Work Placement Sales Jobs

Leading work placement employers

Helping you find a career in the sales industry

Remember that scene in Wolf of Wall Street where former stockbroker, Jordan Belford, orders one of his sales executives to sell him his pen? You'll remember that Jordan is then directed to write his name down on a piece of napkin. Of course, Jordan now doesn't have a pen - but guess who's selling one? Despite the added sprinkle of Hollywood drama, this scene is a typical example of how many people imagine the sales industry is to be like.

More accurately, salespeople are responsible for creating a demand for the products and services that their employer provides. Most companies will have a need for a sales department within their business, no matter what industry they operate in. This means that there are plenty of employers to choose from, allowing young job seekers greater opportunities to work for brands, companies and/or products that they truly believe in.

There are lots of great aspects to working in sales. Those in the industry thrive off being able to speak to different kinds of people every day while learning to gauge their needs and react to them in a way that will achieve the best outcome. Sales professionals can also get great satisfaction out of creating relationships with customers and providing solutions to their problems.

If you're not already sold by the industry, you might be won over by this: companies also tend to reward sales professionals with very generous salaries, benefits and bonuses. The harder you work, the more you can earn. In short, you're in control of your potential income.

N Written by Navdeep

Find out more

FAQs

FAQs

Skills & interests you'll need

Much of a sales professional's working day will include speaking to people on the phone, via email and providing them with reports in a clear and professional manner. Therefore, you need to be able to demonstrate that you have strong verbal and written communication skills.

Other skills that you'll need for a sales job include:

Confidence
Having a positive attitude
Resilience
Determination
Listening skills
Rapport building (using your personality to create relationships)
Networking
Self-initiative
Having the ability to work as part of a team
Presenting Specific skills you'll build when employed into in a sales role include finding new customers, taking care of existing customers, customer retention, negotiating, planning meetings, pitching, sending out proposals and closing deals.

In order to be successful at sales, you'll want to be able to know how to interact with people in the most effective way. You'll also need to develop a knack for being able to “read people” so that you can act accordingly to their feelings, personality and react to their needs.

How to get Sales internships, work experience or placements

The good news is that entry-level sales roles rely a lot on what soft skills a candidate can offer, a lot of which can be developed while still studying at University. Customer service skills, for example, can be achieved through part-time work in retail, hospitality or telesales jobs.

Some companies will offer short-term work placements and internships during school and university holidays. This is a great way to network with future employers and many people find their first job via this career path.

Try applying through job websites that specialise in work placement and internship opportunities, such as Beetroot.com, or apply directly on the employer's website.