How would you like a job with enough autonomy to make you feel that you are your own boss… right out of college? How would you like to determine how much money you can make in your first year on the job? How would you like a career that lets you learn something new every single day? That's what a career in sales can offer you!

As Michael Van Grinsven, Director of Field Recruitment for Northwestern Mutual says, "Many leading sales professionals are motivated by the three 'Is.' Some choose the profession for the Impact they have on their community, their clients or their families. Others choose it for the Independence and, yet for others, it is the Income potential (getting paid what you're worth). Whether it is one of these reasons or another reason, sales professionals ultimately have great more control of their lives, personally, professionally and financially."

Every company has a salesperson, even if it is the company owner. As a famous salesperson and national motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, once said, "Nothing happens until someone sells something." As a salesperson, you are in the enviable position to make something happen. Marissa Weaver, Director of Diversity at Harley-Davidson Motor Company, offers that "most African American students want to become entrepreneurs, and understanding how to sell yourself, your ideas and ultimately your product/service is crucial to your success. If you follow the corporate path, Sales prepares you for a large portion of executive positions. Understanding the basics of selling provides you with a skill set that you need for interviewing and every aspect of your career that follows."

The best part of a career in Sales is that it is undefined. It is hard to describe your typical day as a salesperson because every day is different. One day you are on the Internet researching prospective clients and, along the way, learning a great deal about a company and, perhaps, a new industry. The next few days may be spent calling these prospective clients and then an entire week may be in face-to-face sales calls. On other days, you are writing up sales-call reports and preparing proposals for clients. Some sales positions allow you to work out of your home office, others require traveling, and still others will allow you to do both.

There is such a range of sales positions that it would take all of the pages of THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine to describe all of the possibilities. You can choose from selling tangible products to individuals to selling multi-million dollar contracts to Fortune 500 companies. The latter type of sales is called business-to-business or "B2B" and includes pharmaceutical, health-care, insurance, all types of manufacturing and services. Some large consumer products companies such as Procter & Gamble, Pepsi and Newell Rubber- maid, hire graduating seniors to call on accounts at Wal-Mart, Target and major grocery chains, for example.

Sales is actually the process of problem solving for a potential buyer or enhancing his/her business. Salespeople develop the skills to discover needs and solve problems. Contrary to the viewpoint often held by people who don't understand selling, the most successful salespeople sell by asking questions, not delivering a "spiel" or "talking someone into something they don't need." The old cliché is that a good salesperson can sell sand in the desert. However, the successful salesperson doesn't follow this mentality, but will walk away from a potential order because her product/service doesn't help the potential buyer. Good salespeople sell what customers really need.

The best companies will train new salespeople. When interviewing for a sales position, always ask about the training program. A good training program will include one-on-one coaching from a professional, as well as resources for the trainee. For example, Marie Artim, Assistant Vice President, Recruiting for Enterprise Rent-A-Car explains that "at Enterprise, we are hiring future leaders into our sales management training program. We promote from within, so our intent is to hire people who possess our core competencies, which include a desire to sell. Once on board, we get them to the point where they can ultimately run a business by offering extensive training and development, in addition to regular, constructive feedback from their managers."

There are some things that collegians interested in a sales career can do right now to prepare themselves and to get some hands-on experience to determine if this career is right for you. Many colleges offer a course in Personal Selling. This introductory course will explore many of the topics that were touched on above. It will also teach you the concepts that salespeople use to uncover needs and address the issues of the buyer. One of the most popular books used by colleges across the country is SPIN Selling® by Neil Rackham who teaches that the real business of selling is to ask questions! This is a very easy to read and understand and is highly recommended to anyone interested in sales.

Another way for the collegiate to prepare for a career in sales, or to better understand its opportunities, is to join a student organization that focuses on sales. Pi Sigma Epsilon, the national professional co-educational fraternity that focuses on sales and marketing, is an example of one such organization. Pi Sigma Epsilon's mission is to develop the sales and marketing skills of its members. Over 2200 collegiate members participate in 50 chapters nationwide. Each chapter operates as a small business and is advised by a faculty advisor, local alumni and other professionals. Students develop and execute sales and marketing projects and compete in a national sales competition called the PSE Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon.
The Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon is an annual competition held by PSE at its five fall regional conferences and the PSE National Convention that takes place each spring. The purpose of this competition is to teach the participating students sales skills, promote sales as a professional career, and provide an opportunity for sales executives to share their knowledge with students. In the program, college students and their coaches are taught the basics of a sales process. The students are then paired with professional salespeople and sales managers who coach, instruct and mentor the college students during the program. After the mentoring process, the students participate in a selling role-play and are evaluated on their ability to move the customer through the sales process. Each role-play is videotaped so that the selling student can review it with a criteria sheet filled out by the judges. The winners are recognized at the PSE Annual Awards Program at the PSE National Convention. The top two regional conference winners receive a free registration to the PSE National Convention. Additionally, the first place winner receives airfare. Cash awards are given at the PSE National Convention competition to the top four finishes.

