5 Reasons to Be Thankful for Your Sales Career

Turkey Day kicks off the holiday season here in the U.S, and in this time of eating, drinking, and shopping, why not take stock of the past year and celebrate all the things we have to be thankful for about being in sales?

It’s Dynamic
One thing you can say about sales is that it’s definitely not boring. On a daily basis you meet new people and learn new skills. Technology continues to usher in novel ways to streamline your work and be more productive. There are always opportunities that you can jump on and convert to customers. The upshot is, sales is fast-paced and exiting. You can be thankful for the fact that you get to come to work and do something different every day.

It’s Rewarding
Of course there’s the compensation you receive from each “closed won” deal, but the true reward in sales is that adrenaline rush that follows a great presentation, or the satisfaction you get from knowing that your products, services, and expertise have helped a customer overcome a challenge. Why do we love this job? For most of us, it’s because we get to forge great business relationships and close sales.

It Paves Your Professional Way
Maybe you plan to be in the sales game for the duration of your working life, or perhaps you’re just making a career stopover on route to something else. Either way, selling is a good training ground for a myriad of professions. In sales you learn to be a great communicator. You develop discipline, patience, a thick skin, and people smarts. Those are just some of the transferable skills you get in this profession, which can pave the way for success in leadership or entrepreneurship.

It’s Stable
Industry is automating like crazy. One day in the not too distant future there will be a bot for almost every task in industry—robots might even write blogs some day! But despite whatever else becomes automated in life, the world will always need sales reps. There’s just no getting around the fact that only living, breathing humans can sell. Small or large, the lifeblood of any company is its sales team, because no organization can thrive—or even survive—without driving revenue through sales. And you can transfer your sales skills from organization to organization. Not to mention that most companies are hungry for motivated sales reps. Rest assured—and be grateful—that you’ll always be able to find a new place to call your work home.

There’s Autonomy
You know that one job where you were micromanaged to within an inch of your life? Well, that’s almost never a problem in sales. As with any job, there are guidelines to follow, best practices to acquire, and protocols to adhere to, but ultimately you get out of this job what you put into it. And you can take the ball and run with it, designing your own action plan and trying out different methods till you land on what works. Your company may provide the “vehicle,” but you’re the one who takes it off road, blazing a trail that works for you.

So think about that as you head into Thanksgiving. And then just go eat some turkey and watch a game. Sales folks need to take time off too!

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