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Predictive Index Gate Before Any Human Contact

Sales & GTM

What it tests

Baseline behavioral and cognitive fit with the role profile before investing recruiter time — filters for drive, dominance, and pattern matching to top performers

Format

  1. 1Immediately after applying, candidate receives an automated email with a Predictive Index (or equivalent behavioral assessment) link — must complete before any call is scheduled
  2. 2Assessment covers behavioral drives (dominance, extraversion, patience, formality) and cognitive ability (pattern recognition, numerical reasoning)
  3. 3Submissions are scored automatically against a pre-defined 'top performer' profile built from existing high-performing AEs
  4. 4Only candidates within the scoring band are advanced to a recruiter screen — all others receive an automated decline

What to look for

  • Does the candidate's behavioral profile match the specific role type — high dominance + extraversion for hunter AEs, higher patience for expansion/CSM-adjacent roles?
  • Cognitive score below threshold is a hard filter — the role requires rapid context-switching and a capacity to learn complex products
  • Watch for candidates who score well on behavioral fit but poorly on cognitive (fast but sloppy) and vice versa
  • This is a filter, not a ranking — use it to eliminate clear mismatches, not to rank candidates within the band

Adaptation guide

Use PI, Wonderlic, Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment, or a custom Typeform-based screener. Define the target profile from your actual top 5 AEs, not from a job description. Revisit the scoring band every 6 months as your team evolves.

Full description

Format:

  1. Immediately after applying, candidate receives an automated email with a behavioral assessment link — must complete before any call is scheduled
  2. Assessment covers behavioral drives (dominance, extraversion, patience, formality) and cognitive ability (pattern recognition, numerical reasoning)
  3. Submissions are scored automatically against a pre-defined "top performer" profile built from existing high-performing AEs
  4. Only candidates within the scoring band are advanced to a recruiter screen — all others receive an automated decline

Time: 60 minutes

What to look for:

  • Does the candidate's behavioral profile match the specific role type — high dominance and extraversion for hunter AEs, higher patience for expansion/CSM-adjacent roles?
  • Cognitive score below threshold is a hard filter — the role requires rapid context-switching and a capacity to learn complex products
  • Watch for candidates who score well on behavioral fit but poorly on cognitive (fast but sloppy) and vice versa
  • This is a filter, not a ranking — use it to eliminate clear mismatches, not to rank candidates within the band

Adaptation: Use PI, Wonderlic, Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment, or a custom Typeform-based screener. Define the target profile from your actual top 5 AEs, not from a job description. Revisit the scoring band every 6 months as your team evolves.