Sean Turner, Illinois State University, was the 2004 National PSE Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon winner. Here is what Sean says about his experience. "I really enjoyed the Sell-a-Thon experience and it is an event that I advocate. The program bridges the gap between college and the real world of sales. Participating gave me a lot of confidence. I now have a more realistic expectation of what a career in sales would be like."

Vector Marketing Corporation sponsors the Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon. Sarah Baker Andrus, Director of Academic Programs with Vector says, "We are proud to be part of the PSE Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon. We understand the value of work experiences college students have before they enter the workforce full-time. PSE's Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon is one of the best programs we have seen to develop the professional selling skills of its membership."

The payoffs in a career in Sales are staggering. We have seen first-year sales people make six figures and work a 40-hour workweek. Sales is one of those careers that depend on how smart you work, not on how many hours you work. Of course, that is not to say that the career is not challenging. Sales requires a lot of listening to the client, paying attention to details, and following up. This means doing what you say you are going to do. If you don't follow up, you will never make the sale. But, a personal sense of accomplishment along with the satisfaction of knowing that you solved an individual's problem makes the hard work worthwhile.

Investigate Sales as a professional career … a rewarding career both in the professional sense and in the income sense. Learn about Sales careers through your placement offices, friends and family, and collegiate groups like Pi Sigma Epsilon. Make sure that you do not pass up the opportunities professional selling offers to you as a Black collegian.

Insurance Sales

Insurance sales employers look for are people who are entrepreneurial and who want to be in business for themselves but not by themselves. We typically look for people who have had patterns of success in the past. Another quality we look for, and this one is unique among employers of sales people, is failure. We are looking for people who have failed, provided that they can articulate how they failed and how they have grown from that failure. We are finding that some of the students we are coming across have had very strong backgrounds, but they haven't had enough experience at failing. I don't want to sound negative, but because they have not had enough experience failing, they haven't had enough opportunities to overcome those failures. The ability to overcome failure is really an important assurance for a person interested in Sales. As with any type of sales, it's important to be a person of strong will and strong mind, one able to withstand some of the rejection and some of the tougher parts of being a good sales person.

Another quality we look for is empathy—that a person has connected with people he or she has worked with. Clients frequently come from people a sales person has worked with.

We look at what student activities prospective sales people have on their resume. We look at how much of their education they have paid for and have been responsible for. We like people who have had to pay for 50% or more of their education. We are really attracted to people who have had sales jobs as college students even if those jobs meant working at a local mall or working retail sales, some experience where they have had to work with customers during those times when customers had to decide whether to buy a product. We are interested in people who have had to help others understand items, such as electronic equipment, that they were interested in purchasing. Some people we are really excited about are students who have walked the streets selling books and magazines over their summers. We call that entrepreneurial work over the summer.

The job market for people interested in insurance sales looks very strong, because more and more people are finding that they must take responsibility for their personal finance.Unlike as in the past when people relied on pensions for retirement, insurance needs are now self-directed, especially for the baby boomers. Those insurance needs can range from life insurance, disability, long-term care, property and casualty.

We find that typically the salary range is from the mid 30s to the high 40s with the super stars making $80-$100,000.

By Michael Van Grinsven

Direct Selling

Direct selling is a marketing channel that brings products directly to the consumer, normally through one-on-one demonstration. Vector Marketing Corporation is an example of a direct selling employer. It is the sole distributor of Cutco Cutlery, a line of kitchen cutlery, accessories and sporting knives of the highest quality. Its products are sold by pre-set appointment in the customer's home. Vector's annual sales are over $180 million dollars, a compelling testament the soundness of some direct selling employers. There are a number of direct selling employers with familiar names across the country. In addition to Director and Southwestern Books, there are Avon, Tupper Ware, Longer Burger Baskets.

Unlike other sales positions, direct salespeople generally work as independent contractors, which offers several advantages. There is a flexibility and independence that help build entrepreneurial skills. At the same time, the commission structure demands discipline and commitment. In direct selling, there is no ceiling on income; there is also no floor. One's income and investment is determined strictly by one's effort.

