I recently got asked a great question by a friend of mine whose son was graduating from college and looking to go into a sales career. So, today I’m answering the question, “What should you look for in a company when looking for a career in sales?”

The number No. 1 I would look for in a company when seeking a sales career is if the company is sales driven. Companies can be marketing driven, research-driven, or distribution driven, but you want to make sure you’re with a sales driven company.

For example, a marketing driven company would be Visa. They are great at marketing and have great brand identity across the world. A research company would be a company like 3M, which is phenomenal with their research and development which leads to them producing fantastic products.

“If you want a lasting career in sales, make sure the company is sales driven.”

A sales driven company is a company that places a high value on salespeople, and as a result, they are compensated accordingly. One question I would ask the president or CEO to find out if a company is a sales driven company is, “What do you do when your top sales rep makes more money than you?” A company that would see that as a problem is not a sales driven company, whereas a company that says they would send them on a trip, buy them a watch, reward them, or asks them to teach other reps is a sales driven company.

If you want to have a career in sales, your best-earning potential and long-term potential is going to be with a company that understands and respects sales and rewards people accordingly.

If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’m always happy to help!