Good Reasons to Work on a Commission Based Sales Job

Good Reason to Work in a Commission Based Sales Job


1.  The potential to make a large uncapped income is more likely in a 100% commission position.

2.  More Independence and Flexibility is available.

3.  You are given a chance to receive more valuable training from some of these positions than a salary based one.

4.  This is a good way to break into the sales profession.   High salary based sales positions are nearly impossible to get without substantial sales experience.  Unfortunately most employers do not look at retail or telemarketing as true sales experience.

5.  These positions are often set up so you can behave as if you are an Entrepreneur.  

6.  This can be a way in the door for a company you really want to work with.

7.  These sales positions can look great on a resume.

8.  You are currently unemployed and you need to earn income while looking for your "Dream Job"


 

Why Choose a Career in Sales?

By Thomas Phelps

Sales Careers Expert

 

 

Andrew Olney/Digital Vision/Getty Images

Brian Tracy describes sales as the "ultimate default career." By that he means that many people get into sales because they can't find any other job that pays them what they need. Some of the top sales professionals in the world will admit that they had no intention of getting into or staying in the sales industries, yet most wouldn't change their decision to stay.But while sales may be a default occupation, there are several reasons why you should choose a career in sales instead of being a sales person until something else opens up.

 

Here are just a few.

Show Me the Money!
There are very few careers that offer the income potential that sales careers offer. While not all sales careers offer unlimited income potential, many do. In sales, your income is based on your performance. There will be quotas and activity expectations, but there are also rewards. Performance rewards come in the form of commission checks, quarterly and annual bonuses, trips, prizes and a slew of other incentives.
Those who hire sales professionals hire them to increase their revenues. Without sales, their doors will soon be closed. Knowing that, employers are willing to do what it takes to get their sales team motivated to improve their sales. That motivation usually comes in the form of income.
Don't Fence Me In
Many outside sales positions come with the benefit of a flexible schedule. While the amount of flexibility ranges from job to job, most allow the sales professional to set their daily schedule, as long as specified activity and training levels are met.

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For the sales professional who doesn't abuse this freedom and who uses their work hours for business generating purposes, the resulting rewards are tremendous. And when coupled with the ability to take a "mental break" during the day or to run a quick personal errand, sales careers and the associated flexibility become highly addictive positions.

If you were to offer a successful sales person a full-time desk job, you'd probably have your offer rejected. Why? Once you've enjoyed the freedom of setting your own daily schedule, it is very hard to do any job that has the time and "location" expectations that most office or desk jobs demands.
Job Security
The valuable you make yourself to your employer, the less likely you are to be fired, replaced or be the victim of a "reduction in force." However, if the economy turns, if the industry you work in takes a "global hit," or if the owners of the company decide to sell the business or simply retire, your value decreases significantly.
The same can be said about sales professionals. The difference is that successful sales people are usually the last to be cut from a dying business. Why? Cutting sales means cutting incoming revenue which is not a good plan for a business looking to remain viable.
The other way that sales creates job security is that successful sales pros are seldom out of work for long. Every business that sells a product or service needs effective sales people in order to drive their revenues. If you are good in sales, you have tremendous market value.
Superficiality can be a concern to consider with sales, in that more and more businesses are no longer just looking for someone who can sell, but for people who can sell within a specific industry. While specializing in a sales industry can decrease job security, specializing also increases a sales professionals income potential.
The Thrill of Victory
People like to win and to feel as if their work makes a difference. And while every job serves a purpose and is important, many people are in jobs that are not emotionally rewarding to them. Not so in sales. There is nothing like the feeling of closing a big deal that not only puts a substantial bonus in your wallet, but also helps secure the jobs of support and admin staff. Knowing that your efforts beat out your competition and helped your customer solve a business issue can be more rewarding than the income earned.
While the emotional rewards range drastically from sales job to sales job, and not all sales positions are rewarding at all, the thrill of your victories, the income rewards, the flexibility associated with sales and the fact that you, as a sales professional are creating and securing employment for others, make choosing a career in sales a very attractive option that you should consider

What to Say When an Interviewer asks why the company should Hire Me?

