For some professionals, it might take a long time, and many diverse jobs, before they settle into the career that is right for them. However, other individuals may be born with certain traits and instincts that make them the ideal candidate for roles.

Steve W. Martin, an author and educator at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, recently analyzed the natural instincts that salespeople possess in the Harvard Business Review.

In Martin's opinion, there are a few factors that determine how well an individual will do in a sales career, the news source stated. For instance, a key skill is language specialization, which allows a good salesperson to influence their customers' purchase decisions through their mastery of the industry's technical language.

Other skills that top salespeople often possess include mental alertness, tenacity, dependibility, intellect and the ability to improvise, according to the University of Florida's website.

For individuals who seek more direction in their job search, taking a sales skill assessment may shed light on certain characteristics they did not know they possessed.