The Importance of Growing into a Specialized Sales Professional
SalesFirst Recruiting has always been an advocate for wisely managing sales careers. Everyone gets a pass for the first job they take. You take a chance to start figuring out what you like- but every decision from that first sales job needs to be carefully considered so you can end up developing toward a specific area of expertise.
Here are the most common ways we see professionals leveling up:
Market segment - Moving from Small Business (SMB) to Mid-Market (MM) to Enterprise (ENT) and eventually to MultiNational / Global if that’s of interest to you
Becoming a widely known Subject Matter Expert for a particular industry
Moving into Leadership or other specialized function that supports the sales group such as Sales Engineering or Sales Enablement
While this may seem obvious, we see many talented professionals prioritize short-term gains over long-term career progression. 2021 was a perfect example of this: Companies were overpaying for talent, and countless sales professionals were lured from their jobs by the promise of big comp plans. Some of them chose the attractive compensation plan over building long-term success with steady career progression. It worked out for some. For others it didn’t.
Here are 5 reasons why it’s crucial to level up in your career:
Overcoming Age Discrimination
Age discrimination exists, and it’s likely more common than you think. Where we most commonly see it, though, is when an experienced sales professional is applying to the same jobs as junior professionals. On the flip side, our experienced sales professionals rarely see age discrimination when they are applying to highly specialized roles with limited candidate pools. We also see less of it when they apply to leadership roles. And of course, companies tend to expect that the many of the best Enterprise Sales Reps have spent years studying their trade.
Increased Earning Potential
Supply and demand is a powerful force in the talent game. Enterprise sales professionals generally earn higher salaries and commissions than their MM and SMB counterparts. Similarly, sales professionals who become subject matter experts in a specific product or solution are often in high demand and can command higher salaries as a result.
Improved Credibility & Reputation
Specializing in a particular area of sales gives you a competitive advantage and enhances your credibility with your clients. When clients know that you are one a few highly specialized individuals in your industry, they are more likely to trust you and do business with you.
Automation and AI Threat
With the rise of automation and AI, sales professionals who view themselves as jack-of-all-trades sales reps selling smaller, more transactional products and services are at risk over the next few years and beyond. Specializing in a particular area can set you apart from the competition and make it less likely for your job to be taken by automation. Not too long ago, it was all but expected that companies would send a rep to help you sign up for a product or service. These days, employers are exploring many avenues to lower headcount.
Increased Job Satisfaction
Specializing in a specific area of sales often leads to increased job satisfaction as well. When you can concentrate on a specific area of expertise, you can develop a deeper understanding of the products and solutions you're selling, leading to a greater sense of accomplishment and fulfillment in your job.
Ask SalesFirst Recruiting if you are on track in your career!
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