How do I get into sales?
December 6th, 2006 by the medical sales recruiter
Often I have a candidate with a technical degree call me to talk about getting into a sales position. When I ask what they have done to prepare for a sales position, I get the long silence. Would you apply to be a doctor without the degree? Would you buy a restaurant without speaking with a lot of people in the industry? Would you do anything as large as a complete career change without doing a lot of research? I want the candidate that has read as many books as they can get their hands on (Authors: Neil Rackham, Zig Ziglar, Heiman, Harvey, etc.), talked with other sales representatives, shadowed other sales professionals, etc. Why? First, this candidate shows initiative, process and follow through. This candidate is more likely to understand what they are getting themselves into and will definitely be more prepared for the interviewing process.
