Junior Account Manager
Also known as: Junior Sales Representative · Graduate Sales Trainee
Builds an own customer portfolio under guidance, holds first conversations, prepares quotations, and learns the sales process and product knowledge in practice.
The junior account manager works with smaller customers or a defined part of a portfolio, usually with an experienced colleague as coach. Unlike an account manager, this role is not yet expected to deliver a full annual target independently. Selection often waits for experience that cannot yet exist, while learning capability and persisting with cold acquisition after rejection are the real predictors.
Competencies to measure
These are the behavioural and ability constructs in this profile. Each one shows which hrmforce questionnaire measures it.
| Competencies to measure | Target level | hrmforce instrument | Assessment method | Behavioural anchor at target level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perseverance Competency (50-framework): Perseverance | N4 | Big Fifty, 15PF, Mental Resilience (4C) | Personality questionnaire | Keeps seeking alternative routes on a stalled case and involves others in that search on own initiative. |
| Persuasiveness Competency (50-framework): Persuasiveness Knockout | N3 | Big Fifty, Competency Check, 360 Feedback | Assessment centre | Chooses per counterpart the argument that matches their interest and checks along the way whether the agreement is genuine. |
| Client focus Competency (50-framework): Customer Focus Knockout | N3 | Big Fifty, Competency Check, 360 Feedback | 360-degree feedback | Uncovers the real need behind a client question, makes a fitting proposal and checks after delivery whether it works. |
| Result orientation Competency (50-framework): Results-Orientation | N3 | Big Fifty, Competency Check, 360 Feedback | Personality questionnaire | Translates an assignment into measurable interim goals, measures progress and drops activities that do not contribute to the result. |
| Learning capability Competency (50-framework): Learning Ability | N3 | Ability Scan, Learning Styles | Cognitive ability test | Masters a new working method without a course, names the principle behind it and works independently within a few days. |
| Commercial capability Competency (50-framework): Commercial acumen Knockout | N3 | Big Fifty, Competency Check, 360 Feedback | Assessment centre | Discusses additional services with existing customers on own initiative and records the revenue opportunity in the customer file. |
| Listening and probing Competency (50-framework): Listen | N3 | Big Fifty, 360 Feedback | 360-degree feedback | Summarises both the content and the feeling of the other party and probes until the real interest behind the request becomes visible. |
| Market orientation Competency (50-framework): Market Orientation | N3 | Big Fifty, Competency Check, 360 Feedback | Assessment centre | Links signals from customers and competitors to the own offering and proposes adjustments on that basis. |
| Recovery after setbacks Competency (50-framework): Stress resilience | N2 | Big Fifty, Mental Resilience (4C), 360 Feedback | Personality questionnaire | Starts again after a rejected result as soon as the supervisor has indicated what needs to change. |
| Curiosity and exploring Competency (50-framework): Learning Ability | N2 | Big Fifty, 15PF, Motivation | Personality questionnaire | Asks follow up questions during an explanation about a new topic and reads the background material provided. |
Short profile
The ten heaviest skills in this profile. The full profile with every skill, behavioural anchor and assessment method is in the download.
| T | Skill | Target level | Weight | Knockout | Assessment method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | Perseverance | N4 | 5 | no | Personality questionnaire |
| G | Persuasiveness | N3 | 5 | yes | Assessment centre |
| G | Client focus | N3 | 5 | yes | 360-degree feedback |
| G | Result orientation | N3 | 5 | no | Personality questionnaire |
| A | Learning capability | N3 | 5 | no | Cognitive ability test |
| G | Commercial capability | N3 | 5 | yes | Assessment centre |
| V | Consultative selling | N3 | 5 | yes | Assessment centre |
| V | Conversation management | N3 | 4 | no | Assessment centre |
| G | Listening and probing | N3 | 4 | no | 360-degree feedback |
| V | Negotiating | N3 | 4 | no | Assessment centre |
See all 25 skills in the full profile
Assessment instruments for this job
Competency Check
Behavioral-Level Competency Assessment
360 Feedback
Multiple assessments based on behavioral anchors
Big Fifty
Personality questionnaire, 150 items, 25 factors
Work sample test
Representative work sample under standardized conditions
15PF
Personality Profile, a shorter alternative to the Big Fifty
Mental Resilience (4C)
Mental Resilience According to the 4C Model
Communication Styles
Preferred communication style
Knowledge test (client-specific)
Professional knowledge test, customized for each client
Ability Scan
Aptitude Test: Verbal, Numerical, and Abstract Reasoning Skills
Learning Styles
Preferences in learning and information processing
Conflict Styles
Preferred style in conflict situations
Motivation
Drivers and sources of motivation
Portfolio
Evaluation of prior work against fixed criteria
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