Most direct employers offer training for all sales representatives and regular office contact for on-going professional development. They are always looking for students who want to push themselves, who are interested in taking on a challenge and growing personally and professionally and are eager to test their limits. The direct selling association (DSA) is the umbrella group for direct selling companies. It offers the code of ethics for direct selling companies. Students interested in working with a direct-selling company should make sure that they work with one that's a member of DSA.

Direct Sales is a career that is not for everyone, but it can be very rewarding.

By Sarah Baker Andrus

Pharmaceutical Sales Specialists, Experts, or Associates

Pharmaceutical sales professionals are people from various backgrounds in business or science who are interested in opportunities to interact with healthcare professionals. They are people who present and discuss pharmaceutical products and services to customers. They educate potential customers on products and on up-dates of products.

Twenty years ago, the job of sales representative was very difficult to get into, to break into, because the only people who were even considered to be pharmaceutical sales professionals were, (1) people who had pharmacy backgrounds, (2) people who had several years of documented sales successes in other sales related fields, and (3), though it was never spoken, people who were white males. Now, within the past 20 years that has changed, more recently in the past five years. Now, entry-level people are coming right out of college. Medically trained personnel such as pharmacists or nurses, once the preferred targets for hiring, are no longer the preferred targets.

The market has changed because of a more diverse population of healthcare providers treating more diverse patients. To meet their diversified needs, employers within the pharmacy industry have diversified their sales people.

Once you are selected for entry level, you have to step back just one step to understand that entry-level is very competitive. It is so because a lot more people are graduating with higher and higher GPAs. More college grads have done this, that and everything. Their parents were baby boomers who have been in professional markets and who have groomed their college-aged students as to what to expect in Sales. They have seen models of what it takes to be in the workforce or of what it takes to be professionals from their parents.

Training: Because so many entry-level people are no longer training in medically related areas, pharmaceutical companies provide entry-level hires with a basic understanding of science, physiology, diseases, drugs, and the basics of selling.

Earning: The current model within industry that has been adopted by the major pharmaceutical consortium is an 80-20 rule. Eighty-twenty is 80 percent of your earnings come from salary and 20 percent from commission. That is the new model that has been embraced within the past five years.

Entry-Level Salary: Entry-level salaries range from $40,000 to $50,000, depend on the need within an industry and the critical nature of the job.

By Kyle Kilchrist Sr.

Retail Sales

Some people say that the art of selling is dead and that what this noble profession has evolved into is a bunch of "order-takers"!! I don't believe that. For students who truly want to pursue a career in selling, I applaud you and remind you that most of the benefits we enjoy today in our society of luxury, leisure, technology, and privilege have been brought about by the unique combination of "dreamers and communicators."

The "dreamers" are those people who have ideas… ideas that either revolutionize our standard of living or improve upon an existing product or service. "Communicators" are those people who take these ideas and present them to the marketplace… these are the SELLERS!

If you are considering entering the professional art of selling as a career, do so with the full knowledge that you are joining a fraternity of "achievers," and that your life will be dedicated to serving others by fulfilling their dreams with products, services, and customer satisfaction.

As students, you have taken courses in college for four or more years that have given you the skills and training for your particular degree, but while this knowledge and your specific degrees are vital to moving out into the business world, it is important for you to develop some other skills, your "social" skills, as you begin to look for careers in retail selling.

Social skills give you the ability to communicate your wants, needs, and desires. These are three key words: wants, needs, and desires. If you can communicate these three important principles in your job-search journeys, you will be halfway home to achieving the opportunities to establish yourself as PRIME CANDITATES for the careers of your choice, whether retail Sales or not.

What does it mean to be a PRIME CANDIDATE? For every job you apply for, there will be ten, twenty, perhaps a hundred other applicants applying for the same job! Yes… a HUNDRED other young, aggressive, confident, fortune-seeking young men and women who will try and take away the job YOU WANT!!

The question is… what makes you different? Why should an employer hire you over all the others? What can you do for the company that the others cannot? Why should the company invest their time, money, and training in you? These are the questions any prospective employer will have in their mind as you sit in front of them in your interview. So, if you think you can walk in "cold" and ace an interview without thorough preparation, excellent research, and total preparation, you are wrong!

RESEARCH…PREPARE…PRACTICE! (Say it over and over again to yourself, and then do it!)

RESEARCH… Don't just go to the "home page" of the company you are about to interview with and think you know all about them. Dig deep into the website. Who are the leaders? What is their vision for the company? Are they on the cutting edge? Are they financially solvent? Can you grow beyond your starting job?

PREPARE… Prepare questions you can ask in your interview. Have your notes about the company organized so you can talk about the strengths of their products/services. What growth opportunities the company is facing. How your talents and skills can contribute to this growth.

