I find it amusing when people give you advice like, "Find something you're good at, and that you love to do, and make that your job." Really? What planet do you live on? I'm not sure you can get paid for playing "Call of Duty" or "Madden 2012"? Because not everyone has the luxury of doing what they love to do. Albeit the "Professor Positive" people will tell you that you just have to never give up your dream. What kind of messed up, alternate reality do these people live in?
Unlike Disney movies, dreams do not always come true. I think the truth is that you try to find something which suits your skill set in life, and make that your career. Because you'll be successful, and you won't get depressed and want to kill yourself or your boss. In all honesty, not all jobs are created equal, and not everybody gets the job they want, but more like the job they can do and they can tolerate. Pretty sad huh?
With one major exception. Sales reps. In my opinion, I like the job, but I'm not in love with the job. But what a great job it is! Think about it. No one puts together our schedule for us, we're not required to be in an office everyday, and we get to interact with people daily. It's great! If you are a rep in an office daily, I'm sorry but your job does suck, and you probably have a boss who's an idiot.
Sure we have a lot of pressure to sell, but we also have a lot of free time to do things like pick up our kids, drop off our kids, go to our kid's soccer games, help our kids with homework, and do something else with our kids. Or if you have no kids, you have time to go shopping, get a bite to eat, nap, plan out your weekend, or go pick up your sister's kids. The point being we have no set schedule, without out our own input. We are running our own little business. Personally, I think that's awesome.
I have been blowing out my numbers again this year, and this week I was offered another management position with the company. I was flattered by the offer, but I had to weigh the issue carefully. Did I want to give up my freedom so that I could impinge my will upon poor, unsuspecting reps? Or did I remain a rep and keep my open schedule and my daily naps at 4 pm? After finding out the salary it was an easy decision. I turned it down. The VP was not terribly happy:
"I don't understand, you told me you were interested in managing reps again, so why are you turning down this opportunity?"
"Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the offer, but I won't make as much as I'm making now, even with a high base salary. It doesn't make any sense for me to change because the commission structure is not that good for managers. I'm sorry it's a great opportunity but just not for me."
"Sometimes we all have to take a cut in pay to move up the ladder."
"Really? Why? I'm confused. Doesn't moving up mean you'll make more money?"
"Not necessarily. I had to take a cut in pay when I moved into management."
"Well, I really don't understand why that's a requirement. If anything you should reward those people with more money. They now have more of the responsibility and less of the fun."
"Fun?"
" Yeah fun. Being in sales can be a lot of fun. You see people, take them to lunch, some of them are even happy to see you. It's fun. When you become a manager there's no more fun."
She laughed. "I guess I can see that. But you can't move up unless your a manager. "
"Well than I guess I'll just stay put. It's a good opportunity just not for me. Thanks."
" Are you sure? I was so sure you say yes."
" Yep, I'm sure. Thanks again."
Most of the other reps thought I was crazy, but why leave the best job ever to inherit the headache and heartache of being a manager. A job where you get none of the credit and all of the blame. When I was the top sales manager of the West in 2000, my reps got all the credit. I had 4 and they were great, but who trained those reps, who rode with those reps, and who lead those reps: ME. But did anyone thank me for leading the team? Nope. So they got all the credit, and I got a "promotion". What I got was another mess to clean up in a bigger location, which I did, and what happened? The reps got the credit again, and really they should, but as a manager you resent it. If you're in a position to be promoted, ask them to SHOW YOU THE MONEY! You have to justify, if giving up your "freedom", is really worth the money, and the politics of being a manager. Sometimes it's just not.
Be thankful you're alive, be thankful you're healthy, and be thankful you're a sales rep. It really is a great job! Maybe not the best job ever, but for me it's pretty darn close. Have a good day selling!
-M
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