Ask/Tell us about being in Sales! (We're a notch below "Child Molester")

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Ask/Tell us about being in Sales! (We're a notch below "Child Molester")

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

Working in freight brokering for a year now, I guess I should stop by this thread. Currently reading SPIN as has been mentioned a few times, actually has given me motivation to finish it sooner.

~more to come later~

# ¿ Dec 2, 2014 04:37

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 15:36

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

They may be trying to get more sales people because they are growing at a fast pace (this would describe my company) which could be why they seem to be pursuing you.

My job, which is essentially sales (freight broker), has been my first sales job and I'm picking up some positive vibes from your post regarding your attitude so while I can offer nothing about your specific choices I think you should definitely consider it.

Main thing to keep in mind, make sure you understand the pay structure and commission before you start.

# ¿ Jan 12, 2015 06:32

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

Kraftwerk posted:

So far you guys have told me how great it is, but you're all successful proven sales people. I have no sales experience. If I was unemployed and had nothing to lose this decision would be a no brainer. But taking this job, means losing my old one and putting myself in their hands. I find the risk extremely frightening.

I left my no sale experience and no formal business "white collar" experience job and now make 50% more a year than I did 13 months ago.

I don't deny that I was worried and that the transition wasn't extremely hard.

# ¿ Jan 13, 2015 04:42

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

They are not payong you to do sales so they shouldn't expect you to understand how to sell. And I say that not as a dig on you at all. Sounds like you're in a bad position and I would consider asking your manager to be trained in sales so you can make your own comission and/or look for a sales job at another dealership (or business in general).

# ¿ Apr 14, 2015 00:15

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

Pierced Bronson posted:

fff

You obviously need to post your city so someone can get you a real sales job.

And the referral bonus...we are sales people after all.

# ¿ Apr 15, 2015 00:35

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

Tell me more about sales jobs where you work from home mostly and which companies/fields are good and which ones are scams.

# ¿ May 7, 2015 03:11

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

Kraftwerk posted:

So anybody got an interview tips? I will be interviewed by the Executive VP for a particular industry segment this company caters to, the regional general manager (This man will be my boss) and the HR lady.

The latter 2 have a bit of a small town mindset so they're more down to Earth, direct and approachable. The VP answers directly to the president of the company and is very particular about who he wants. He will be flying in from the European HQ. He gets the final say on the candidate and nobody really knows what he's looking for. In essence for me to get this job he has to like me. A lot of people came and went before me. All I know is they don't like the typical slimy sales dude who talks too much and they want someone a bit more methodical and technical in how they handle things.

My first instinct is that they want a listener. Which makes sense. A lot of big companies build their business on being good listeners who are attentive to customer needs. For me the biggest challenge is taking my sales support and account management experience and talking it up to prove to them I can bring in the revenue. I'll need to show them how I can be of service to them, how I can help them. What I want is secondary to that.

Supposedly the interview questions will be quite difficult for the career level this job is sitting at. They are looking for someone they can groom and promote from within. They want an ambitious go getter and they want someone who excels rather than coasts in the same position for years on end. They'll be asking me some difficult questions about what I think leadership is, what passion is etc. In addition I will be asked about situations where I used my skills to save a deal from going belly up etc.

Any advice would be appreciated, I have never interviewed anyone on the executive level before. Almost every interview I've ever had was with middle management types and they're super easy to deal with. VPs and directors are unexplored territory for me.

Your first step is to come up with your answers to all the questions you know they are going to ask (as stated in your post) and then practice them in front of a mirror, in front of your spouse, family, friend. Do mock interviews and get those questions down.

# ¿ May 13, 2015 02:13

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

Kraftwerk posted:

What's the best way to talk about possible weaknesses in a sales type interview? You obviously don't want to degrade yourself but you can't give a non-answer either...

Off the top of my head I might say that I am strongest when working with people that like to get down to business and working to improve my sales success with more "right-brained"* people.

I would say that because it is true for me plus it allows me to talk up a positive aspect as a counter to the negative that follows it. I suppose you could also spin it around and do "Negative" but "Positive" and that would be better.

*not actually a thing but more sales-people will know the right vs. left brain definitions as they apply to sales.

# ¿ May 14, 2015 00:45

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

Third Party Logistics, so I sell customers on our ability to move their freight and my previous role in the same company was selling our carriers on the freight we needed picked up.

# ¿ Aug 30, 2015 01:51

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

You should also consider getting any sales job that isn't a scam. Companies are going to be more likely to higher someone with proven sales experience.

# ¿ Sep 27, 2015 15:42

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

devoir posted:

@Kraftwerk,

I see https://www.welovesalt.com come up a lot. Even if they don't place you directly/upfront, perhaps talking to them will get you some additional grounding.

Website is throwing an https warning for me in Chrome.

# ¿ Apr 4, 2017 02:11

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

I used it for a few months with my previous company and came to pretty much the same conclusion. I suppose if you have no CRM it could have more benefit but I 99% of the time just used it for the searching like you said.

I suppose you could leverage the notifications on "talking points" via company/person related news that the sales navigator provides but I didn't find it useful in that regard.

# ¿ May 18, 2017 23:55

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 15:36

tangy yet delightful: Sep 13, 2005

Skim reading that at work, but that's a good post. Thanks for writing it.

# ¿ Jul 6, 2017 16:29

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Ask/Tell us about being in Sales! (We're a notch below "Child Molester")