Questions To Ask Yourself Before Pursuing a Sales Job | Whether you are fresh out of college or looking to make a career change, a job in sales can be a very satisfying and lucrative profession. However, a sales position is not for everyone. If you are considering a career in sales, ask yourself the below questions to help gauge whether this position is right for you.
Can You Be Persuasive and Honest?
Some potential clients will be very interested in your products while others will take a great deal of convincing. Either way, you need to be persuasive in order to turn a potential consumer into a buyer. When going on a sales call, you need to be confident in both your presentation and product knowledge.
Additionally, you need to have high moral standards and be honest with your clients. Strategically leaving out details simply to get the person to sign a contract only comes back to bite you in the end.
Do You Enjoy Working With People?
If you want to pursue a sales job, you have to be a people person. The goal of your position is to interact with clients and convince them to purchase your company’s products. If you dislike being around people or prefer to work alone, this probably is not the best trade for you.
Are You Outgoing?
In this career, you are constantly meeting new people. If you are always the life of a party or have no fear of chatting up a stranger when out and about, this may be the job for you; an outgoing personality is typically best suited for sales jobs.
Are You Successful Under Pressure?
While a lot of money can be made in sales, there can also be a lot of pressure in this position. Most salesmen and saleswomen have a quota that needs to be met, and constantly missing that quota could result in termination.
These requirements can add a lot of stress to the job, especially if it is nearing the end of the quota period and you have not met the goal yet. To be successful, you need to be the type of person who performs well under pressure. Instead of falling apart, you can focus and re-strategize to determine how to meet your goal.
Do You Like To Travel?
While not all sales jobs require traveling, many of them do. When making a sales pitch, you often travel to the client and have the meeting at their office. Depending on the job, this may mean a lot of driving around your neighboring towns, or it may mean a lot of flying around the country or internationally.
If you do not like traveling, a sales job might not be the best route. Or perhaps you love traveling but have a busy family life or a lot of personal commitments. If these are the cases, a sales job with travel requirements might be difficult to maintain long-term.
Can You Put In Extra Time?
Sales often require time outside the typical 8-5 workday. A potential client may only be able to meet early in the morning or later in the evening. You may also need to put in extra time to complete contract details if you have a deadline to make. If you decide to chase this dream, just remember you will likely have to work extra hours.
Are You Comfortable With a Fluctuating Income?
Most sales positions are commission-based. Some have a base salary plus commission, while others are commission only. Either way, be aware that your income will vary paycheck to paycheck depending on your sales performance.
Do You Thrive Off Challenges?
Salespeople often have many hurdles to overcome before closing a sale. Potential buyers usually have multiple questions or concerns that you must speak to before moving forward with a purchase. If you thrive off a good challenge, you might just love this career.
A sales position is rewarding but not without putting in a lot of hard work. If you are thinking of trying this career path, take some time to evaluate these questions to determine if the job is a good fit for you.
