Why people dread a sales career

Back when I was a college student, I was already selling. It was one of those times when parents were willing to take a dozen carabaos to plow the fields in order to pay their children’s school bills. And so I had to find some “raket” to keep me going in school as my allowance for the day was just only enough to get me a banana-cue and “icewater.”

I was selling cigarettes, juice drink, canned goods, photography services, and accident insurance. It was not easy. I thought of it as unglamorous, embarrassing, and demeaning. But I found my inspiration from dad – a true artist when it comes to selling who could come face-to-face with the worst and any ill-mannered client.

At one point, I was probably 10 years old, I almost cried seeing him being insulted by one of his chinky-eyed customers. And I asked him later why they were so rude when he did not do anything to them. He just shrugged it off and went, “We get what we deserve when they are not happy with what we give. But don’t worry, it’s all in a day’s work. They can always keep their attitude for as long as I keep them as customers.” Then with our lucky high-five, we went to his other customer without a bit of timidity on his face ready to meet another version of insolence and rise out of it.

An old friend of mine, whom I advised to get into selling because of his natural flair for words and his persuasion skills, turned me down many times saying that he is not cut for sales and wanted to just get paid as a freelancer. But one way or another, we still have to do some selling whether employed or self-employed. Selling is an inescapable part of any business.

Businesses need people to sell their products to their customers. And this part of the business is what most of us are too averse to take as we always have this notion that we are better off getting paid nine-to-five sans the pressure of sales targets and all. And for a lot of people, they still have this notion that the selling profession has no security of tenure.

Pressure and security are probably the top reasons why people dread selling and where only a few dare to take the “road less traveled.” But whether we like it or not, pressure and tenure will always get their way if we choose the road most taken. I’ve been through a lot of jobs before, the pressure is not so much about getting your job done. The pressure is when you have to do a lot of bootlicking to get your boss’ approval. When you have to spend unpaid hours for traffic just to be in the office on time. When your bills are getting bigger and you’re stuck with the same pay every month and end up wearing yourself out to the bone just to gain some extra cash from overtime. And no matter what, you have to please everyone around you as there are parts of what you do which need the expertise of another guy to help you with.

Okay, they are not pressure per se, but I would like to call them a pain in the…you know what I mean.

If you’re up to for the tenure, think again. The threat of getting fired stalks any employee. Redundancy, even perceptions of poor work, and misconduct are some of the issues that can get any employee unnecessarily laid off. Sure, you can get to the labor department for redress and get what your employer owes you. But you still end up losing your job and start from scratch.

Here’s another thing. What if you fire your boss and say that you’ve had enough of her being a primadonna or his being a moving CCTV watching your back? Thing is, if you think that it’s bad out there selling to people who reject you before you even start talking but how is that when you get to see the people you detest and deal with every single day in your heaven-forsaken workplace? Whether you want your job so badly or so happy with your work, one way or another, things that you have no control of can ruin your enthusiasm to stay on with your job.

I’m not saying that nine-to-five is boring or bad compared to selling. I’m trying to present that both have their own pains and rewards. And therefore, selling is a fine career to find one’s fortune in life.

Having said that, I am inviting you to attend one of my free seminars where you will discover why selling is the career that can catapult you to your dreams. Send me an email, and will be happy to reserve a seat for you.

***

Send emails to [email protected]