Selection of telemarketing employees by standardized assessment procedures

Previous marketing research has focused on the optimal use of an existing salesforce, reflecting relatively little interest in the effects of salesforce selection on subsequent sales performance. A predictive validity study is described herein in which 85 telemarketing employees in a large telecommunications company were, prior to being hired, administered a battery of cognitive‐ability and self‐report trait measures. Three months later they were assessed on their job performance. Two cognitive‐ability tests—one measuring perceptual speed and accuracy, the other, divergent thinking ability—and a number of scales from both a widely used personality questionnaire (the California Psychological Inventory [CPI]) and a special‐purpose telemarketing selection instrument (the Telemarketing Applicant Inventory) yielded significant validities (of between 0.18 and 0.41) for at least one of several aggregated job‐performance measures. A predictively‐effective composite was derived, consisting of the two cognitive‐ability tests noted and three CPI scales (Self‐Acceptance, Socialization, and Achievement via Conformance). The composite yielded statistically‐significant and useful predictive validities (of between 0.32 and 0.49) for several aggregated job‐performance criteria. Utility analysis—a technique often used to examine the organizational consequences of selection strategies—was performed, with the present results reflecting substantial gains to the hiring organization. The reported research highlights the importance of effective hiring practices in achieving optimal subsequent salesforce performance. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.