10 Factors to Consider Prior to Accepting a Sales or Marketing Job
Running a sales and marketing recruiting firm, I have seen many job seekers make the wrong decisions upon being offered a job. While this is bound to happen to most of us at some point or other, the job seekers who prove to avoid taking jobs at poor companies will always do best in the long run.
While money is a big factor in whether you should accept a sales or marketing job, I have also compiled 10 factors that should be considered along with monetary compensation prior to accepting a sales or marketing position.
1. How Strong Is Your Prospective Employer in Their Market? While you don’t always want to go with the leader, as a job seeker try to avoid companies that appear in the lower ranks of what they do.
While not many exceptions exist, if you’re given an open reason as to why the company is last in conjunction with a formidable plan as to what is going to be done about it, you may still want to consider working for the firm.
2. Is There Room for Growth? If you’re not growing in a job, what are you doing there? Finding out where the position can take you if you’re successful at executing your daily duties for a prolonged period of time should be essential to your decision of whether or not to work for a company.
3. Do You Like the People? If you don’t like the people who are interviewing you, chances are that those feelings are not going to change once you’re an employee. Rather, they may strengthen.
Ken Sundheim: When I got my own office, all the hard work was deemed worth it and adversity was put in the past when I looked at the space, put my fingers together and like Monti Burns, said “Excellent!”
Positive interpersonal relationships are paramount to your success in any organization. Do your very best to make an educated decision as to whether you can work with the individuals whom you meet.
4. What is Your Support Like? As a sales representative, working without marketing is very difficult. At the same time, as a marketing representative, you need effective sales reps to back your products or services.
While everybody would like more support in their current roles via a higher budget, only some are able to make do with what they have. Simply stated, if you don’t feel that the company cares about their sales or marketing, dig deeper via asking intelligent questions.
5. What is Your Creative Flexibility? As a sales or marketing professional, the more senior you get, the more decision making you should receive. While Coca-Cola is not going to change their formula just because you say so, you still should have some voice within your organization.
That is, if you work hard enough and deserve a voice.
6. Will You Learn a Lot on the Job? A job that is not intellectually stimulating can have dire consequences, as once your brain gets lazy, your work habits and ability to problem-solve do as well. Make sure that you will be challenged at any position you enter into or the price you pay will be much higher than any benefits that are derived from a higher compensation package.
7. What Will Future Employers Think of this Job? While you may want to leave a job, that company will always stay on your record. Think about how highly a potential employer years down the road will think of the organization you are considering.
For instance, if they are in last place (see #1), an employer in that market may be less inclined to think of you when it’s time for them to hire next.
8. Do You Need a Job or Are You Able to Pick One? Simply needing a job is the worst reason to accept a position. While not everybody has this luxury in a poor economy, those who do should never act upon a decision this important to satisfy a short-term need.
9. Do You Believe in them as a Company? If you don’t believe in your employer and the product(s) and / or service(s) that they are offering, how are you going to sell or market them?
As an employee in sales or marketing, your belief in your employer comes through when selling or marketing a product or service and while you can fake it to some, most prospective clients will see the lack of passion and shy away.
10. Did This Employer do Their Due Diligence? There is something wrong if an employer makes you an offer after a phone interview. Just like you should do your research, an employer should be interviewing you more than 1x (minimum).
There is something amiss if they pull the trigger right away and offer you the job. If an employer fails to do their due diligence on you, just think about what your co-workers are going to be like.
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