What should I say when an interviewer asks why the company should hire me?

This question is likely the single best opportunity you have to seal the deal in the job interview. “But because it’s so broad, it can also lead you down a slippery slope if you’re not concise.”
When interviewers ask this question, they want you to convince them that you’re the best candidate for the job. To ace the response, you must do your homework on the employer and job description so you can align your skills and experience with their specific needs.
“This is an opportunity to say, ‘You need X, and I am the best person for the job because of Y.’ You want to convey that not only are you a safe choice with minimal risk—but also a great choice,”
Before you arrive at the job interview, you should have a general sense of how to communicate this, she suggests. “One useful technique is to have three major points in mind on why you’re an excellent choice. This is a default framework you can come back to in the interview to sell yourself. It will become more refined as the interview proceeds.”
Here’s how to answer the common “Why should we hire you?” interview question:
1. Listen for real-time cues.
“As you hear the finer details of job requirements, jot down some key words from your background that will help you provide a targeted response once the hiring manager asks this question,” Taylor says. “If, for example, organizational skills are paramount, you may jot down certain related software programs you use.” As you make minor notes, still try to maintain good eye contact and stay in an active listening mode.
“Since you now have more data on the real requirements, it’s time to turn up your pitch a notch,” she says. For instance, know your unique selling proposition. What makes you particularly qualified for the job among your peers? What does the firm present publicly and in the interview? How does your unique background align with their mission? “If, for example, the company’s advertising tagline is about service excellence, you can address how your customer service expertise resulted in quantifiable results, such as in expanded business, training you provided, or client recognition you received,” Taylor says.
2. Focus on key points.

• Offer the big picture. This is a general overview of the overall match, Taylor says. “You’re setting a general comfort zone here.” For example, you’ll want to talk about: how long you’ve been doing X at what types of companies; your applicable specialty areas; technical skills; training; and education. “Maybe you’ve been promoted frequently or have been given increased responsibility or staff—which objectively attest to your big picture value,” Taylor says. “Share that information.”
• Discuss your accomplishments. This is your opportunity to talk more specifically about a couple of specific projects that showcase your related skill sets and experience. “Results are what count, however, so be sure to mention how the contributions helped your company, and how your expertise could similarly make a significant impact for them, But remember to be concise!
• Communicate that you have excellent people skills. If you have a few soft skill attributes that you feel would be an asset to the position (such as team player, motivational leader, strong work ethic, reliable), tell them.

“By addressing the low turnover in your department, for example, you underscore that you have strong management potential,”  “Oftentimes, slightly stronger people skills trump minor weaknesses in technical expertise. Unlike technical skills, it’s virtually impossible to teach attitude.”
3. Prove you’d be a great investment.
“Every manager wants to be assured that you’d offer a good return on investment,” she says. “They want to mitigate risk and avert being in the hiring doghouse. This is your chance use bottom line examples of why the company will benefit from hiring you. What are some specific, applicable accomplishments that illustrate this? Where possible, give dollar percentages or raw numbers (sans inflation).”
For instance, did you:

• Reduce expenses by a certain percent or dollar figure?
• Streamline certain processes?
• Develop new programs that increased revenues?
• Reduce turnover?
• Secure new accounts or expand on existing business?

