Tips for Finding a Job in Sales

Joseph Stubblebine
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The economy runs on sales, so sales jobs are always an important segment of the overall job market. However, finding individual jobs in sales is sometimes difficult. To launch a successful career in sales, it's important to learn where the jobs are and how to get them. As a sales professional, you want to shoot for the jobs that provide the highest salaries and the most opportunities for advancement.

Sales jobs span everything from retail associate, to real estate broker, to the high-level advertising sales agent who helps get commercials on network television. There are sales jobs in every industry, applying to nearly every career interest. If you are interested in music, for example, there are sales jobs available in music stores, in high-end piano showrooms, and within the recording industry.

Finding sales jobs is as simple as selecting an industry of interest and figuring out where the sales staff works. If a job candidate is interested in fashion, for example, there are plenty of retail sales jobs available. There are also sales jobs available with fabric suppliers, clothing lines and even modeling agencies. These are the types of sales jobs that might not be immediately obvious but provide some of the best career opportunities.

When job seekers have difficulty finding sales jobs, it is often because they have not been adequately trained in the art of the job search. This means not knowing where to look for open sales positions or how to interview and present strengths to a potential employer. A recent survey by Millennial Branding and Nexxt reports that employers believe 36% of job candidates are unprepared for interviews.

It is important to choose a sales job carefully. As the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes, retail sales workers earn a median pay of only $21,410 per year while sales engineers earn $91,830 as of 2014. Starting on the path towards becoming a sales engineer instead of a retail worker is a stronger career move.

After choosing an industry and job type, learn how to successfully complete job applications and go through the interview process. Sales jobs are all about tangible results, so you should be able to prove that you have a track history of successfully selling products. Even job seekers with little formal career experience can cite sales work performed for a volunteer job or student organization.

There are sales jobs in nearly every industry, from finance to fashion. Finding sales jobs is a matter of identifying the appropriate industry and learning where the sales staff works. Some sales jobs are better paying and have more advancement opportunities than others, which means advanced research is an important part of the job hunt. Lastly, knowing how to apply and interview for sales jobs helps job candidates to start their careers.

(Photo courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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  • George Jacob
    George Jacob

    Sales seems like one of those skill sets that extends across many industries, much like marketing or management. Some recruiters blur those lines accordingly to entice candidates. When I came out of college, I went to an "interview" for a "marketing job" that ended up being a ride-along for a position in a pyramid scheme. I never made that mistake again.

  • John K.
    John K.

    Similar to a lot of professions there is pretty stiff competition in sales. A couple of things to consider is casting a wide net to reach as many potential employers as possible and making sure you are marketing yourself effectively. Use your resume to demonstrate how you have helped past employers close more business and increase revenue. Make sure to quantify your past success by showing % or $ increases.

  • John C.
    John C.

    One last example-applied to a extremely large Cable/Internet provider, again, without naming, has some huge clout think 'Olympics'. Anyway, thinking I'm applying for a Sales Position, all of a sudden I'm enrolled-all I had to was say 'I'll be there Monday'-in a 6-week training course to work on Cable and Internet Repairs in domiciles. Uh, hello? Not QUITE what i applied for.....

  • John C.
    John C.

    Hmm, please give me-anyone-your opinions on how to go around the minefield of 'Recruiters', whose #1 priority, I believe, is to shred great candidates to pieces because their Work History doesn't say 'I have gizmo Widgets in my Experience Base'. The #1 roadblock far and away which prevents good people to get good jobs with good Companies is RECRUITERS-this is my stone-cold belief as of today.

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