C. Lee Smith, Founder and CEO, SalesFuel
September 2026
If you want to reduce the turnover rate in your sales department, it’s time to get serious about changing your hiring process. Using a sales skills assessment, like TeamTraitTM, expands objective insight and helps to find the right person for your open position.
Why sales rep turnover hurts sales
A high turnover rate in the sales department is disruptive and expensive for every organization that experiences it. Sales managers who are constantly hiring and training new reps have no time to focus on achieving department goals.
Each time a sales rep leaves, the sales process is disrupted. Deals that were ready to close must be picked up by another rep who will need time to form a relationship with the prospect. And in other cases, promising leads never move into the sales funnel because of low staffing.
Top steps to reduce turnover
If you’re seeking to fill a sales position that has turned over multiple times, consider changing your process. Specifically, you’ll want to:
- Update the job description to accurately reflect the position
- Use a sales acumen assessment
- Onboard your new sales professional with the right training and support
Have you updated the job description?
In too many cases, I’ve seen job descriptions that do not match what the position entails. And after a person is hired in a situation like this, they may feel misled.
Has it been a few years since the job description was updated? Did someone in HR write the outline? To correct this problem, review the job description before posting it in recruiting channels.
Because job responsibilities change over time, it’s important to review the description regularly. For example, our research indicates that 31% of sales professionals use AI for customer research and business intelligence. If using AI technology is now part of the job for sales reps, mention it in your description. This is a top sales hiring tip to help you attract better candidates.
Another way to reduce hiring risk is to understand the psychometric profiles of other reps who succeed in your sales positions. Ask your reps to take an assessment through a platform like TeamTrait.
Are you using sales acumen assessments?
Assessments give you objective scores on a number of factors about the members of your team. In addition to understanding the details of their sales acumen, you can also learn about motivation.
You can improve sales hiring results with trusted services like TeamTrait.
How to test the sales acumen of top candidates
It’s one thing to listen to the sales pitch of candidates who you interview. You can admire their style. But allowing yourself to be sold on the basis of an interview could lead to trouble.
Another of my top sales hiring tips is to take the emotion out of the hiring process and rely on objective data points instead. Ask your candidates to take an assessment. TeamTrait stands apart from the competition because the platform includes a Sales Acumen situational judgement test.
The resulting scores will show how the candidate compares to others in key sales skills:
- Preparation
- Discovery
- Problem-solving
- Closing sales
Matching rewards to employee motivation
With assessment information, you’ll know if you’re properly motivating your new sales hires. Many managers assume that the only way to motivate reps is through financial rewards. However, some reps are more interested in wanting to learn new things or the ability to show their creativity at work.
How sales assessment tests reduce turnover rates in sales teams
Sales assessment tests reduce the turnover rates in sales teams in many ways. First, all candidates answer the same objective questions. The scoring reveals which candidates are best suited for the job and have the best sales skills. Companies that hire top scorers will have employees who know how to do the job and are motivated to do the job.
In addition, sales assessment tests also reveal the best skills for each candidate. Once hired, managers will know which skills to focus on as they train their new employee. This knowledge allows them to quickly transition their new team member into a productive sales rep.
Have you optimized your onboarding process?
If a candidate’s answers about pre-call intelligence are weak, don’t write them off. Review their other assessment scores. In particular, pay attention to their coachability. Some individuals are open to being coached regarding their skills; others aren’t.
If a candidate with weaker sales skills is open to coaching, give them a second look. When you customize training and coaching to their needs, you may end up with an outstanding sales rep. This is a top issue to address in your onboarding process.
Coaching and training do not come naturally to all sales managers. If you’re struggling to find the best approach, check out the Difficult Conversations Coach tool in TeamTrait. This tool will lead you through a question-and-answer session to help you prepare for important conversations. Using this tool during onboarding can also help you make a solid impression with new hires and strengthen their resolve to stay with the organization.
Best ways to reduce sales rep turnover
The best way to reduce sales rep turnover is to start with the hiring process. Talent acquisition teams should update the job description to reflect the position. They can then use sales skill assessments to identify candidates who possess the necessary skills to do the job.
In addition, hiring managers can ask candidates to take behavioral assessments. With this information, they will learn which candidates have the best fit for the position and with the manager. They can also customize a training and coaching schedule that matches the new hire’s needs.
39% of sales professionals are actively seeking another job with another firm. That’s not a number that any sales manager wants to experience. With the right tools and focus, managers can learn how to reduce attrition in sales.
