Telesales Representative
Also known as: Contact Centre Sales Agent · Telemarketer
Sells products or services by telephone to consumers or small businesses, works to call guidelines and daily volumes, and records every call outcome.
The telesales representative works in a calling team with daily volume goals and a fixed conversation structure, usually under a supervisor. Unlike an inside sales representative, the work involves short conversations and one off transactions rather than an own portfolio. Selection mainly measures verbal fluency, while persisting after dozens of rejections a day and following call requirements precisely are the real reasons for attrition.
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 Knockout | N5 | Big Fifty, 15PF, Mental Resilience (4C) | Personality questionnaire | Keeps multi year programmes on course despite sustained opposition and holds the organisation to the chosen direction after setbacks. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Emotion regulation Competency (50-framework): Stress resilience | N2 | Big Fifty, 15PF, 360 Feedback | Personality questionnaire | Responds to criticism with a question rather than a rebuttal and afterwards discusses it with the supervisor. |
| 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. |
| Sustaining pace in repetitive work Competency (50-framework): Discipline | N2 | Big Fifty, Work sample test | Work sample test | Completes the assigned series of operations at the pace indicated and reports when a backlog arises. |
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 | N5 | 5 | yes | Personality questionnaire |
| G | Persuasiveness | N3 | 5 | yes | Assessment centre |
| G | Client focus | N3 | 5 | yes | 360-degree feedback |
| V | Service calls and telephone contact | N3 | 5 | no | Work sample test |
| G | Result orientation | N3 | 5 | no | Personality questionnaire |
| 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 24 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
Knowledge test (client-specific)
Professional knowledge test, customized for each client
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
Conflict Styles
Preferred style in conflict situations
Portfolio
Evaluation of prior work against fixed criteria
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