6 Strategic Benefits of Career Advancement for Sales Professionals

Friend, why spend your time and energy advancing your career?

Why should you even care?

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As a sales professional, your role is already demanding. Targets, customers, teams, driving revenue take most of your time and energy.?

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It feels like a burden and yet another thing to do.?

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So again, why should you even care?

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When I was preparing for this week’s newsletter, I thought about all the things that taking a new role gave me. All the benefits I got from taking a career step.

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But first, I have two disclaimers:

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1. If you’re happy in your current role and you want to stay, then do that. If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I’m ALL for doing things your way. And not making career steps just because that’s what we’re “supposed to do”. Just do whatever you want.

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2. And when I talk about career advancement, I’m not only talking about your next promotion or step up. For me, career advancement is any move you make that makes you happy. Lateral move into a new industry, move into a new sector, joining a start-up, joining a multi-national, starting a side-hustle.?

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So, if you’re interested or starting to get interested in making a step, read on!

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6 Benefits of Investing Your Time and Energy in Your Career Progression as a Sales Professional. ??

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#1 Future Proofing Your Skills

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Nothing teaches you new skills like a new job.?

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In my previous role in DHL, I was heading up our Sales Training globally. I was in the role for 8 years and I loved it!?

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Every year, the projects got bigger and bigger. My last project was GIGANTIC.?

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When I took the VP Sales Development role, the learning curve was Everest level. Looking at our sales function from a completely different angle. Different projects. Different approaches. Different people.

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In the sales training role, I kept developing and honing in on my skills. But after 8 years I was deepening?existing?skills. With the step into Sales Development I learned a whole range of?new?skills. And I use these skills now in my business.

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Taking a new role forces you to learn new skills in a short period. And this helps you to future-proof your skills. What you learn in your next role, are building blocks for the next role, and the next.

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#2 Increased Earning Potential, aka MONEY.

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Think about your last career step or promotion.

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?? What was your increase in salary?

?? What extra benefits did you get?

?? What can you do now with that extra money?

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Money is not the most important thing in life. But it is important. We’re also talking about our retirement here.?

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A comfortable, safe, solid retirement is in my view one of the most important things in life.

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Someday I’ll tell you about one of my big career mistakes. And how it cost me (in my calculation) 18 months worth of an executive level salary. Ouch.

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#3 Greater Mental Health

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I have no research to back this one up. This benefit is a personal example:

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When I left high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to study. No idea what I wanted to be “when I grow up”. So, I decided to work for a year and make up my mind.?

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I worked 3 jobs:

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1) Team Secretary at an insurance firm from 8:00 – 13:00

2) Shop Assistant at a big retailer from 15:00 – 18:00

3) Waitress at a coffee shop from 19:00 – 23:00

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I hated job #2.?

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It was boring AF. How interesting is re-organising clothes on hangers? For those 3 hours every day, it felt like I was watching the ocean freeze. Or a glacier melt.

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And I loved job #3.?

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So busy. So many customers. So many weird requests like “Can you please put warm milk in my cappuccino before you put the cream on top?”

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My point is that when we’re engaged and active, we feel better.?

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Over time, even the most dynamic roles can start to feel routine. A new role brings you fresh challenges, new goals, different perspectives. This new energy makes us feel better.

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#4 Broadening Your Network

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When I moved into my last role, I got to work with and build relationships with a whole new group of people.?

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As you progress in your career, you naturally expand your network. Professionally and personally.

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The people in your expanded network can open doors for you to new future opportunities and give you support throughout your career journey.?

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A strong network is an invaluable asset for your career progression. (Come to think of it, this should’ve been #1 on this list.)

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#5 Increased Influence and Impact

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It’s obvious that when you take a next level role you have bigger responsibilities. And with that comes bigger influence and impact.

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For me it’s about more than making a bigger impact for the company. With more influence, you can impact other people’s careers.

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When you have more influence in the organization, you can help younger employees get great roles. You can also contribute to their careers and lives.

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What’s more rewarding than that?

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#6 Long-Term Career Security

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Think about how things were in 2018.

And then in 2021.

And then now in 2024.

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It feels like decades passed between these short years.

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Business and the market are changing so fast. And career security is a concern.

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By driving your career, you make yourself crucial to your organization. And attractive to potential employers.

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You stay competitive in this changing world we’re in right now.

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There you go: 6 reasons why you’ll benefit from making a step in your career.

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Again, if you’re happy, stay. But if you have this small voice in your head saying “Maybe it’s time to make a move”, then do it.

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What do you think about my list? Any benefits you’ve experienced that’s not on my list??

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Comment below - I love to hear from you.

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Have the best week!

Jeanette???