What to Know About Sales Jobs Before Taking One

What is the best type of sales job to take? (and What to AVOID)

It would help if you concentrated on corporate sales (also known as Business to Business or B2B sales). Typically, the top sales jobs are found in this sector.

 

The inverse is business to consumer (B2C), which may include selling phones at Verizon, selling vehicles, and so on. For various reasons, you do not want to market to particular consumers. The main issue is that individual consumers do not have much money. How can you expect to close a $10 million contract with just one person? You aren’t. A single corporation? Not an issue.

Inside and outside sales are the two main categories of B2B sales jobs. Inside salespeople work in an office and mostly communicate with customers via phone, email, and other electronic means. Outside sales entail travel, face-to-face meetings, and so on. Depending on the work, and inside salesperson may meet people face to face on occasion, although this is normally fairly unusual, sometimes not even once per month.

It is entirely up to you which option you choose. When applying, make important to find out exactly what the position entails. The job description should include this information. For example, if you see the word “travel,” it means the job is in outside sales.

What type of industry or company should I be looking for?

When looking for top sales positions, look for organizations with strong margins and profitability. In addition, they have the means to pay you a higher commission!!

 

Software firms are one example of a high-margin business. They have significant upfront R&D expenditures to produce software, but once completed, the cost to create and package a CD with software put on it is less than a dollar. At that point, it’s all profit, and they can afford to pay you a large commission because each sale you bring in is money in their pocket (and your pocket).

Any profitable business with a large profit margin is a fantastic location to work in sales. Here are some areas to investigate:

  • Commercial property
  • Business Application Software
  • Services about finance
  • Insurance
  • Telecommunications

Any service that requires a regular membership or continuing fees (but make sure the compensation structure compensates you for this!)

Watch Out for These Warning Signs in a Sales Job

If you decide to hunt for your first career in sales, make sure to choose a company that provides a decent training program and a comfortable base wage while you are training. Avoid companies that pay only commission and no salary or need you to begin as a temporary employee to test the waters. These organizations will hire many people regardless of whether they believe they can do the job, and they will lose little if someone fails.

You want a company that will devote time and resources to ensure your success! A good company with a robust sales organization will believe in its ability to train you and get you up to speed. In addition, it will offer you reasonable compensation during this training period and beyond.

When interviewing, make sure you ask a lot of questions and that you grasp the remuneration structure. Interviewing for a sales position is not like other types of interviews. You can ask inquiries concerning the compensation system, and it is not normally regarded as ‘off-limits.’ Ask how much the top earners made last year. Please inquire about the average person’s earnings in their first and second years. These types of questions will provide you with a clear picture of what you can achieve if you put in the work.

That’s all there is to know about sales jobs before starting one. Give it a shot if you believe sales would be a good fit for you. You won’t know unless you try, and you’ll be gaining highly valuable skills that you can use in your career even if you decide that a career in sales isn’t for you.