PSYCHOLOGY IN BUSINESS 555
Rating Scales.—An example of the way in which qualifications for
selling may be evaluated is found in a study of 10,000 salesmen
employed by 11 life insurance companies from 1933 to 1935, made by
the Life Insurance Sales Research Bureau.1 Factors from the personal
history of successful and unsuccessful salesmen were compared, and the
following weights were established:
1. Dependents:
no dependents....................................... 3
oixe dependent....................................... 4
two dependents...................................... 6
three dependents..................................... 8
four dependents...................................... 8
five dependents...................................... 7
six or more........................................., 4
2. Occupation:
executive, not in retail business........................ 10
office worker, semi-executive........................... 8
salesman of real estate................................ 6
professional......................................... 6
salesman of tangibles___............................. 4
manual work........................................ 1
3. Employment status:
employed........................................... 6
unemployed less than one month....................... 8
unemployed one month............................... 7
unemployed four months.............................. 4
unemployed six months or more........................ 2
4. Time with present employer:
less than three months................................ 3
3 to 8 months....................................... 4
2*years to 3-11 years................................. 6
8 years or more...................................... $
5. Present membership in organizations:
none................................................ 3
one................................................. 3
two.............................................. •. 4
three...............*............................... 8
four or more........,................................ 11
6. Net worth:
$0 to $999........................................... 2
$1,000 to $5,999..................................... 4
86,000 to $9,999..................................... 6
$10,000 to $14,000................................... 8
$15,000 or more...................................... 10
* Canfield, ibid.t pp.