Back several episodes, I described the challenge of assessing candidates for a Sales Engineer position for a company that makes synchronized clocks for customers who need accurate times throughout their facilities like schools, airports, and hospitals. The company employs a rather rigorous 2-week product training program followed by a proficiency test that can end the tenure of new hires quickly. The first candidate I tested for the firm showed a 130+ IQ with a good sales personality. The company selected him and he’s doing great. Another candidate I didn’t recommend for sales showed similar intellectual prowess. While he made it through the training program, his lack of sales ability caught up with him in six months.
The company uses a screening test that includes mechanical aptitude, math skills, and verbal reasoning ability. It’s timed and taken online. Until recently, I thought it had good content and face validity.
My test of intellect incudes practical or tactical reasoning, conceptual or strategic aptitude, and impromptu math skill. I deliver these tests orally and the candidate has to deliver the answers orally. The practical and conceptual tests allow me to prompt or coach candidates: “Tell me more; what do you mean by that; explain further; give me another reason if you can.”
On the math part, I can’t prompt but I can repeat questions as long as the candidate gets the answer within the (mostly) 60-second time limit.
Since the client used a product-related aptitude test that looked pretty good, I basically had been using my test to project whether candidates can orchestrate the sales process from inception to closing the deal. My criteria had been an IQ score of 116 or the 86th percentile for the general population.
I wasn’t focusing on candidates passing the two-week product training because the client’s test seemed to cover that piece. At least until recently when two candidates I recommended as adequate Sales Engineer prospects failed the training proficiency exam and were fired after the first 2.5 weeks. Both candidates passed the client’s aptitude test and scored 118 IQ’s on my test.
 
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