Sales isn’t a great fit for everyone. It requires a level of initiative and independence that many people don’t inherently possess. And the sales industry has unfortunately got a bad reputation for being pushy and predatory. But the best salespeople are quite the opposite. If you’ve ever wondered whether you have a future in sales, consider whether these traits are part of your character.
You’re a problem solver
The best salespeople don’t just push a product or service on someone. They work with their leads to identify problems in their lives and determine how their products or services can solve those problems. If you have an analytical and solution-driven mind, sales might be right up your alley.
You get a rush from achieving personal goals
Sales can be a highly competitive field, but successful salespeople are as driven by a need to exceed their own expectations rather than just meeting sales goals or outperforming their peers. What’s great about sales is that you can set concrete objectives and quantify your growth and success in a highly structured manner.
You like people
There are few jobs more suitable to extroverts than sales positions. Making a sale is all about building genuine connections with your prospective clients. Succeeding in this field means listening closely to their concerns, empathizing with their problems, and meticulously remembering the small details of their lives. Customers are far more likely to do business with someone who’s authentically invested in their lives.
You enjoy taking the lead
There are plenty of jobs where following the rules and waiting for permission is a virtue. Sales isn’t one of them. If you want to be good in this business, you have to be willing to take the initiative, pursue leads on your own, and strike while the iron is hot. A salesperson who waits for approval from their boss is a salesperson who’s going to lose out on sales, and good managers give their teams significant room to be proactive and independent in how they chase their leads.
You thrive on multitasking
Not every lead is going to end in a sale, and that means that people in the field need to be constantly juggling different balls. The best salespeople can manage multiple tasks all at once and follow them through to the end. There’s never a lack of things to do in the sales field, and those who excel are capable of turning on a dime and working outside the traditional nine to five schedule.
