Breaking into Sales

by David
(Columbus, OH)

I am a middle aged man facing a career change. I would like to get into sales because it appears to be a field where effort, diligence and professionalism can pay off. I previously worked in the airline industry as a pilot and have been furloughed for the second time. I am trying to determine what would be a good entry level sales job to target to start building a strong sales resume and I have several questions.

Is an outside sales more lucrative than inside sales?

Is working in a call center a good starting point or more of a dead end that won't help separate me from the pack in future job searches?

Are the multitude of insurance sales jobs listed more interested in using my personal contacts for leads than helping me to build a career?

What are some of the more lucrative fields/ industries for sales jobs?

And last of all, which companies offering sales jobs are most likely to take a chance on a proven professional with technical abilities but no sales experience?

Thanks for any help or insight you can provide.



David -

You raise a number of good questions in your note, and I do have some thoughts for you. We'll tackle your questions in order:

1. Inside vs. Outside Sales: Outside sales is usually more lucrative than inside sales. If you think about the types of products or services that can be sold over the phone in contrast to products and services that need to be sold face to face, there's a difference. Inside sales lends itself to more transactional sales activity. Think lower price point and a routine or commodity based product/service. Inside sales roles are not just call center based. Outside sales roles typically require a more consultative, relationship based approach. The products/services are usually more complex and often have multiple people involved in the decision process.




2. Using a call center as a starting point: For someone trying to transition into sales after a long career elsewhere, I would not recommend a call center environment. Call centers are a great starting point for candidates with little working experience, but who think that they might be good in sales. You'll find easier ways to transition your experience.




3. Insurance jobs: If you're polished and professional, getting a job in insurance sales is not difficult. But, you will need to be willing to tap your friends and family for business and for leads. Selling insurance can be a very lucrative thing to do, but it's not easy. Again, I think there's a better way for you to transition.




4. Lucrative fields/industries for sales: You can find sales roles in virtually every industry. The highest paid producers tend to be selling into the C-suite, with a product or service that requires a multi-year contract and a big price tag. Enterprise software sales would be a good example. The most lucrative spots are generally going to involve long sales cycles, multi-million dollar price tags, and multi-year commitments.




5. Your personal best bet: I would recommend that you look for sales opportunities in the aviation industry, and maybe the defense industry. Your technical skills and understanding of the airline business are assets. Think about companies that sell into this industry - companies that provide food services, maintenance services, logistics or support services. Manufacturers who sell parts to the big players, like Boeing. Take a look at the Thomas Register and Hoovers and see who's selling into this industry. You'll get some good ideas of companies to target.
   
   The next step will be to network your way in for informational interviews. Start talking to people in the industry. Talk to people who are currently selling for your target companies and ask for their advice on how to transition. The recruiting community won't be much help to you. We need people who have "been there, done that". But, if you start to make connections in the companies you've targeted, you'll start to find opportunities that might work. You might start in a Sales Support type role, and work your way into a direct sales position.


Hope this helps!