When Is It a Good Idea To Get a Sales Job?

[mikecarlooch]

I’m wondering and I believe others may find value from answers to this question as well.

I came across an “opportunity” to work a sales job for a local entrepreneur who I look up to.

Although, there’s something holding me back from going after it -

My goal is a fast lane business
I don’t need the money immediately
The only reason I’d do it would be for skill aquisition.
I feel like I wouldn’t have a lot of time during the day to work on my YouTube channel, marketing services (thumbnail creation, web design (just started learning), tiktok marketing for businesses, etc.

Basically, what I’m trying to ask is would I be wasting my time taking this sales job? Is marketing and selling my own services the better way to go? Or is it a better idea to go and work under an established entrepreneur in an office sales job to get sales experience?

I’ve had opportunities like this before and I’m just starting to really get into getting skills and marketing my own products for real. But I’m very scared of wasting my time.

Thanks guys

 

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[SC87Dominik]

Some questions I'd ask myself in this situation:

Which one would I regret not doing?

Which one seems like more of an opportunity?

Which one is time-constraint?

Do I want to learn more about one over the other (at this moment)?

Do I want exposure to a new environment, or do I want to continue as things are?

Are the things I'm currently doing projected to be beneficial, or should I change heading?

If I end up continuing what I was already doing, can I do it better/faster/easier/efficiently?

What are the risks/benefits of both? Does one have asymmetric risk?

What are my priorities and values now and in the future?

Does this decision lead closer to the fastlane, closer to my 1/5/10, closer to my goals, or does it distract me?

What is my return on time invested?

Am I really wasting my time if I assessed the risks invloved?

Can I stop the commitment if I deem it to be a waste of time?

 

[Guyfieri5]

There is no shame in working for an entrepreneur while you work on your business on the side. I'd go work that sales job and learn everything I could off the guy to apply to my own business and life.

What you could learn from working with him:

• How to sell. I worked a door-to-door sales job for two years and went from being too shy to initiate contact with my own friends to convincing people to buy cable (an outdated product) from a complete stranger in less than two hours. That skill is extremely valuable to me today and I would not have had the discipline to learn it if I didn't have the help from my manager and co-workers.
• How to run a business. The fastest way your going to learn a business is by building your own while copying the process of successful entrepreneurs. This guy seems like a good candidate for that but up close and personal. Obviously, you don't want to copy his business completely, but the mindset and organizational skills this guy will impart on you will be invaluable.
• How to be humble and take a job for experience rather than just pay. To be an entrepreneur you need to be able to humble yourself and take opportunities that pay you in lessons and not just money. Sure, you're not doing your own thing and living the Fastlane dream right away, but you are going to learn a ton working under entrepreneurs for a little while as your business grows on the side.

These are a few of many lessons you would learn working under an entrepreneur for a little while.

Good luck!

 

[Metz]

Before I weigh in, I'm curious OP: what do you do right now to make money? Either way, sales experience is definitely useful for entrepreneurship, but I have a few extra points to consider based on your answer.

 

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[Andy Black]

I don’t need the money

The only reason I’d do it would be for skill aquisition.

Meh to skill acquisition. Show me the money.

Personally, I’d pass. “Learn” sales and marketing doing it for your own business?

 

[mikecarlooch]

Some questions I'd ask myself in this situation:

Which one would I regret not doing?

Which one seems like more of an opportunity?

Which one is time-constraint?

Do I want to learn more about one over the other (at this moment)?

Do I want exposure to a new environment, or do I want to continue as things are?

Are the things I'm currently doing projected to be beneficial, or should I change heading?

If I end up continuing what I was already doing, can I do it better/faster/easier/efficiently?

What are the risks/benefits of both? Does one have asymmetric risk?

What are my priorities and values now and in the future?

Does this decision lead closer to the fastlane, closer to my 1/5/10, closer to my goals, or does it distract me?

What is my return on time invested?

Am I really wasting my time if I assessed the risks invloved?

Can I stop the commitment if I deem it to be a waste of time?

got me at the 1/5/10 Planasy part... it DOES distract me from my goals. Thanks for reminding me

 

[Kevin88660]

I’m wondering and I believe others may find value from answers to this question as well.

I came across an “opportunity” to work a sales job for a local entrepreneur who I look up to.

Although, there’s something holding me back from going after it -

My goal is a fast lane business
I don’t need the money immediately
The only reason I’d do it would be for skill aquisition.
I feel like I wouldn’t have a lot of time during the day to work on my YouTube channel, marketing services (thumbnail creation, web design (just started learning), tiktok marketing for businesses, etc.

Basically, what I’m trying to ask is would I be wasting my time taking this sales job? Is marketing and selling my own services the better way to go? Or is it a better idea to go and work under an established entrepreneur in an office sales job to get sales experience?

I’ve had opportunities like this before and I’m just starting to really get into getting skills and marketing my own products for real. But I’m very scared of wasting my time.

Thanks guys

What the next best alternative?

That helps to find an answer for you.

 

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[Guyfieri5]

Meh to skill acquisition. Show me the money.

Personally, I’d pass. “Learn” sales and marketing doing it for your own business?

Had to think about this for a second as my first thought is "of course, get the skills, why wouldn't you work for an entrepreneur for a year or two", but I don't see why you don't just work on your business and learn as you go. I read a bit too quickly through your post and didn't see you would have little time for your business while you did this. You do not have to get a sales job to be successful in business. I did it and learned a ton but could have left that job in three months and still gained enough to succeed.

Thinking you need to learn a skill before you take action is a no-go. Just do your thing and ask questions as you go. Now, if you know this guy, maybe ask him some questions and learn from him. Or do some work for him as a freelancer so you're not tethered to a 9-5.

 

[K1 Lambo]

I’m wondering and I believe others may find value from answers to this question as well.

I came across an “opportunity” to work a sales job for a local entrepreneur who I look up to.

Although, there’s something holding me back from going after it -

My goal is a fast lane business
I don’t need the money immediately
The only reason I’d do it would be for skill aquisition.
I feel like I wouldn’t have a lot of time during the day to work on my YouTube channel, marketing services (thumbnail creation, web design (just started learning), tiktok marketing for businesses, etc.

Basically, what I’m trying to ask is would I be wasting my time taking this sales job? Is marketing and selling my own services the better way to go? Or is it a better idea to go and work under an established entrepreneur in an office sales job to get sales experience?

I’ve had opportunities like this before and I’m just starting to really get into getting skills and marketing my own products for real. But I’m very scared of wasting my time.

Thanks guys

It depends bro. If you have a lot of experience in sales, then it may not be necessary since you already understand how customers think and you know you have to offer them some form of value in order to get them to pay you. But if that's not the case, then it might help you, especially if you're going to do B2B sales, which is harder than B2C.

However, if you want to build a very successful business then you need to become good with people and learn how to sell. If you're not, then you can hire someone who's good at that.