I have heard it too many times: "sales is not for me", "I hate sales!", "sales is useless" and so on. Whether or not somebody enjoys a sales position is not up to me at all. Indeed, many people either are not cut out for a sales career or simply don't have it in them to constantly be meeting a quota.
Whether or not you like sales is irrelevant; sales teaches you numerous skills that can benefit you in any career path that you take. So if there is anything to gleam from this post it is that you should never look down on a salesman. They are culminating skills that go far beyond a job in sales.
1. They Develop a Thick Skin
This is very important in just about any type of career. Just about every sales rep will have a few stories about extremely angry customers or people who get violently angry when being cold called. Such instances are a "day in the life" of a salesperson, and being prepared to deal with these situations can carry over to just about every aspect in life.
Suppose you are a a customer service representative for some insurance company. There is no way you aren't going to deal with irate customers every now and again, so it's crucial that you have developed thick skin. A sales job is a perfect way to develop that!
2. They Have Drive!
Okay, maybe not ALL salespeople have drive, but the majority of them do. That's the nature of sales: you always need to hustle to get the next big lead or to close a huge deal. Having drive is the name of the game in sales!
Whether or not you are in sales, obviously drive is still one of the most important things to have to maintain success in any career! You need to regularly have the big picture in mind, in order to develop yourself and succeed!
3. They Think On Their Feet
In sales, things can change at the drop of a hat. Any salesperson can tell you that. However, it is their job to be prepared for last minute changes, or undiscovered client needs. They need to be incredibly knowledgeable about their product, so that they can adapt at the drop of a hat.
The ability to think on your feet is something that everybody needs to have. Planning is good, but being able to adapt instantly is great! This is especially a crucial skill for customer support, business executives, and even retail workers!
4. They Enjoy Learning!
As mentioned before, salespeople often need to think on their feet. As a result of this, they are constantly learning. Whether it be about new products or industry changes, successful sales reps eagerly consume as much knowledge as they can, in order to make as many sales as possible.
This enthusiasm for learning is certainly much appreciated in literally every other career choice: marketing, management, writing, etc.
5. They Are Extremely Results Oriented!
In a position that requires meeting quotas and tracking what you do, how can one not be results oriented? In previous sales positions, I always rocked out the numbers sheet, allowing me to make more money because I knew exactly where I was at and where I wanted to be.
This leads to reps becoming more organized and harder working. Any company would do well to have someone with your skill set!
In all, I think this gives the case for at least trying out a sales position. You can gain very valuable skills that any employer would want. Who knows? You might just like it!
No comments:
Post a Comment