PRACTICE… Practice how to walk, talk and listen! Yes… you have to practice these things!

Most entry-level positions for retail sales require on-the-job training. You are going to have to be prepared to pay your dues, learn from others, and start at the bottom rung of the ladder. If the company has an Executive Training Program, this is an excellent way to "get your feet wet" in an environment that exposes you to a multitude of job functions in a relatively short time, and helps to "fast-track" you to the next level of sales responsibility.

Part of your "social skills" development is learning how to communicate with customers: Can you effectively communicate with customers to learn their wants, needs, and desires? Can you communicate your sincerity to gain the trust of your customers that you can provide the products and services to fulfill their want, needs, and desires? Can you create a bond with your customers that will live beyond the sale, and can you convince them that you will be there if and when they need you in the future?

Anyone can sell someone something ONCE! Gaining the respect, trust, and confidence of a customer for life takes a certain type of person. It takes a PROFESSIONAL!

The selling profession is wide open for those who have a passion to sell and want to serve others. But, you must WANT it! You have to eat it, sleep it, dream it, and, most of all, believe in yourself. You must commit to the principles of decency and honesty in everything you do. You must be prepared to accept rejection, disappointment, and losing to others who might have a better price, a better product, a deal the customer "can't" refuse, or who simply outsell you. But most of all, you have to have the faith in yourself, a "can-do" attitude, and the desire and will to succeed.

And this is what you must try and convey in your resume and in your personal interview. Your resume must reflect your work ethic and willingness to learn. Be proud of those part-time summer jobs you held as a waitress, working as a sales associate in the local retail store, or mowing lawns. The important thing to list is "what" you learned by doing these things, such as time management, customer relations and satisfaction, meeting a deadline, and fulfilling an obligation.

In your personal interview, it is critical for you to realize that you have a unique gift to offer an employer… you have POTENTIAL! That's YOUR value to the employer, and ultimately, that is WHY they will hire you… for your POTENTIAL!

Most employers, regardless of the degree you have, will invest money and time to train you how to present their products and services the way THEY want them done… what they CANNOT do is create the passion, excitement, and can-do attitude you naturally bring to the table.

So, how do you start to find a job in Retail Sales? First, find a product or service that excites and interests you. Sales professionals are needed in just about every industry there is, but why go sell cars if your passion is flying? Go sell planes!! Then, search for companies within that industry that have the reputation and vision for the future that you would like to represent day-in and day-out.

DON'T GO CRAZY! Don't go on interviews for jobs that you wouldn't take even if they offered them to you! Pick SIX companies within the industry that you would like to work for and learn EVERYTHING you can about each of them. This becomes your HIT LIST…This list is your focus… One of these companies will be your future.

SALARY!

Selling is a strange phenomenon because being successful financially in this industry hinges upon your individual performance. Very rarely are the big bucks available in Sales when you start out. Those at entry-level positions can start anywhere from $28,000 to $32,000, and while it seems low, you must remember that you are building your POTENTIAL to earn a lot of money once you have learned what to do, how to sell, and earned the respect and trust of your customers. Most sales positions are tied to some type of incentive opportunity, based on performance, such as commissions, overrides, or bonuses. If you get into commissioned sales, you will generally be offered a base salary (enough for you to meet everyday living expenses) and then be paid an additional amount based on the amount of sales you make. I advise you to approach your starting salary in the following way: Determine how much you need to meet your monthly living expenses for the first year. If the guaranteed "base" salary (what you will be paid each week/month, regardless of what you sell) covers these expenses, and you want the job, then take it!

Within the first year, you will hit your stride and start earning the commissions that give you the "gravy," and believe me, once you start to see those commission checks coming, there is NO turning back!

One last piece of advice for you! When you go on an interview, don't be a "know-it-all." You don't know it all. What do you know is that you have potential, and you have a unique gift to share with others. You are willing to learn, to contribute, and to work as a team member to help the company grow and reach their mission objectives of sales and market share.

Enjoy yourself! Don't ever settle for less than you can be, and make sure that you create a balance between your professional life and your family needs. Remember the adage: "Why climb the mountain if you don't stop along the way to enjoy the view?"

By Laurence Stuart, the founder and CEO of College to Career Seminars, Inc. This information is based on his book, How to get the job you want! You may contact him at: LStuart@CollegetoCareerSeminars.com.

Ann Devine is Executive Director of Pi Sigma Epsilon and Dr. Mike d'Amico Professor of Marketing at the University of Akron and Past President of Pi Sigma Epsilon.