Liar. Nobody wants to be a salesperson. Sure, we love the money, or the chase, or the competition, and some of us even love the power- but no one wants to be a salesperson.
Being in sales is awful. You’ll spend endless hours doing repetitive/mindless tasks, listening to complaint after complaint, and you’ll get rejected more than the freshman chess club president on prom night (sorry, chess club guy).
It’s a constant roller coaster- you close a deal, you’re the king of the world. You lose a deal, you could be facing the chopping block. You’re the company’s favorite person because you facilitate the revenue, but you’re also hated by marketing, engineering, HR, senior management, product management, and pretty much everyone. Your fellow co-workers are both your best friend, and potentially your worst enemy. You live constantly in the moment. Your every move has to be able to be defended in the court of law weekly sales meeting. Coffee is for closers, only.
Personally, I hate sales. I hate salespeople. I especially hate talking to salespeople. We’re the worst, self interested, argumentative, illogical, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, jerks in the world.
I also love it. It’s like a drug. The feeling of being in control of your own destiny, doing battle for your financial future every day and winning big. Home runs, contest victories, bragging rights, and fat bonus checks. You learn and understand everything- EVERYTHING. You’re the king in the castle, and everyone knows your name.
So to you, prospective sales guy or gal, I say welcome. You’re in for a bumpy ride, but if you can handle the jostle- it’s a real thrill.
Christian McCall 