9 Proven Strategies for Starting and Growing Your Dream Sales Career
I landed my first Sales job when I was 19 years old.
Growing up, I never thought I would end up in a career where I would be selling a product or a service to someone. Coming out of high school I had dreams of a career in the arts, performing music, or even joining the military. I didn’t know anyone in sales, and if you would have asked me to recite a list of common careers, Sales wouldn’t have made the cut.
I would have listed prestigious careers like engineering, medicine, or software development. Maybe a career of service like a firefighter or police officer.
I have since learned that my story is common. When you ask young people what career they want to pursue you seldom hear “Sales”, and I think that’s a shame. My career in Sales has afforded me many things.
What are the benefits of a career in Sales?
Schedule Flexibility
A career in sales isn’t always what you see in the movies - war rooms, late nights, and endless hours. While you may experience that in some roles, one major benefit of working in Sales is you are graded on the money you are earning the company you work for. Oftentimes, the best producers are rewarded with a flexible schedule because of their value to an organization.
Salary
As you will see below, the average salary of someone in sales outpaces many career fields that require a bachelors degree, masters degree, or even a PHD. There are examples I have seen at every organization I have worked for where top sales performers are making well over $250,000. If you find success in sales and are able to work for a company that compensates their employees well, earning significanlty north of six figures is very realistic.
Relationship Building & Networking
If you are a people person and enjoy building new relationships, sales may be a great fit for you. Sales is becoming more and more about building relationships with your prospects and earning their trust so you have the opportunity to tell them about how what you’re selling can help them. While it is not a requirement to be an extrovert to find success in sales (oftentimes introverts can be great salespeople too) it does help if you enjoy and are good at interacting with people.
Learning Valuable Skills
A career in sales will teach you skills you will carry with you and use for the rest of your life. Sales is the study and execution of interacting with people, something that will benefit you in all areas of life.
A Degree is Often Not Required
Most sales roles don’t require you to have a college degree. Often, companies care more about the ability of a sales candidate to generate revenue. If you are able to communicate how you are going to do that and you are able to show a history of you excelling at that on your resume, oftentimes that is enough.
What is the average salary of someone in Sales?
According to Glassdoor, The average salary for a Sales Representative in the US is $84,752. Compare that to the average salary of an engineer at $80,197 and you will see that a career in sales can be a great option for someone looking for a fulfilling career that pays very well.
How to get a job in Sales?
Start in an Entry Level Role
There are many types of Sales jobs with prerequisites ranging from no experience to many years. The great thing for people with little to no sales experience is, entry-level sales roles often don’t require previous experience. If you can show how you communicate and interact with people well, oftentimes these businesses looking to fill entry-level sales roles will give you a chance. If you find success in an entry-level role you can earn a very healthy salary and build your resume for a more senior position down the road.
Communicate How Your Past Experience Relates to Selling to and Communicating With Others
Sales is simply interacting and communicating with people. This isn’t to say it is easy, but the components are simple. If you are looking to land your dream sales job, make sure your resume is showing how you excel at communicating and interacting with others. Show how your efforts in the past have produced tangible revenue for a company.
Show How You Have Earned a Company Revenue
Many types of jobs produce revenue for a company. My first job was as a Sacker at a neighborhood grocery store. If I was applying for a sales role I might communicate how my efficiencies as a sacker lead to customers being able to checkout faster, resulting in higher revenue for the store. I may also communicate how my efforts enhanced the customer experience and lead to higher customer retention. Many roles involve generating revenue for a business. Communicate how your past experience has done that.
Get Involved in a Sales Program in College
There are many programs that colleges now offer dedicated to teaching Sales. Some even go so far as competing with other schools like a sports team would. If you are in college or are planning on attending soon, research what Sales programs or majors are available. In my experience, these programs produce graduates who receive offers for great sales roles even before graduation.
Look for a Sales Internship
Many companies are looking to build a good pipeline of new salespeople, and one way they build that pipeline is by offering internships for sales positions. If you are able to intern for a company and show you are a good worker, have a high aptitude for sales, and are a good culture fit, chances are that the company will be more than willing to offer you a full-time position after graduation.
Look for a Commission Only Sales Role
If you are struggling to land a sales job, it may be beneficial to consider a role that is commission only. Oftentimes, companies are more willing to take a chance on an individual that may not have a lot of experience in a commission-only role. And while you need to do your due diligence to make sure the company you are working for is ethical and the role is a good fit, if you find success in a commission-only position you can earn a substantial amount of money.
Build Your Communication Skills
Sales is communicating and interacting with people. If you are looking to land your dream sales job you should practice and be comfortable with doing so. Spend time talking with people. Take a course on how to write emails, how to sell a product, or how to interview well. This training will help you be comfortable and engaging when interacting with people during an interview process.
Network
All companies sell a product or a service, and most companies hire people to help them do that. You would do well to network with local businesspeople so when those businesses are looking to hire their next rockstar salesperson you come to mind first. Research what local business meetups you can attend and introduce yourself to the people there. You would also do well to talk to your friends about where they work. If a family member or friend is able to refer you for an open position at a company they work for oftentimes it will put your resume at the top of the stack.
Learn About Business
Salespeople need to be business minded. They need to understand, even if at a high level, how businesses earn money and operate. Read books, listen to podcasts, and watch videos about entrepreneurship, marketing, and finance. If during your interviews you are able to talk about how you could help a business achieve success by hiring you, you will stand out from the crowd. You will also be able to speak with your prospects in a way that is meaningful to them because you will be talking to them like a fellow business owner or leader.
Summary
I hope this article has given you the tools to land your dream job in sales. Sales can be a wonderful and rewarding career that offers flexibility and a great salary.