Are you a recent grad ready to take on the corporate world? Are you currently weighing up all the options in terms of what direction and career path to take? Then you should be seriously considering a career in sales.
Software sales is one of the hottest industries to work in at the moment and Dublin (frequently referred to as the Silicon Valley of Europe) hosts a wide range of international tech companies who have set up shop here and are hiring for sales positions. Not only are these tech companies super cool places to work by their nature (casual dress code, on-site bars for post-work pints, treadmill desks, chill-out areas equipped with massage chairs, hammocks and beds… need I go on) but they also offer an unparalleled opportunity to kick-start a very lucrative career in sales. With many of these companies in their start-up phase here in Dublin, these tech companies tend to be very flat and transparent organisations and offer huge opportunity to develop business acumen and to progress within a sales career relatively quickly.
Sounds great, but how do I know sales is for me?
If you are a highly driven and competitive person that enjoys reaching and achieving goals, then sales offers you the means to let that streak shine through. Sales offers you the challenge you crave while being lucratively rewarding and offering a clear and defined career path that is completely in your own hands to achieve.
So how do you get your foot in the door?
Below is a brief overview of the things that are going to aid your application and help you stand out.
Education:
Almost all of these tech companies now look to university results as their first gauge on candidate applications, irrespective of experience and level of position. For an entry-level sales position you need to be coming out of college with a minimum of a 2.1 BA/BSc/MA/MSc degree or higher.
Experience:
For entry-level sales roles it is somewhat expected that your experience is going to be limited but you wouldn’t believe how relevant some of the experience you have is going to be! Any fundraising or charity work demonstrates core sales skills such as self-motivation and the ability to quickly build a rapport, as does working to targets in a retail environment or doing a part-time job in a call centre at the weekends for some extra cash. Be proud of your experience and where possible try to gain some sales focused experience or internships. Your willingness to work for free or work your way through college demonstrates not only your independence and eagerness to learn but also your tenacity and motivation – crucial skills needed to succeed in sales.
Extra-curricular activities:
Don’t knock how important your hobbies and interests are. Participating in team sports shows your ability to work as part of a team and also shows your competitive streak (again both key factors in signaling success in sales). If you have an interest in economics and current affairs it shows your ability to take on more numerical and high-level problems. Do you volunteer in your spare time? This demonstrates your more human side and your ability to engage and develop relationships with people.
Posted by Recruitment Consultant, Sigmar on 1 April 2019
