Why should everyone work in sales at some point in their career?

A very close family friend came up to me 6 months ago and asked for advice on where their son should apply for a job and what type of role. He was in the final stages of finishing his university degree and wanted to know the best way to enter the workforce. His preference was to apply for jobs for a well respected company using his university degree to land a job in that sector using the knowledge he'd learnt. The problem being though his on the job experience was low and the roles he was looking for were niche. 

My advice for her son. Have him apply for a sales job in a well respected organisation that invests into its peoples learning & development, but have him learn to "sell first". The jobs are much easier to land, however most of all it's critical to learn how to sell first.

Many people, especially those who work for large companies, are not exposed to the difficulties and challenges faced by sales teams. But we all should be. Why? Sales skills are incredibly useful -- in every field. 

To many people the word "selling" implies manipulating, pressuring, cajoling... all the used car salesman stereotypes. If you think of selling as explaining the logic and benefits of a decision, then every job requires sales skills. Convincing coworkers your idea makes sense, showing your boss how a project will pay off, helping employees understand the benefits of a new process, etc. Communication is critical in any career; you'll learn more about communication by working in sales than you will almost anywhere else.

Here are more reasons everyone should work in sales, at least for a period of time:

• You'll learn to negotiate. Every job involves negotiating: With peers, with other departments, even with your boss. Salespeople learn to listen, evaluate variables, identify key drivers, overcome objections, and find ways to reach agreement -- without burning bridges.
• You'll learn to be assertive and close. Asking for what you want is difficult for a lot of people. Closing a sale is part art, part science. Getting others to agree with you, and follow your direction, is also part art and part science. If you aspire to a leadership position, you must be able to close. Great salespeople know how to close. Great supervisors and managers do too.
• You'll learn persistence. Salespeople hear the word "no" all the time. Over time you'll start to see "no" as a challenge, not rejection.
• You'll learn self discipline. If you work for a big company, sometimes you can sleepwalk your way through a day and still get paid. When you work on commission, "If it is to be, it's up to me," is your credo. Sales is a great way to permanently connect the mental dots between performance and reward.
• You'll learn to work well with a wide range of people at all levels. Plus, working in sales is the perfect cure for shyness. Learn to step forward with confidence, especially under duress or in a crisis, and you can take on any role in an organization.
• If you want to own a business, you'll always be in sales. Every business is an extension of its owner. Even if they have a sales team, a business owner is always involved in sales. (In many companies the owner still handles the major sales personally -- or at the very least is brought into the process to help close the deal.) An entrepreneur who can't sell faces a major challenge. Gaining sales skills will help you win financing, bring in investors, line up distribution deals, land customers -- in the early stages of starting a company, everything involves sales.

Understanding the sales process and how to build customer relationships is incredibly important, regardless of the industry or career you choose. Spending one or two years in a sales role is an investment that will pay dividends forever.

Think of it this way: The more intimidating or scary a position in sales sounds, the more you need to take one. You'll gain confidence and self-assurance, and the skills you gain will serve you well for the rest of your business -- and personal -- life.

Oh yeah and the friend of mines son. He landed the job. I trained him for the first time the other day. In my view he’s already at the top of the class. Not just because he's super smart with a uni degree and already doing well. But because he has the right attitude by parking his university degree ego for a few years, whilst he shapes and develops his communication skills. One thing I've noticed is that it's so much easier on the trainer when you're coaching someone thats a great listener but above all a "real learner". He will work his way up that organisation taking with him what sales make him into. Good luck Andrew.