Do you want a career that offers you independence and control? Well, you should consider a commissioned Sales position!
Employees working on commission have great incentive and motivation to excel on the job because the better they perform, the more they earn. Also, they generally have a lot of say in their schedule, so they need to understand their own abilities and know how many hours they need to meet a certain quota. If you’re someone who’s able to identify what you need to succeed and can manage yourself on a regular basis, you may find that this is your ideal work environment.
Still not sure if this is the right type of role for you? If you possess the following qualities, a commission-based position might be a perfect fit!
A Desire to Improve
When you first step into the position, remember that it’s okay if you’re not an instant top performer – everyone needs to start somewhere. Commissioned Sales professionals improve little by little everyday until they’re the best at what they do. However, to get from point A and point B, you need to have an innate desire to improve. If you’re someone who’s constantly looking to increase their knowledge and develop more skills, you’re perfect for a commission-based position. With a drive like that, there’s no doubt you’ll soon catch up and exceed everyone else!
How to further develop this quality: This doesn’t happen naturally; you need to make a conscious effort in order to improve quickly and efficiently. To do this as a student, you can start by always applying your professors’ feedback from past assignments to future projects. Making mistakes is part of the learning process, but your goal should always be to do better the next time.
Prefers Self-Management
When you’re working this type of job, you have a lot of control, which can be a great thing if you’re a self-starter who enjoys their independence. You’ll need to manage your own goals and strive to achieve them on a daily basis, so it’s important that you can keep yourself on track without supervision. Also, you might have very flexible hours, so it’s up to you to manage your schedule to include enough hours to meet your quota. If you have top-notch time management skills, you will find this aspect extremely freeing and probably one of the best benefits of a commission-based position.
How to further develop this quality: A simple way to improve your time management skills is to keep an agenda or planner. Update it regularly to identify what you want to accomplish that day or week. For example, you can include tasks like finishing an assignment, reading a textbook chapter, going grocery shopping, or even dedicating an hour to cleaning. This way, you can practice measuring your own abilities and what you can accomplish within a limited amount of time.
Thrives in a Social Setting
It’s no secret that Sales professionals need to constantly build rapport with strangers, and when working on commission, it’s even more important. You want to be someone who can stride up to your prospective customer with confidence and give them a sales pitch they can’t turn down. Therefore, if you’re someone who feels quickly at home in any crowd, this type of position is made for you.
How to further develop this quality: Every time you interact with someone, you build on your social skills. However, if you want to exercise them in a relevant environment, consider getting a part-time or summer position in Retail. It’ll give you the opportunity to communicate with customers and practice giving sales pitches – becoming a good Sales professional takes time, so start working on it early.
So, does this sound like you? If your answer is yes, then you may have a very bright future ahead of you in a commissioned Sales position. Your personality and this revenue model basically go hand in hand!