Sales is a lucrative career choice that can be very fulfilling—but only if you choose the right sales job. But it’s also a varied field with many different types of opportunities. You might feel overwhelmed, not knowing which ones to go after, which ones you’d succeed in, and which ones would make you the happiest.
Here are seven tips that will help you choose the best sales career that suits your needs and interests.
Every industry sells. So every industry will have salespeople. When it comes to choosing a sales job, you can basically pick any field that you’re interested in, in order to narrow down your choices. If you have a strong interest in healthcare, you can sell pharmaceuticals. If you really love numbers and finance, you can sell financial products. Even non-profit companies need to sell their ideas to donors. The entire business world is focused on selling something to someone, so you can easily zero in on the right sales job for you by first finding your field of interest.
To be successful and happy in your job, you need passion for what you’re selling. When you really believe in your work, it won’t feel like work at all. Once you’ve figured out which field you want to be in, you need to decide which companies to apply to. Do your research and come up with a few companies that sell products or services that you are interested in. If you choose a company based solely on compensation, you’ll probably be unhappy in your sales job.
Sales has a lot of different types of compensation packages, and this should be one of your considerations. Would you be comfortable making straight commission? You could earn a great living, but only if you’re dedicated and hard working. Some sales positions are strictly salary, which is a steady income but might not be worth your hard work if you’re looking to make more. A salary plus commission opportunity could give you the best of both worlds.
There are many different types of sales positions. It’s important to choose a position you think you’d be great in. Maybe you’re skilled at researching and networking, in which case you might want to look for a lead generation and development job. Maybe you’re a smooth talker who could sell ice to an Eskimo, in which case you’d be a great closer. Or, maybe you’re more interested in taking a supporting role as an assistant.
Do you love your independence and meeting new people? Or do you really enjoy your water-cooler time and the steady schedule of working from the office? Your job could consist of outside or inside sales. Outside salespeople work on the road a lot, manage their own schedules, and change workplaces regularly. This role needs a lot of self-motivation. Inside sales is more about staying in the office a set amount of hours every day. To many salespeople, this could end up feeling repetitive and boring, but for others, the consistency is ideal.
If you don’t want to make the mistake of choosing the wrong sales job, you could also work with a sales staffing agency. Its recruiters have in-depth knowledge of the industry and could help you figure out which type of sales job matches your skills, experience, and interests, and then help you find a suitable opportunity.
If you’ve considered the tips above and you still don’t know which sales job is right for you, consider taking on some temp work. You’ll be able to work with different companies in different roles until you find the position that feels right for you.
Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.