What does it take to be a top revenue producer in the age of AI and economic uncertainty? And how can you identify one and add them to your sales team?
Two recent surveys from SalesFuel – the Voice of the Sales Rep and Voice of the Sales Manager – reveal what drives winning salespeople and how the best sales managers identify them during the hiring process.
The message is clear: how a rep shows up – mindset, motivation and adaptability – matters more than what’s on their resume, especially now that nearly all candidates are using generative AI to beef up their credentials.
As importantly, a sales manager’s gut instincts based on a good interview no longer cut it. Sales managers need to incorporate a proven sales acumen assessment in their hiring process to gain the data and insights to make the best hire.
Mindset Over Skill Set
Nearly one in three sales managers (29%) says mindset and motivation outweigh skill set when hiring. That’s a major shift away from the old checklist of past job experience and product knowledge.
Today’s top sellers aren’t just knowledgeable, they think differently. They stay calm under pressure and bounce back fast from rejection constantly looking for ways to improve. And they use technology to gain an advantage.
Reps with a growth mindset adapt and thrive during disruption and raising the performance bar for everyone around them. Managers also cite empathy, self-awareness and response time as key sub-traits under the umbrella of adaptability.
The 10 Traits of High-Performing Salespeople
Through SalesFuel’s research, both salespeople and sales managers told us 10 traits that are the best predictor of sales success:
- Grit and determination: Remaining persistent, resilient, undeterred
- Confidence: Communicating conviction and earning trust
- Self-motivation: Driving themselves without constant oversight
- Problem-solving: Turning pain points into opportunity
- Time management: Investing limited time where it generates the most impact
- Optimism: Exuding infectious, positive energy while turning negatives into positives
- Initiative: Doing what needs to be done to hunt new prospects and delight existing clients without being told
- Curiosity: Asking smart questions, being open to new ideas and being a lifelong learner
- Adaptability: Thinking quickly on their feet and adjusting to rapid (and sometimes unforeseen) changes in the market
- Coachability: Seeking feedback, striving to level up and investing personally in their improvement
And the newest one that has not appeared in previous surveys:
10+1. Leveraging AI: Bringing critical thinking to sharpen knowledge and amplify sales efforts without letting themselves be embarrassed by the technology
Why Assessments Are a Must in Sales Hiring
Today’s sales candidates are using AI to build glowing resumes, script interview answers and even simulate mock interviews. That means even seasoned sales managers can be misled by well-rehearsed but surface-level performances.
Nearly half (46%) of managers now use sales acumen testing and behavioral assessments before making offers. They’ve realized that gut instinct isn’t enough to spot real potential.
Even more revealing, sales managers who rated their teams poorly or only marginally effective are 20% less likely to use pre-hire assessments than managers who gave their sales team a five-star review.
Assessments uncover what interviews can’t – how a candidate thinks, what motivates them, their values. And a proven sales acumen assessment helps you analyze their actual strengths and weaknesses for key sales competencies.
But there’s a caveat. If a candidate’s assessments fall short in a key area, but they score high in coachability, there’s a good chance they can improve those skills if you’re willing to develop them.
When paired with interviews, credible hiring assessments give you a data-driven edge into who will thrive and deliver on your sales team.
Build Your Team Around Traits That Multiply
The surveys show one consistent pattern: top performers never stop learning. They seek training, take feedback graciously, and stay on top of the latest industry developments. They apply what they’ve learned to pivot quickly and focus on what really matters to their accounts.
AI can help with research and efficiency, but the human edge – namely, critical thinking and emotional intelligence – still closes deals.
Hiring for traits like curiosity, initiative and coachability builds teams that push each other to excel. These reps learn faster and stay composed when challenges hit.
Action Steps for Sales Managers
Hire for drive and mindset first. Use behavioral interviews to reveal motivation.
Use sales acumen assessments. Get hard data on traits that predict performance.
Test coachability. Ask how they’ve turned feedback into results.
Probe curiosity. See how they tackle unfamiliar challenges.
Watch for structure and optimism. Ask how they plan their day.
Assess AI alignment. Do they use it to think smarter and move faster – or just use it to reduce their effort?
The Bottom Line
Mindset drives performance. Skills can be taught, but grit, curiosity and adaptability are developed through practice and persistence.
With nearly one-third of sales managers ranking mindset above skill set and almost half using assessments, the smartest teams are hiring with data, not instinct, to identify top performers.
Ready to hire sales hunters who are wired to win? Start with a TeamTrait Sales Acumen Assessment and learn which candidate has the mindset to perform and the drive to succeed.
