.D. © 2002

Few employees have a greater impact on your organization's public image, revenues and profitability than your sales professionals. The Sigma Survey for Sales Professionals (3SP) measures long-standing dispositions relating to the candidate's personality, interpersonal style, and approach to work that will have a direct impact on his/her future sales success. It is a powerful, empirically based personality assessment measuring 28 behaviors important for effective sales performance. The 3SP identifies "red flags" that could impede a sales professional's success.

Applications

• Selection and placement of job applicants for a wide range of sales positions.
• Succession planning - to determine promotability of candidates for sales management and executive positions.
• Sales coaching and career development.

Description

Generations More Advanced

Traditional personality assessments force the user (i.e. psychologists, HR professionals, consultants) to make judgements about the relationship between personality and performance. This clinical model is subjective and prone to error and bias. The 3SP uses an actuarial (prediction) model, which takes the guesswork out of assessment interpretation. The 3SP is a powerful predictor of work-oriented behavior, and future 360 degree feedback ratings. The detailed report includes profiles of expected performance and narrative test for further guide decision-making and interpretation.

Superior Research & Development

Only the best and most relevant statements were chosen for the 3SP from an aggregate pool of over 4500 statements drawn from the Personality Research Form (PRF), Jackson Personality Inventory-Revised (JPI-R), and the Survey of Work Styles (SWS). There are over 2000 published research articles citing one or more of these well-known personality assessments. Thirty years of research has identified the personality dimensions that predict superior sales performance.

Comprehensive Report

The narrative text in the 3SP report describes an individual's expected level of performance on the skills and personal characteristics critical for success in sales. Every statement in the report is supported by statistically significant findings between personality and job performance.

3SP Dimensions

Cognitive & Interpersonal Sales Skills	Technical Orientation
	Creativity
	Thoroughness
	Risk Taking
	Open Mindedness
	First Impression
	Interpersonal Relations
	Sensitivity
	Social Astuteness
	Communication
	Formal Presentation
	Persuasiveness
	Negotiation
	Listening
Personal Sales Qualities	Dependability
	Ambition
	Achievement/Motivation
	Self Discipline
	Flexibility
	Independence
	Self Esteem
	Emotional Control
	Assuming Responsibility
	Vision
	Organizational Spokesperson
	Short-term Planning
	Strategic Planning

Norms

The norms for the 3SP are based on the responses of a substantial group of male and female managers and executives from diverse types of organizations. Although many of the participants were from sales backgrounds, a variety of other business functions were contained in the sample.

Reliability

Good internal consistency and test-retest reliability for the three well-researched and standardized tests (PRF, JPI-R and SWS) on which the 3SP is based. For example, the PRF has an internal consistency reliability of .70 and a median test-retest reliability of .91.

Validity

Decades of research indicate that personality as a predictor of job performance exceeds other non-cognitive selection measures in its validity. Better than interviews, references, and educational background. The personality dimensions measured by the 3SP show substantial empirical validity. They were validated by computing multiple correlations between personality and 360 degree feedback ratings for 42 leadership skill ratings. Multiple correlations ranged from .42 to .56. All were substantially significant to the .01 level. Furthermore, the PRF, JPI-R, and SWS, the measures upon which the 3SP is based have consistently displayed solid evidence of convergent and discriminant validity with self and peer ratings, as well as with numerous other measures.

Fax-in Scoring

After an applicant completes the 3SP, the answer sheet is faxed to SIGMA's toll-free number. Our fax-in scoring system generates the report and a printer copy is either couriered or emailed. The materials required for fax-in scoring are 3SP test manual, question booklet and answer sheet.

Internet

The Sigma Survey for Sales Professionals can also be completed at SigmaTesting.Com, our exciting online testing platform that allows you instant local and remote testing and administrative access to a full range of tests and test results.

Prices

Click here for detailed pricing information.