As an industry, sales gets a bad rap. Everyone has heard the stereotypes of sleazy car salesman and pushy telemarketer. In Hollywood, “salesman” is a pejorative term for someone who is greedy and self-serving. But there are also some very real reasons why people might be skeptical about sales jobs and working as a salesperson. Many people think that it involves being slimy, dishonest, and greedy. It’s not exactly the most attractive of career paths. So if you are thinking about becoming a salesperson, you might be worried about what your friends and family will think. Unless you work in accounting or finance, there might be some awkward moments when your friends ask what you do for a living. And if you’re like most people, the idea of having to talk to strangers about products makes your palms sweat. The word “sales” has negative connotations because so many people have had terrible experiences with it – but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find fulfillment and even enjoy working in sales as long as you find the right company with the right values in place. Here are 10 reasons why being in sales isn’t something to be embarrassed about:
You can find a job anywhere – and that’s a good thing!
If you move around a lot for your job, it can be really intimidating to try to make new friends. You might be worried that you’ll end up feeling like a third wheel or that your new friends will think you’re just a tag-along. But if you work in sales, you have an instant ice breaker because everyone has to buy something. And most people spend a lot of time buying things – so there’s always something new to talk about.
Your work has tangible results.
People who are sick or who suffer from chronic pain often feel like they’re broken, like they’re not capable of doing what they used to be able to do. But if you work in sales, you will know exactly how many people benefited from your work. You’ll know how many people were able to get out of bed because they had the right tools to manage their pain. And you’ll be able to see the direct result of your work to help others.
You are paid to be curious.
In sales, you have to be curious about your customers, their needs, and what’s going on in their world. You are also expected to constantly be looking for new solutions and products – and to learn about new technologies that are out there. In almost every other profession, these traits would be considered virtues. It’s not just pushing products; it’s understanding what people need and helping them solve their problems.
You have the opportunity to build your soft skills.
You have the opportunity to build your listening skills, your ability to understand customer needs, your marketing savvy, and your sales savvy. You can also improve your decision-making skills. This is the type of job where you will get immediate feedback – so you can see for yourself just how much progress you’re making. Your manager will be able to give you feedback about where you could improve. You’ll be able to see the difference in your performance over time – and know that it’s not just a skills gap you’re trying to close; it’s a gap in skills that you can definitely fill.
Working in sales is a great way to understand customer behaviour.
If you’re interested in marketing but don’t have a background in psychology, understanding how customers interact with each other can be a bit of a mystery. You might want to read up on some of the latest theories and ideas on what drives buying behaviour, but you don’t have direct, hands-on experience. If you work in sales, you’ll have the chance to get your hands dirty and first-hand experience with how real customers interact and buy. You’ll see what influences them, what gets their attention, and what gets them to click “buy.”
It’s an opportunity to develop your people skills.
Some of the best salespeople in the world have terrible people skills. And that’s because they’re good at pushing products, not people. But most companies who hire salespeople want their reps to build relationships with customers – not push a sale. Working in sales is a great way to develop your people skills and build relationships – even if you’ve had rocky relationships in the past. There are always those customers who are especially challenging. And you’ll be able to look back and see how you handled the situation. Even if you did the best you could, you can look at what you did and what you could have done better.
It provides you with valuable networking opportunities.
Because you’re talking to so many people and building relationships with customers, you’ll have a lot of networking opportunities at your fingertips. You’re also in a position where people are going to be coming to you for advice on what products to buy – and telling you about their needs. You’ll have a great chance to help people and build your network at the same time. And the best part is that you don’t need to wait until you’re done with your current job to start networking. From the moment you get hired, you should be making connections and letting people know what you do.
It can lead to more stable, well-paying job opportunities down the road.
Depending on where you work, you might be in a sales job that’s entry-level. That doesn’t mean that’s where you’ll end up. In fact, sales is a great place to start your career and then move up in the ranks. There are many companies that have a strong sales culture. And they’re often the ones who are most successful. Sales teams are often given a lot of freedom and autonomy because sales is the lifeblood of any business. This means that you have the opportunity to really grow within your field.
Networking while looking for a job will be easier because of your firsthand knowledge of how sales works (and what hiring managers are looking for).
If you’re worried about getting through the door and finding the right sales job for you, your firsthand knowledge of how sales works will come in handy. If you were looking at other jobs where you don’t have that firsthand experience, you might feel more insecure. But when you look at sales, you know what hiring managers are looking for. You know how they decide who to hire. You know what they want to see in a resume. And you know how to frame your experience and make it relevant to their needs. Many people are afraid of the word “sales” because they think of it as pushy and aggressive. But sales is a way of supporting a company and a product. And it’s a great way to build your career and support yourself financially.
You keep learning, closing and earning.. on top of that, you become an expect of the product
It is always easy to move to different roles with your sales experience, with little upskills you can get into Product Manager roles, Strategist, Supply Chain Managers, move into product innovation or development teams and many others. After all, who else knows better about the product and customer pain points.