In Defense of a Sales Career

For some time, I have wanted to comment on the popular WSJ article on waning interest in sales careers.

As someone who absolutely did not want anything to do with sales, who fought it at multiple turns, and then reluctantly gave in to what has become a richly fulfilling career, I think I can add some perspective here that would help others finding their way in the professional world.

(Author's note: As with most careers, the culture you are in is a huge lever of job satisfaction. Sales can be a rotten one in the wrong spot. More on that below...)

Which brings me to... misconceptions about a sales career:

The day to day you might imagine:

Not great, right? The pressure, the long hours, the unsupportive environment. Looks like it's straight out of a movie about wanting to get revenge on your boss.

Let me paint a different picture of the day to day you might actually have in a strong sales environment:

What else is assumed about sales?

• Only type-a extroverts can thrive. I blame every sales movie or TV show ever made for this one. Think Glengary or Wolf of Wall Street or Boiler Room. Thankfully, the sales role has evolved! Domineering, silver-tongued glad handers are out. Thoughtful, empathetic, strategic partners are in!
• It's not a prestigious career. I get it. You might want more of a "real" career. Maybe you don't want to show up to the 10 year reunion as "Account Executive." This was a hang up for me - but at the end of the day, who cares? If you're secure in your accomplishments and fulfilled at work, it doesn't matter what someone thinks of your title.
• The pressure is unbelievable. Again, same movies. See exhibit A. And yes, sales can be challenging and the pressure of a quota is real. I would think about the type of leverage you are comfortable with before taking on the role. The right leadership support can mitigate your challenges here in ensuring you are on the right track and helping move your deals through
• I'll turn into a used car salesman. The good news? Buyers can smell BS a mile away nowadays. There is too much information available and too much reputational value at stake for these shenanigans to continue. Know that the reps who stay above board are ultimately the ones being rewarded.

Finally, let's talk about why sales makes such a strong career path for so many. Based on personal experience and conversations/observations across the sales space, there are a number of things to like about a potential career in sales.

Here is a small list of reasons for "Why Sales?"

• There is almost zero barrier to entry. Want to be a lawyer? Doctor? Accountant? Get ready for extra school years (and debt) and industry tests. In contrast, SDR roles require hard work to move up, but almost any background can apply.
• Meritocracy reigns. From SDR through sales leadership, you hold your fate in your hands. While this is true in all careers to varying degrees, it especially rings true in sales. Your hard work, ingenuity, and daily outcomes contribute directly to your career trajectory and paycheck.
• Launchpad to other careers. Sales roles require broad professional training and frequent cross functional collaboration. The natural result is exposure and prep for many different career paths. At Quantcast, I have seen reps move on to enterprise sales and leadership, but also product, marketing, client services, enablement, and others.
• Concrete wins. Sales provides the most direct impact to your self, your team, and your company. That close participation and impact brings you closer to the mission of your organization and provides milestones for you to measure your progress that may be less tangible in other roles.
• A social role. The chance to interact consistently with a variety of internal and external partners and build relationships is especially strong and can help you integrate with the company more quickly, find mentors, and combat one of the drawbacks of remote work (don't worry, introverts!).
• Own your paycheck. On its face, this can also be incredibly scary (more below), BUT there is a special feeling when betting on yourself and coming through. And when you come through in sales, the top-end rewards are immense. You bring in money for the company, and they respond in kind.

Personally, my professional growth has exploded since moving to sales. I've traveled more than I ever thought I would, created powerful professional relationships, and built a career out of significant uncertainty after college. BUT I had several preconceived notions about sales that delayed my entry.

Again, remember that any sales environment can be a toxic one with the wrong culture. The typical "bad" day example I described above exists in many organizations who are not built on solid foundations and certainly sour many individuals on the promise of sales.

So how do you avoid that?

How to spot a good sales environment

• Emphasis on training. A strong sales culture focuses on rep development and investing in their people. This is particularly important at the front end of your career.
• Tenure. Not just for sales, but for the broader company. Are people sticking around?
• Internal leadership hires. This will give you an indication of how the company prioritizes development and career pathing - both huge for you. Internally promoted employees provide a blueprint for you to follow when you join.
• Company growth. A growing company means a growing sales team and demand for the product/service. This will give your sales cycle tailwind but also create internal opportunities for you down the road.
• External reviews/Internal background. Utilize resources like RepVue and Glassdoor to better understand the org. Take the opportunity to ping current and former reps in sales to ask to chat with them about the company - chances are those reps will be interested in a referral bonus and open to chatting!

Interested in taking the first step?

It is incredibly difficult to know your perfect sales environment before actually being in sales, but there are some things you can think about before exploring your first role:

• Focus on industry/category. Ideally, you want to be in a growing space. Not only does it make the sale easier, but that change and growth will help push you to develop as a salesperson.
• Think about company size. Do you like the small start up lifestyle of many hats, limited support, but higher growth/upside? Are you drawn to an established enterprise brand with training, support, and name recognition? Something in the middle?
• The sale itself. Some deal cycles are shorter and transactional, meaning smaller but more frequent wins. Others are large and complex with a rewarding payoff but a long time horizon. What fits your work style and motivations?
• Who are you selling to? Do you feel most at home with product folks? Engineers? Creative types? Aligning your sales conversations with the roles you identify with can help ease that transition.

There is no substitute for actual experience, but barring that, conversations with those you know in sales roles can be just as valuable. Yes the PR around sales is weak, but if you can cut through popular assumptions you will find a rewarding opportunity ahead for you!