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One of the greatest catch-22s in a sales career is figuring out how to get a sales job with no experience. On the one hand, everybody has to start somewhere, even if you have a university degree. On the other hand, especially in a competitive sales jobs market, many employers are in a position to request or even require relevant work experience from candidates.
If you're one of the candidates with no direct experience of working in sales jobs, then you're automatically at a disadvantage. However, all hope is not lost - in this article we'll look at some different strategies to help you decide how to get a sales job with no experience, as well as some simple ways to gain that initial experience if you want or need to.
The higher up the sales career ladder you apply, the more directly relevant work experience you may need. If there's no sales in your career history at all, then restrict your job search to only entry-level positions.
At entry-level, employers are more likely to consider transferable skills and a willingness to learn, and you may even find training programmes that are specifically designed to give you a broad background in sales from a standing start.
If you're planning a long-term career in sales, this is an excellent way to get started. It can bridge the gap between college or university, and more senior sales jobs within just a few years, once you have that initial experience on your CV.
Relevant qualifications still count for something, so consider a sales conversion course, evening classes or other ways to train for a career in sales. Look for courses that are well respected and give you specific certification at the end.
Any experience is better than none at all, so make the most of the opportunities that arise through any training you complete. If classes include a chance to shadow someone who already works in sales, or to set up a week (or even a single day) of work experience with a local sales company, seize those opportunities while you can.
Meeting people who work in sales in your local area or chosen industry - especially those with hiring responsibilities - can help you to learn what skills are in demand, and again may lead to work experience opportunities.
Look out for conferences and conventions, as well as local business breakfasts, which are likely to be attended by marketing managers and small business owners. Also look for local business groups on social networks, which can help you to establish yourself as a familiar name and a local voice in conversations relating to sales and marketing.
Soft skills are also called 'transferable skills' and the clue is in the name - these are capabilities you can bring to sales jobs, but which you gained through experience in other roles. Sales is a communication-based discipline so transferable skills are much more important than they can be in other roles.
For example, you'll need to be an effective communicator, capable of building rapport with a potential customer. You'll need to be persuasive when it comes to closing a sale, but not so pushy that you put your employer's reputation at risk. General office skills can be helpful too, from computer skills to record call notes in sufficient detail, to something as simple as familiarity with business telephone systems, call forwarding or putting people on hold.
There's no shame in flattering the interviewer. That doesn't mean complimenting their choice of outfit, but showing a genuine interest in the company and demonstrating that you have researched the role and what will be required of you.
Be specific about this. In the interview, tell the hiring manager what you know and how you found it out, whether that's from corporate reports, third-party 'employee satisfaction' forums, talking directly to current employees, or some other method. The point is to show that you understand the role and that you are capable of carrying it out to the desired standard, even if your career history doesn't have specific proof of that as yet.
In this case, it can be more difficult to reach the interview stage without experience, so you may want to consider incorporating this into your cover letter instead. By doing so, you can put this technique into practice at a stage where you know the hiring manager will see your words, before using some of the other options listed above to reinforce your application at the interview stage.
Combining all of the above can help you to get a sales job with no experience, while training courses, work experience opportunities and shadowing other employees can all fill in some of those gaps too.
If you're in a financial position to take on an unpaid internship, this can help as well, but be sure you're gaining genuine experience and not just making the coffee. Give your internship your full attention and get what you can from it, while knowing when it's time to walk away and apply for your first paid job in sales, based on the experience you have gained.
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