You may not be interested in working in sales. However, did you know sales experience can help with any position? Here’s why you may want to embrace your inner salesperson after all.
Top Benefits of Sales Experience
- You Master People Skills
When you’re in sales, you regularly approach someone you don’t know and convince them to buy something. To be successful, you must perfect a range-wide of people skills ranging from effective communication to emotional intelligence. And, as you may have guessed, these abilities allow you to excel in everyday work life too. - You Understand Goal Setting
In sales, you need to meet both short and long-term goals. This requires you to be motivated, organized and productive. By applying these same talents to your work and personal goals, you’ll achieve more for your company and for yourself. - You Learn to Deal with Rejection
You WILL get rejected in sales. Although this won’t be fun, you’ll become more resilient. As a result, you’ll be more likely to push the limits, bounce back from failures and learn from your mistakes. Ultimately, these qualities are useful in all areas of your life. - You Discover How to Think on Your Feet
Some people are more quick–witted than others. Nevertheless, with practice, you can get better at thinking on your feet. Once again, sales is a perfect training ground. And being able to make a spur-of-moment pitch, address concerns on the fly or respond to a crisis are top business skills. - You Figure Out How to Sell Yourself
Finally, selling a product or service trains you to sell something even more important… yourself. You can employ the same selling strategies to land a job, negotiate a higher salary or request a promotion. Thus, you’ll have the framework needed to build a better career.
How to Gain Sales Experience
You’re convinced. Sales experience is a smart idea. Now, where should you begin?
- Work in Sales
You probably won’t move into a permanent, full-time sales position, but you may want to consider a side gig. Many retail shops need extra help on evenings and weekends or during holiday seasons. In fact, some people find this to be an interesting change of pace from their regular jobs. - Take a Course
There are lots of sales classes available. Online platforms from Coursera to LinkedIn Learning offer numerous options, while organizations like Dale Carnegie provide in-person classes as well. Many businesses also include sales training as part of their ongoing professional development strategies. - Get Involved in Your Company’s Sales Process
In addition, you could ask to participate in your organization’s sales process or shadow a salesperson for a day. Some companies actively encourage cross-department collaboration. Even if yours doesn’t, most managers will be happy to assist you since sales impacts every aspect of a business.
Are You Hoping to Use Your Sales and Manufacturing Skills to Land a Great Job?
Connectology is hiring! Our recruiters place talented candidates with top manufacturing organizations in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin and beyond. Browse our available openings and find your next opportunity today!
