Experience wanted
5 RepliesJump to last post
Hi everyone. I would like some advice on my current situation.
I am living in a metro area of about 2 mill people. My wife is going to school here and I work for one of the largest mutual fund companies as an internal auditor. I have a master’s and am a CPA. We are locked to this area for another 3 yrs b/c of her school. We are wanting to move back to small town America where she would open up her own chiropractor business and I would work as a Jones Rep. That’s the dream, anyway.
Just wanting advice on where to gain experience. I interviewed for a sales position at my current firm and I was rejected as I was not “enthusiastic” enough. I’ll admit I don’t interview that well and will never come across as a used car salesman.
The entry level “customer service” level jobs at my firm start at something like 28K a year, not nearly enough to pay an $1100 mortgage. I thought about that, working in an entry level position and working my way up, but not with that type of pay.
Just wondering, what type of firms should I look at to gain sales experience? A bank? A retirement plan company? I really don’t want to bust my balls in the city as an advisor, only to leave 3 yrs later and have all of my accounts vanish. In other words, what are some entry-level sales jobs? Any thoughts are appreciated.
I would do public accounting rather than internal audit. Work for a few years, establish some contacts, etc… If you don’t make it in this business you’ll have that experience to fall back on.
To be blunt, don’t waste your time. If you can’t sell yourself in an interview session, you will never make it as a broker. Work on your “one-to-one” skills. Self-confidence and an iron will are essential.
Just an option, but why not continue working at the MF company and take action towards overcoming your primary hurdle, people skills. Go read a few good books on the art of selling. Talk to some local Jones reps in your area and see if you can talk them into some mentor sessionseither weekly or monthly at your current pre-hire stage, see if you can arrange a meeting with the local regional leader eventually, sell yourself to him pre hire. go to the local universities and find some biz/professional speaking classes and audit them. ANother great way is trial by fire. Go interview with all the local wires and keep trying until you get an offer, if your getting interest from them, Jones interview proccess is a walk in the park. As a side note, you may want to try to enter the pass program if at a later date closer to your actual move you can afford to do so. You would a year of training at Jones prior to going live, and upon completion you would get a leg up in the form of either an existing office, or a goodknight plan (jones form of a “team opportunity” at the wire houses by way of assets being offered up and an in-house mentor) Hope this helps, ps you might want to find some weekend work selling door-to-door as that will be a big part of your early career at Jones. Nothing wrong with that, just wanting you to be prepared for reality.
Good luck and hope some of this helps DCIf you relate being in sales or being enthusiastic about being in sales to being a used car salesmen, a FA positon is not for you. If you don't interview well, that is another problem because potential client is looking at it as interviewing a new FA. Not a slam just be realistic with yourself of how good of a fit sales would be for you.
YOOPER