Anyone ever jumped into a sales career and regretted it?

[Hmbre97]

I'm kind of at a crossroads right now. I'm almost done with my IT degree (LAN Admin/Security AAS) and starting to look at what direction I want to go with my career . I've been doing help desk stuff for a long time now and am ready to move into something different. I had pretty much surrendered to the idea of going in somewhere as a network admin assistant or something to learn the ropes but my wife has me thinking otherwise.

She just took a job a few weeks ago with a major PC manufacturer doing enterprise sales and thinks it would be a really good fit for me. I never really thought of doing sales but I'm not against it. Also, the base pay is pretty decent with the potential to make some choo$$ choo$$ money.

I know we have quite a few people on this site in sales but has anyone ever made the jump and regretted it?

[Ted]

I did at Countrywide. The money was tempting, and was always nice, but I hated our sales tactics and the products they wanted us to force down borrower's throats were shit.

[Roscoe]

Working from home in pj's, cracking a beer at lunch and jerking off whenever I feel like it?

Nope, don't regret it one bit. Speaking of, I have to check on my partners golf game on Friday, thanks for reminding me.

[Sean88gt]

Sales you say? I'm with a Confederated Products, a multi level-direct-wholesaling company, that is looking for people in your area!

[Strychnine]

Sales you say? I'm with a Confederated Products, a multi level-direct-wholesaling company, that is looking for people in your area!

Jokes from a guy who pimped Advocare?

[Mike]

Sales you say? I'm with a Confederated Products, a multi level-direct-wholesaling company, that is looking for people in your area!

lol!

[talisman]

Jokes from a guy who pimped Advocare?

Oh snap!

[Sean88gt]

Jokes from a guy who pimped Advocare?

I owned a martial arts gym at the time and was making 40% on product sales. That's almost cocaine margins!

[Baron Von Crowder]

eh, I dont know that you can base your decision on what someone else thinks in this area. I dont like being in sales, and would much rather move back into management, but I am making more than many of the managers I work with, including my direct supervisor.

Go for it if you think you might like it. Worst case, it will look a bit better on a resume, and you will get some experience you may need in an IT position later, if ou choose to go into that field.

[Shorty]

Sales you say? I'm with a Confederated Products, a multi level-direct-wholesaling company, that is looking for people in your area!

A couple years ago an old drunk at Oui Lounge in Fort Worth was telling me about Pur3x, some sort of sexual performance energy drink that was going to be HUGE. It was another MLM scam. He was claiming they were going to have Snoop Dogg promote it and it would take off with "the niggers" and sell well in clubs. I guess that fell through.

[Sean88gt]

A couple years ago an old drunk at Oui Lounge in Fort Worth was telling me about Pur3x, some sort of sexual performance energy drink that was going to be HUGE. It was another MLM scam. He was claiming they were going to have Snoop Dogg promote it and it would take off with "the niggers" and sell well in clubs. I guess that fell through.

It wasn't covered by WIC or Lonestar, a fatal flaw in the planning of the company.

[BMCSean]

I owned a martial arts gym at the time and was making 40% on product sales. That's almost cocaine margins!

[Sean88gt]

I had instructors, I wasn't one

[ceyko]

I could do comparison numbers, but at the end of the day BIG BIG (7 digits, mid to high 6 digits) can be made in sales in the technical world - but it's HARD work. I mean, those sales people sleep, eat and breath it. Wife? See ya! Ain't nobody got time for that.

In my opinion, sales is a never ending slope - meaning, if you sell 1 million in a quarter, management is going to want 1.2 million the next. If a couple of peers are doing 10 million - they are going to wonder what is wrong with you. Also, you're only as good as your last quarter. Look out if you have an off quarter/year miss your forecast...etc.

Anyway, that's on the high end. I see people who make a solid low 6 figure salary and have a life...etc. They LIKE sales though. So, don't enter into sales, hate it and keep trying because it'll chew you up and spit you out or you'll be sub 50K slinging memory sticks for a living (Boring, commodity and competitive).

The technical side? There is good money there, but rarely are the opportunities from a financial point of view that sales gets to see. Meaning, with experience, certifications and a degree you can either be a stand out technical person, or management. It'll be great money too, but it also takes awhile to get to that level and then you will hit a glass ceiling financially.

In short: If you LIKE sales and are GOOD at it - it's worth a shot. However, I'd work both angles at the same time until you're sure it is the right path for you. After that, you have to figure out how much time you want to invest in that career. Also remember - with sales there sometimes can be large periods of drought. So, even if you pull in 400K one year (after investing the whole time on one customer or something and no other leads) - the next year that customer's budget maybe nothing and you may only pull down 15K or something.

Using funny numbers there, but you get the point. I've considered sales, my integrity/ethics HELPS Account Managers sell, but truly successful sales women/men are borderline if not full blown cut throats and VERY competitive. Knowing the commission checks, I don't blame them either. I just do not want to live that lifestyle, since I feel good about what I do now anyway and can live a good life doing it.

Hope all that babbling helps.

[bcoop]

Nope. I love my job, and my job loves me back. I'm not a typical salesman though, so my opinion may be worthless to you. I don't do cold calls. Ever.