Predicting Sales Performance Criteria With Personality Measures: The Use of the General Factor of Personality, the Big Five and Narrow Traits

Abstract

The present study investigated the predictive validities of different hierarchical levels of personality for sales performance. The General Factor of Personality was expected to be most effective at predicting general sales performance, whereas the Big Five factors and its underlying narrow traits were expected to be most effective at predicting the specific sales performance criteria to which they are conceptually aligned. Six different sales performance measures were used in an international study involving 405 sales employees. The results suggest that General Factor of Personality is a valid predictor of general job performance but that some of the aligned narrow personality traits predict specific sales performance above and beyond the Big Five factors. The narrow trait Social Boldness has a negative relation with rated sales performance and sales results.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Marianne Tabak and Leonie Valkenburg for their help in collecting the data for this study.