Anyone or their kid works in sales?

[Anonymous]

I think it’s a bit short sighted to just be looking at what’s immediately profitable among your kid’s peers. To sustain a career in a field, you need a real interest to drive you. The best salespeople I know (who earn trust and make big $) first had years of experience in the field to learn their product or tech, *then* switched to selling it. Any sales role that seems appealing to a college grad now, probably maxes out quickly because it doesn’t require much depth of knowledge or experience. It is not good to peak too soon.

[Anonymous]

I started my career in a very analytical role, then moved into a sales support/strategy role in advertising for a while where I was much closer to the sales process and loved the energy of it - best of both worlds as I was helping to sell without having a number to hit. I am now in less of a client facing role and I really miss the energy of sales. The mentality of people who have never had to work with clients is completely different and not for me.

People who do sales are always hustling to get things done. It is important to have management or risk people to keep them in check to make sure they don't overdo it, but too many of those people are too risk averse and create useless processes and headaches to justify their existence, since their contributions are harder to quantify.

As someone above wisely noted, a lot of jobs involve "sales" even if you aren't selling a specific product - for example, a good lawyer at a firm is selling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in middle school who is bright but not super bright, and does fine academically but not straight As and not super focused. But they are incredibly charismatic and street smart. I already know they will end up in sales and do really well there because people gravitate to them (and this is all in a very pure, genuine, sweet way - I can't stand the little kids who are super self-assured and are young hustlers).

We have plenty of time but just need to figure out the right path to get them there. They will not be gunning for Ivies. But they should go to a good school surrounded by smart, motivated kids who will be accomplishing things. We will have to figure out where that is.

I went to JMU and you are describing so many of the kids I went to school with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A very wise professor told me that everyone is in sales, whether they realize it or not. Riding up the ranks is almost any org requires sales skills. If your kid is good at it, he can go super far.

This is very true- in most professions, if you can't sell your ideas internally and/or externally, you will not go far. I wish I learned this earlier in my career but not sure I would have listened. It can be tough as an introvert watching loud gregarious people with mediocre ideas blow past you.

[Anonymous]

What’s the contribution to society by just selling things? Sounds like a pure money grab.

[Anonymous]

I think my kid will go into sales - he likes people, is cheerful and friendly and is motivated to earn money (which is good for a commission based field like sales). I think it's a good path and if he chooses to do something else, knowing how to sell yourself is also a good skill. He is a junior in college and is looking for an internship in sales this summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the contribution to society by just selling things? Sounds like a pure money grab.

Sales is an important component of every business. I'm a partner at a law firm that provide estate planning documents and I need to "sell" my services or I would have no clients. My friend works to demonstrate a very expensive medical device that helps breast cancer patients - she sells them to hospitals that want to be on the cutting-edge of care. Our neighbor up the street is a "financial advisor" for an investment firm that helps clueless people invest their nest eggs for retirement. We are all "selling things" but also contributing to society in different ways.

[Anonymous]

How do you break into pharma sales? My kid is also interested. They are personable and good looking - I know that helps.

[Anonymous]

When I think sales I think of two personalities: (1) Kenneth the page from 30 Rock and (2) Patrick Bateman from American Psycho.

Fingers crossed your kid is the first kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you have to be brutally honest with your dc that this is NOT going to be successful career path for him unless he is very good looking and personable.

If you're not good looking, there's always phone sales. Dial for dollars!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you break into pharma sales? My kid is also interested. They are personable and good looking - I know that helps.

Easiest way is to apply to be an intern junior year. All the big companies have sales internships that can turn into full time roles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you have to be brutally honest with your dc that this is NOT going to be successful career path for him unless he is very good looking and personable.

If you're not good looking, there's always phone sales. Dial for dollars!

People here are confusing naturally good looking with put-together, which is what is important.

[Anonymous]

DS is in medical sales for a cardiac device. He loves it. The device is fairly well known and pretty popular, so most of his job is about keeping those connections and keeping the facilities updated on changes. He also gets to go into cardiac procedures from time to time to see the device being used.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is in medical sales for a cardiac device. He loves it. The device is fairly well known and pretty popular, so most of his job is about keeping those connections and keeping the facilities updated on changes. He also gets to go into cardiac procedures from time to time to see the device being used.

'

Very cool! What was his path to get there? Undergrad major? Does he have a technical background? An interest in medicine?

(I'm a former corporate lawyer and was always intrigued by the Medical Devices practice. Those lawyers all had hard science or engineering backgrounds, though. Very smart bunch.)

[Anonymous]

Don’t recommend it! Husband is in IT sales-has not been good especially now in this area with this administration.