Only 20-30% of Sales Professionals consistently meet or exceed their goals. The likelihood of a Sales Professional’s success appears low. In selection psychology, we speak of a low base rate: few people are suitable. This is reflected in the low conversions of the recruitment funnel.
This fact sheet provides an overview of the most commonly used (psychological) selection methods, both classical and modern. The figures are based on meta-analyses and dominant scientific literature.
| Method | Predictive validity (r) | Typical reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive ability (GMA test) | .51 | High (.85-.95) |
| Work test | .54 | High (inter-rater ≥.70) |
| Structured interview | .51 | Medium-high (.60-.75) |
| Unstructured interview | .18-.38 | Low-medium (.40-.55) |
| Integrity test | .41 | High (α ≥.80) |
| Conscientiousness (Big Five) | .31 | Medium-high (α ~.75-.85) |
| Job knowledge test | .48 | High (≥.80) |
| Years of service | .18 | Not applicable |
| Video/asynchronous interview (incl. AI) | .30-.40 | Good at structuring; algorithmically variable |
| Machine learning / algorithmic models | .20-.50 | Depends on dataset; generalizability limited |
| Serious games / game-based work samples | .35-.50 | High on objective metrics |
| Social media screening | .00-.20 | Low and variable |
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