Why is Sales filled with such sleaze bags?

[Anonymous]

Title says it all. There is the rare 1 or 2 who have some sense of morals but the rest…scary. Do these people change in the role or does the role attract a certain type?

[Anonymous]

The role attracts a certain type, duh. Just like stockbrokers.

[Anonymous]

These folks are academically weak and need some way to make money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These folks are academically weak and need some way to make money.

A good salesman out earns most people with more impressive degrees. Even in fields with professional degrees, rainmaker big law partners are really just salesmen. The difference between a great doctor and a regular doctor usually comes down less to skill and more to their ability to sell themselves as a great doctor. I can't think of any field where this doesn't apply, even the best engineers who form start ups are successful in raising VC because they can sell themselves and their ideas.

[Anonymous]

It's one of the few skills that matches the skill set of ex cons and other dregs of society. The local car dealership is a jobs program recommended by probation officers, for example. The sleaze bag type can also go door to door selling solar leases that make no sense and deal with angry residents because they don't care.

[Anonymous]

They are coin operated. What do you expect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These folks are academically weak and need some way to make money.

A good salesman out earns most people with more impressive degrees. Even in fields with professional degrees, rainmaker big law partners are really just salesmen. The difference between a great doctor and a regular doctor usually comes down less to skill and more to their ability to sell themselves as a great doctor. I can't think of any field where this doesn't apply, even the best engineers who form start ups are successful in raising VC because they can sell themselves and their ideas.

My DH Is in sales and has a bachelor's in kinesiology/exercise science from a state school. He outearns me and I have an Ivy MBA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These folks are academically weak and need some way to make money.

A good salesman out earns most people with more impressive degrees. Even in fields with professional degrees, rainmaker big law partners are really just salesmen. The difference between a great doctor and a regular doctor usually comes down less to skill and more to their ability to sell themselves as a great doctor. I can't think of any field where this doesn't apply, even the best engineers who form start ups are successful in raising VC because they can sell themselves and their ideas.

My DH Is in sales and has a bachelor's in kinesiology/exercise science from a state school. He outearns me and I have an Ivy MBA.

Sales is interesting in that it's a skill you can't really learn but if you're born with it then it feels like it should be considered an unskilled job. You literally just do everyday things like talk to people, go to lunch, ask about the kids/dogs, etc but just in a way that most people enjoy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These folks are academically weak and need some way to make money.

A good salesman out earns most people with more impressive degrees. Even in fields with professional degrees, rainmaker big law partners are really just salesmen. The difference between a great doctor and a regular doctor usually comes down less to skill and more to their ability to sell themselves as a great doctor. I can't think of any field where this doesn't apply, even the best engineers who form start ups are successful in raising VC because they can sell themselves and their ideas.

My DH Is in sales and has a bachelor's in kinesiology/exercise science from a state school. He outearns me and I have an Ivy MBA.

Sales is interesting in that it's a skill you can't really learn but if you're born with it then it feels like it should be considered an unskilled job. You literally just do everyday things like talk to people, go to lunch, ask about the kids/dogs, etc but just in a way that most people enjoy

I'm the PP and my DH (and my FIL) are just born salespeople. Not surprisingly, their ancestors came here in the colonial days and were merchants and everyone has done something similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These folks are academically weak and need some way to make money.

A good salesman out earns most people with more impressive degrees. Even in fields with professional degrees, rainmaker big law partners are really just salesmen. The difference between a great doctor and a regular doctor usually comes down less to skill and more to their ability to sell themselves as a great doctor. I can't think of any field where this doesn't apply, even the best engineers who form start ups are successful in raising VC because they can sell themselves and their ideas.

My DH Is in sales and has a bachelor's in kinesiology/exercise science from a state school. He outearns me and I have an Ivy MBA.

Sales is interesting in that it's a skill you can't really learn but if you're born with it then it feels like it should be considered an unskilled job. You literally just do everyday things like talk to people, go to lunch, ask about the kids/dogs, etc but just in a way that most people enjoy

I had an uncle who was the best salesman that I ever saw. He wasn't particularly bright, but rose to be a senior VP at one of the largest corporations in the US. He got bored and left to found a very random business, and grew the client base enough to sell it to his previous employer. He retired at 50 to golf and fish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These folks are academically weak and need some way to make money.

A good salesman out earns most people with more impressive degrees. Even in fields with professional degrees, rainmaker big law partners are really just salesmen. The difference between a great doctor and a regular doctor usually comes down less to skill and more to their ability to sell themselves as a great doctor. I can't think of any field where this doesn't apply, even the best engineers who form start ups are successful in raising VC because they can sell themselves and their ideas.

Brings up another point - to sales, jobs are 100% about money. That's why academically strong people look down on them. Salespeople can't and don't want to understand the products they're selling at a deep level, nor understand contract terms. Just pump and sell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These folks are academically weak and need some way to make money.

A good salesman out earns most people with more impressive degrees. Even in fields with professional degrees, rainmaker big law partners are really just salesmen. The difference between a great doctor and a regular doctor usually comes down less to skill and more to their ability to sell themselves as a great doctor. I can't think of any field where this doesn't apply, even the best engineers who form start ups are successful in raising VC because they can sell themselves and their ideas.

My DH Is in sales and has a bachelor's in kinesiology/exercise science from a state school. He outearns me and I have an Ivy MBA.

But you're smarter than he is, right? Who cares how much he earns? I think if you value intellect, it's hard to admire the sales skill unless you're selling something sophisticated.

[Anonymous]

Totally disagree with the title of this thread. the same can be said for any occupation or profession.

Without salespeople, there would be no administrative, manufacturing, or transportation jobs, etc.

[Anonymous]

My brother is in sales. He's a people person who wants to talk and talk and wine and dine and is always looking for the next party. He does well for himself. He was never academically inclined. He found his niche. He will never be cut out for management.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally disagree with the title of this thread. the same can be said for any occupation or profession.

Without salespeople, there would be no administrative, manufacturing, or transportation jobs, etc.

And I agree with you. Sleezebags are everywhere, in every profession/occupation. Sometimes they happen to clump. And just about everything involves an element of "sales."