1. Chapter 17 Managing Your Career

2. Opportunities In Selling Fast paced growth - Since 2006, more good jobs than candidates - 1 million new jobs expected in the next decade International opportunities are unlikely for most entry-level salespeople

3. Making A Good Match 1) Understand personal needs and offerings To thine own self be true – Shakespeare *BUT, to be true to yourself, you must know who you are, what you need, and what you can offer others. *You also must have a long-term view. *Your first job is a job someone wanted to leave behind for a good promotion

4. Company Needs & Offerings 2) Understand company needs and offerings Special Skills required? Special Abilities required? Certain G.P.A.? Corporate Culture?

5. Understanding Yourself Understanding Your Needs Structure Motivation Stress and Rejection Interest

6. Continued Understand What You Have To Offer Skills Knowledge Qualities and Traits – See Exhibit 17.2 When To Ask These Questions Search for a job prior to graduation Students are three times more likely to find a job than those who wait until graduation

7. Understanding The Company What The Company Has To Offer Compensation and recognition programs, training, career opportunities, and other information Pick a company with a comfortable compensation program Size, promotion policies, or foreign What The Company Needs Three qualities company look for: good communication skills, self-motivation, and a positive and enthusiastic attitude Relative technical skills and knowledge See P. 459 for 4 bullet points – employers’ needs

8. The Recruiting Process Selecting Salespeople Applicant Information Sources Five important sources of company information: 1) Application forms- preprinted form that the candidate completes 2) References- people who know the applicant (validate information) 3) Tests- provides information that cannot be readily obtained from other sources 4) Personal interviewers- interactions between recruiter and candidate (important source of information for recruiters) 5) Assessment centers- central location for evaluating candidates

9. Selling Your Capabilities Preparing The Resumes – Examples: P. 463-464 Conventional Resumes Form of life history organized by type of work experience Three categories of experienced most often used: educational, work, and activities/hobbies Functional Resumes Reverse the content and titles of the conventional resume, organizing by what the candidate can do or has learned rather than by types of experience Begin the list with qualities most important to getting the job

10. Resumes Make objective two-sided – what you are seeking and what you can do for them Example: Seeking an entry level position in professional selling where I can contribute to your firm’s strategic and revenue goals

11. Resumes - Big 3! Two sided objective Show results! Parallel construction – Examples: led, developed, created, supervised (all action past-tense verbs)

12. Sources of Job Information Career Services – Texas State University Corporate Contacts Professional selling – Corporate Partners’ Program Past students Lists of local, regional, & national companies who are hiring! Note: Refer to handouts!

13. Gaining The Interview Using Personal Contacts Contacts from school projects, job fairs, and trade shows Using Employment Advertisements Carefully interpret employment advertisements and respond effectively Look for two things in ads: what the company needs and what it has to offer Responding To Advertisements Many companies ask you to write and may have a blind box number

14. Writing Cover Letters Focus on what you can do for the company – FEB Use the system you learned in class Be direct The body of the letter should center on two or three reasons you should be hired – benefits you can bring to their firm The letter should close with a request for action No response doesn’t necessarily mean rejection

15. The Interview Preparing For The Interview Research the company Plan responses to questions Scenario questions are popular Prepare questions to ask about the firm Ask about career advancement opportunities, typical first- year responsibilities, and corporate personality Shine your shoes!

16. Interview Tips Mirror what you said in your cover letter Stick to the three or four benefits you stated that fulfill their needs (not yours) See typical questions employers ask: Exhibit 17.6 – P. 468 Role play interviews at career services KSA – Knowledge, skills & abilities

17. STAR Approach Often used by interviewers S or T – tell me about a situation or task at work A – what action did you take R - what results occurred as a result of your action – not someone else’s action This approach isn’t about responsibilities – it’s about you and the results you made happen!

18. During The Interview The Approach Social amenities will begin the interview Needs Identification Both individuals have needs defined prior to the meeting Determine if the interviewer is a sales manager or personnel manager Presentation FEB- feature, evidence, benefit Portfolio- organized collection of evidence of one’s career Gaining Commitment Ask for commitment and confirm information signals

19. Special Types Of Interviews Disguised interviews- interviews in which the candidate is unaware that the interviewer is evaluating the candidate Greeter- helps relax interviewee before interview, and offers an opportunity to ask questions about the job and the company Stress interview- designed to place the candidate under severe stress to see how the candidate reacts Panel interviews- encounter multiple interviewers Group interviews- similar to panel interviews, but include several candidates as well as several interviewers

20. Follow-Up Send a thank-you note shortly afterward Thank the person in the first paragraph Write a paragraph that summarizes the interview Focus on the reasons why you should be hired Reiterate your thanks and end with an assumptive statement If you don’t hear by the contact date, contact the person

21. Interviewing Never Ends Promotions Admission to management development programs Prepare properly, conduct the interview professionally, close or some level of commitment, and follow up

22. Managing Your Career Goals Set life-based objectives and use them to determine career objectives Balance is important Making The Transition From College To Career The first year is important You must learn from mistakes Learn organizational culture, values, and how things are done You are under a microscope Seek a partnership with your manager

23. Managing Your Career Requires a conscious effort Lifelong learning is important Lifelong learning can improve your current position and help enjoy what you do Dual Career Path A sales job offers two roads for career paths: sales and marketing Learn Your Current Job Learn everything possible about your current position, you may be managing others at this level after promotions

24. Your Career Learn The Job You Want Next “In order to become a manager, you must first be a manager.” Solicit the help of people who hold the job now Volunteer to take on special projects that demonstrate leadership and organizational abilities Develop your “soft skills” – See P. 476 – Exhibit 17.9

25. Developing Your Skills Years of practice Constantly seek new ways to improve – keyboarding classes, watch very successful people – figure out what they can do that you can’t do-then learn it! Sources of Improvement Actively seek assistance Start with the field sales manager Learn from peers Read books Seminars and cassette tapes

26. Managing Stress Meeting quota is one of the most stressful part of the job Sometimes coping with stress results in changing jobs Managing stress is important to leading a happy and healthy lie Situational Stress Short-term anxiety caused by a situational factor Imagine the situational factor has been removed Learn to control situational stress and feelings (Ex. Impending presentations, deadlines for closing orders, and similar situations)

27. Stress Felt Stress Felt stress- psychological distress brought about by job demands or constraints encountered in the work environment Role accuracy- refers to the degree to which the salesperson’s perceptions of the sales role are correct Role stress- brought about by role conflict and/or role ambiguity Role conflict- occurs when two partners demand incompatible actions of the salesperson Role ambiguity- occurs when the salesperson is not sure what actions are required Role accuracy- the degree to which a salesperson’s perceptions about the sales role are correct