“This is not to downplay your overall awards, recognition, kudos, soft skills, and overall success; they still support your market value in a credible way, “A combination of the two is ideal.”
4. Be enthusiastic.
“Once you’ve made a solid argument for your skills being a good match, there’s one more factor needed in the mix, Show your excitement and enthusiasm for the position. No matter how good you look on paper or present facts, illustrating that you’re genuinely motivated and want the job is a key contributing factor.” After all, this is a good reason to hire you, too. Just make sure your zeal doesn’t slip into the category of desperation. You want to convey that you want the job, not need it.
5. Be as specific, but brief, as possible.
In selling your great attributes for the job, a few words of caution: When given a sweeping question like this, it’s easy to go into long-winded tangents—or wax on about the time that you developed the equivalent of the Internet of Things for your employer. “Be conscious of brevity and don’t exaggerate, “One, it may be highly transparent; two, it may be deflated in a reference check; and three, if not caught (and eventually hired), you could find yourself in over your head.”
By doing your homework, paying close attention to the input your given, and conveying confidence in performing to the employer’s expectations or beyond, you’ll likely present a winning case.

Phone Etiquette for Phone Interviews

Do you have a telephone interview scheduled for a job you’ve set your sights on? Always remember the reason for the telephone interview is to impress the recruiter and convince him or her that you are worthy of a face to face interview. Make no mistake – this is an elimination process and it is in your best interest to do everything you can to prepare as if it were your only shot…because it may be. Take a look at a few of my telephone etiquette tips below:

Phone Interview Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts:

1.  Do your research before the interview. The person on the other end of the telephone can tell if you are quietly trying to open up your internet server and scan their website for information that you should have checked on before the call. Find out the key players, how long the company has been in business, what type of clients they serve and what their community involvement entails.
2. Do be equipment savvy. Don’t attempt to carry on a conversation on a cell phone if you have access to a land line. The reception is always most clear when you are sitting at a desk in a quiet room rather than a coffee shop or deli. Disable all other phone lines and make sure there is no background noise such as vacuum cleaners, barking dogs or children crying for their mid-morning snack.
3. Do make a connection. Once you have made the initial contact, and before the telephone interview, ask if you may send more information such as your professional website or blog for them to review. This allows the interviewer to form an initial impression (hopefully positive!) and put a face with a voice while he or she is speaking with you.
4. Do have questions ready.  Have a few carefully composed questions ready (and by your side) for the call.  This is where a phone interview is actually an advantage – you can read your questions from your notes to prevent stumbling.  Just remember to sound as natural as possible and don’t let the interviewer hear you shuffling papers!
5. Do have a snack before you answer the telephone. Overactive nerves may have you wanting to grab the bag of chips on your desk – avoid putting anything in your mouth while you are answering questions. Have a glass of water nearby or a warm cup of herbal tea to help you keep your throat clear. Avoid caffeine if you have a tendency to get jittery.
6.  Don’t fidget. Swinging from side to side of your chair, pacing the floor or twirling your hair can all be heard through the telephone line. Tapping on a pencil, clicking a pen and other nervous habits are distracting and come across as lacking self-confidence.  Do practice good body language and it will positively affect the tone of your voice and even boost your confidence level. When you feel good you look and sound good!
7. Don’t use speaker phone. Unless you are absolutely certain that your voice will come across crisp and clear, using a speaker phone may make your voice sound as if you are in a tunnel and the interviewer may have difficulty “reading” confidence and clarity in your voice. Always ask before putting anyone on a speaker phone.
8. Don’t interrupt. Listen carefully to the question and answer the question to the best of your ability. Be concise and to the point without rambling. Be careful not to interrupt the interviewer because you think you know what he or she is about to ask.
9. Don’t forget to follow-up.  An email thank you is an acceptable follow-up within 24 hours of the phone interview.  However, do not neglect to send a handwritten thank you note as well.  Drop your thank you note in mail the same day, while the interview is still fresh on your mind.
10.  Don’t forget to smile.  As silly as it may sound, wearing a smile during your phone interview is important.  Smiling improves your state of mind and gives your voice a cheerful boost.
Bonus tip: Although you will most likely be at home during your telephone interview, consider getting out of your pajamas and put on a professional business casual outfit. While you will not see the interviewer face to face, you will feel more composed, aware and ready to take on the day after the interview is complete.