Published:
Sales is a unique career field that can be thrilling and rewarding, or stressful and disheartening. If you’re considering a career in sales, weigh out the pros and cons to determine if the demands of the job align with your personal strengths and interests.
To help you determine if a sales career is right for you, let’s explore what a sales career looks like, what skills are needed to be successful in sales, and the pros and cons of working in sales
What Does a Sales Career Look Like?
On the outside, a sales career can seem like it’s all about delivering the perfect pitch or making endless cold calls. While it’s true that these tasks are usually part of the job, there’s much more to sales than what meets the eye.
At its core, sales involves building relationships with clients and developing strategies to address their needs. It’s about establishing trust, understanding your market’s pain points, and coming up with strategies that help you and your clients achieve your goals.
Read our related article to discover the many different types of sales jobs.
Essential Skills for a Successful Sales Career
Certain personality traits, like charisma, confidence, and persistence, can make someone seem like a natural salesperson. That being said, it takes more than an affable personality to achieve a successful career in sales.
Several soft skills can help someone become a successful salesperson. Soft skills relate to how well you work by yourself and with others, and the key soft skills needed for a sales career include:
- Creativity
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Self-motivation
- Active listening
- Problem-solving
Hard skills relate to the technical knowledge about a job, and they’re typically earned through formal education, hands-on training, and experience in the field. Some of the hard skills required for a successful sales career include extensive product knowledge, sales software tools, and marketing techniques.
REDC’s Sales Fundamentals course can teach you the basic sales principles that can help you seal the deal, no matter the size of the sale.
Is Sales a Good Career? Pros and Cons of a Sales Career
Some people view sales as an exciting career with limitless earning potential and growth opportunities. Others view sales as an intimidating field fueled by high stakes and cutthroat competition.
While these two viewpoints couldn’t be more different from each other, there’s truth in both of them. Sales isn’t for everybody, and it’s important to consider both the benefits and the challenges of working in sales before you commit to this career field.
Pros of Working in Sales
One of the most enticing perks of working in sales is the high earning potential. Most sales jobs offer commission, meaning you earn a percentage of the sale. If you’re an effective salesperson and can consistently close deals, then there’s almost no limit to how much you can earn.
Another benefit of working in sales is the unique ability to create an extensive professional network. Salespeople spend a lot of time interacting with professionals across a variety of industries. Over time, the colleagues, clients, and industry leaders that you meet along the way can become valuable contacts in your professional network.
The final benefit of working sales is the strong potential for upward mobility. With experience, successful salespeople are able to develop high-level strategies for reaching new clients and strengthening relationships with existing clients. This helps them advance in their careers and be able to lead a sales team of their own.
Need to brush up on your interpersonal skills? REDC’s In-Person Sales course can give you the skills and confidence needed to succeed in any sales environment.
Cons of Working in Sales
Although a commission-based salary offers the potential for limitless earning, it also carries the risk of earning little to no income if you can’t make sales. It can take a lot of time and experience to make consistent sales, and even then, your sales volume can be impacted by factors outside of your control.
Another downside of working in sales is the fierce competition that comes with the job. As a salesperson, you're constantly competing against other sales professionals who are targeting both your sales prospects and current clients. While this can be exciting for some, it can be stressful and overwhelming for others.
The final major downside of a sales career is that it can be exhausting and demoralizing. There’s a popular saying in sales: “For every yes, there are a thousand no’s.” Over time, this ongoing cycle of rejection can take a serious toll on someone’s motivation and mental health.
Read our related article to discover the benefits of sales training.
Is a Sales Career Right For You?
While sales isn’t for everyone, it can be the ideal work environment for driven professionals who are looking to turn their ambition and determination into a fulfilling and lucrative career.
If you’re ready to kickstart your career in sales, REDC’s self-paced, online courses are the perfect place to start. Our sales and marketing courses are designed to equip you with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed for a successful career in sales.
Explore our online courses today to take the first step towards a rewarding sales career.