Identifying Successful Industrial Salesmen by Personality and Personal Characteristics

Abstract

Despite continuing research effort, little success has been achieved in the use of personality and personal characteristics to predict the performance of salesmen. From an empirical study, a set of personality variables and personal characteristics that appear to have value in the selection of industrial salesmen are identified. A synthesis of theoretical and empirical research appropriate to the selection problem is reported, and some suggestions are made to guide future research in industrial selling.