A successful salesperson is worth his weight in gold. One of the toughest challenges is finding the right person for that very important sales function. When evaluating salespeople, you might study a candidate's experience, track record, and industry contacts. But no matter how carefully you analyze the criteria, sales hiring often remains hit-or-miss. Many PRO discussions have revolved around this hiring conundrum. One of the revelations to emerge from PRO meetings is the idea of hiring people by sales "type" or personality-by matching the right type of person to the job. We have identified three distinct sales personalities: The Finder-The finder loves the thrill of the hunt. He or she is an aggressive go-getter, the classic rainmaker. As soon as a sale is clinched, he is off on the trail of his next quarry. The finder is the one you want when you're seeking new accounts. Typically, the finder is terrific on the road, but may have few allies in-house. He tends to be arrogant and leaves service and follow-through to others. The Minder-The minder is a relationship builder. She or he is a people person and a problem solver. Her goal is not the conquest of the sale, but forging mutually beneficial long-term relationships. The minder is committed to client satisfaction and considers ongoing service part of the sale. If acquiring add-on business from existing clients is a large part of your operation, the minder is the one for you. She will not generate the exciting production numbers of the finder, but her persistency ratios tend to be high. The Grinder-The grinder is a relentless plodder. Rejection won't stop him. Repetition doesn't bother him. While the grinder has neither the finder's flair nor the minder's service standards, he is the ideal candidate for high-volume sales calls, such as door-to-door sales. Now that you know the three sales personalities, your job is to determine which one is right for your particular sales position. Consider the products or services you sell and the way they are sold. Review your sales successes; what approaches work best with your clients? Think also about your company and its organization. It won't take you long to determine which personality type is right for the job. For many organizations, the best solution is actually a combination of sales personalities that complement one another's strengths. For example, the finder-an outside salesperson-brings in a new account. Then he turns it over to the minder-perhaps an inside salesperson-to solidify the relationship by providing attention and service.