Sales Salary, Jobs and Opportunities

If you're looking for a good job, what you get in a sales salary might entice you. CNBC just did a news story that said sales jobs are in good supply because it is a revenue generating function in a company. Without good sales reps, companies die and that is why a sales salary tends to be high.

Sales Opportunities

Let's start with the good stuff. A sales salary can earn you tons of money, if you're good at it. Sales jobs are a meritocracy.

The better job you do, the more money you make. Sounds simple, but most other types of jobs that aren't sales jobs don't necessarily work that way.

In May 2008 median annual sales salary in wholesale and manufacturing, and technical and scientific sectors were about $70,200, including commissions. The middle 50 percent earned an annual income of $48,540 - $99,570. The bottom 10% earned less than $34,980, and the highest 10% earned more than $133,04.

Sales jobs also offer tons of excitement and challenges. It can often be like charging a steep hill against an invading army, and if you're good at it, beating them. They offer the regular challenge of setting goals and achieving those goals. It's an exciting time at the end of the month when you're racing to hit your sales goal. And achieving your sales goal can make sales jobs incredibly exhilarating.

Work Can Be Stressful

The same excitement that comes from meeting sales goals can also produce some stress in sales jobs. Having a goal to hit every month requires constant persistence and requires a bit of tenacity. Not having that drive can cause a lot of stress. In addition, because it is a meritocracy, you can't rely on connections or relationship or politics to keep your job. The same aspect that makes it lucrative can also bring tons of stress. But if you stick with it, it will reflect in your sales salary.

Sales jobs require more hours than your typical job. Working over 40 hours a week is usual without overtime of course. If you have an outside sales job, you will most likely be traveling over periods of days and sometimes even weeks.

Traveling can be fun, especially at first, but it can eventual drain you. Because it is meritocratic, you will want to get the job done and hit your sales goals no matter how long it takes. End of the month in sales jobs can be the most stressful and time-consuming part of your month but if you want that top sales salary, it will be well worth it.

For inside sales reps, although traveling time might be cut down, you will most probably have to make it up in making cold calls, follow up calls and doing sales conferencing presentations to hit your sales goals.

Working in sales is not like other jobs where you have a set number of tasks with a predictable method of completing them. In sales, all your tasks, at the end of the day, don't depend on you, they depend on your prospects and clients. You must do your part and work hard, but at the end of the day, it's your prospects who will decide how much time you put into this job. It can be unnerving for people who are used to structure and predictable work environments.

Sales Opportunities

Even in a recession, sales jobs tend to stick around and sales salaries stay high. This article will give an overview of what a sales salary looks like, the type of working environment is involved and the opportunities out there for the taking. If you are considering this as an option, this will help you decide whether it's for you. They can be very lucrative and can be easy to find. But if you're not up for the challenges, you may not want to consider it.

Companies are always looking for good sales reps. Many hire even ambitious people who have never worked in sales before. Almost all sales managers can see the hunger in the eyes of someone who is going to make a great sales rep and a great sales salary.

Sales jobs are hard work and it takes a lot of dieing to yourself and it takes a tremendous amount of being secure in who you are. But if you overcome these obstacles, there is no end to the sales job opportunities you will have.

For those with a background and experience in sales, they have even more of an advantage.  Some might be able to even find work from home sales opportunities and many end up with multiple lines or multiple companies they represent.  These are usually called independent sales reps.  And the successful ones make a lot of money as well as their schedules and working conditions.  Because they pick the companies and products they represent, they usually have a lot of power, influence and leverage in their working lives.