If You Want to Become a Sales Rep, Here’s Everything You Need to Know to Get Started [+ My Tips for First-Time Reps]

If you’ve been wondering about how to become a sales rep and are looking for resources to help you get started, I have wonderful news for you: You’re in the right place.

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Whether you’re drawn to the thrill of closing deals, the potential for high commissions, or just love the idea of chatting with people all day (strategically, of course), a career in sales can be exciting, rewarding, and — I’ll keep it 100% real with you — highly lucrative.

In this post, I’ll cover everything (yes, everything) you need to know about pursuing a career in sales before actually going through with it. I’ll also talk about the required experience and skills, salary/pay, how to land your first sales role, and other stuff that’ll help you decide if the sales rep path is the right job for you.

Table of Contents:

• What is a sales representative?
• What exactly does a sales representative do?
• Sales Representative Requirements
• Sales Representative Skills
• Sales Representative Salary and Pay
• How to Become a Sales Representative
• How to Become an Independent Sales Representative
• Take a Chance on a Career in Sales

What is a sales representative?

A sales representative is a professional responsible for selling a company’s products or services by engaging with potential customers, understanding their needs, and guiding them toward a purchase. They work across various industries, using communication, persuasion, and problem-solving skills to build relationships, generate leads, and close deals.

Want to know one of the most extraordinary things about starting a sales career? With the right mindset, effort, and external support, you can start as a complete beginner and grow into a top-tier performer. No one begins a career in sales with all of the required skills, but everything you need to succeed can be learned and developed. It’ll just take some time.

Overall, sales is a fast-paced field, especially when you’re a sales rep; figuring out where or even how to start can be intimidating.

Don’t let that fact scare you, though. As I said, adapting to the sales world can be much smoother than you think if you're open to learning and embracing new challenges. Plus, once you understand the role, you’ll be well on your way to upward mobility.

What exactly does a sales representative do?

A sales rep identifies potential customers, engages with them to understand their needs, and presents solutions that align with their interests.

Sales representatives are often the go-to folks for fostering customer relationships and driving revenue for their company. Although selling is a core component of their role, they’re also responsible for other things, including:

• Identifying and solving customer needs
• Managing the sales pipeline through each stage of the sales process
• Following up with prospects post-close for feedback and opportunities for upselling and cross-selling

On average, sales reps spend their time carrying out the sales process, but how they do this is game-changing. I spoke to Bri Lopez, Small Business Account Executive at HubSpot, to better understand what tools, tricks, and resources real-life salesfolks use to make the sales process easier, faster, and more unified. (You’ll also see Bri’s insights sprinkled throughout this post, so be on the lookout.)

Check out the list below to get a closer look at what Bri had to share and for a general overview of what the sales process involves, top to bottom:

1. Prospecting.

As you’ve probably already guessed, prospecting is the first step in the sales process. During this (very early) stage of the sales process, you’ll identify potential customers who may be a good fit for your company’s product or service.

When I poked Bri about how she navigates prospecting, one thing about her answer stuck out to me: her use of AI. “Much of the initial research for my sales strategy relies on AI. ChatGPT, HubSpot’s Breeze technology … I use AI to [get a bird’s eye understanding of] what their business does, then I reach out, ask my prospect more specific questions, and recommend products based on what I find out about their company,” she shared.

Prospecting will look pretty different for every sales rep because it’s all about approach. Some folks prefer to prospect through 1:1 relationship-building, while others prefer more automated and data-driven prospecting (like Bri). If you don’t know what your prospecting strategy will be, it’s okay. You’ll find your groove in due time.

Regardless of your spin on or preferred style of prospecting, it primarily requires that you master the following elements:

• Researching businesses and potential stakeholders
• Leveraging social media platforms (i.e., LinkedIn)
• Cold calling and/or emailing prospects
• Attending and engaging in networking events

There are two goals behind doing this preliminary work: 1) to generate and qualify leads and 2) to ensure you’re targeting high-potential prospects before investing time in deeper sales conversations. Always keep these priorities in mind.

2. Pitching.

Once you’ve made it beyond the prospecting stage, you’ll deliver a compelling sales pitch to your prospect. This is where you’ll showcase how your company’s offerings (a product or service) solve their pain points. Pitching is usually done through several methods of communication, such as:

• Email (there’s already some great advice on email pitching, like this article)
• Phone call
• Virtual meetings
• In-person presentations

Typically, the most successful pitches emphasize value over features, so ensure that yours demonstrates why your offering is the right solution for your specific prospect.

3. Handling Objections.

Here’s the unavoidable thing about being a sales rep: Not every potential prospect will be immediately sold on a product, and that’s where your ability to influence their purchase decision comes into play. As a sales rep, you’ve got to be skilled at addressing concerns, skepticism, and hesitations from the prospects you’re courting. Thus, this part of the sales process requires you to be good at the following:

• Listening to prospects
• Displaying empathy
• Problem-solving for prospects
• Comforting prospects through any anxieties they may have about making a purchase

But I’ve got a sales secret to share with you: Most prospects have objections around the same core categories: pricing, product fit, timing, and competitors. Knowing what prospects will raise concerns will make helping them through the decision-making process much easier.

4. Negotiating.

After you pass the hump of mitigating a prospect’s doubts, you’ll enter the negotiation phase. This is when details like pricing, contract terms, and other specifics of your deal get ironed out. Expect to do a lot of back-and-forth during this stage. You’ll also need to lean on your strategic thinking and engagement skills to ensure a win-win outcome for both the customer and your company.

Robust negotiation skills take time to develop, so don’t rush it. Seriously. And if it’s any consolation, just know this: Once you hone them, you’ll secure better deal terms and long-term client relationships in no time.

5. Closing Deals.

At this final point in the sales process, you have one last job: Convert leads into paying, loyal customers. Closing a deal is, without a doubt, the most important (and tedious) aspect of the sales process, so it warrants doing some last-minute housekeeping tasks, such as:

• Finalizing paperwork
• Getting approval from decision-makers
• Ensuring your customers are happy with their purchase
• Answering any final questions your customer may have about the deal

Oh, and one last thing: This portion of the sales process will require you to complete it as quickly as possible. Don’t feel bad about applying pressure to close a deal at this stage. Spearhead those necessary follow-up meetings or additional communication! Most customers appreciate this. Additionally, a successful sales rep always does their best to close strong. A well-executed close can lead to repeat business and referrals.

Unfortunately, mastering the sales process doesn’t happen overnight (even when you really want it to). It takes time, practice, and planting seeds early on to get it right.

Sales Representative Requirements

If you’re officially sold on becoming a sales rep, that’s fantastic news. But you should know that the excitement and potential of a life in sales also comes with a bit of a trade-off … you’ve got to commit to checking off some boxes. Want to know something reassuring, though? You may have more of them taken care of than you think.

Before you enter the big wide sales world, I’ve compiled a list of everything you’ll need to fulfill to go from aspiring sales rep to qualified sales role candidate. Check it out below:

1. An aspiring sales representative should have some form of education.

While many sales roles don’t require a specific degree, having some form of education attached to your resume is a plus. Whether your credentials be a high school diploma or bachelor’s degree in a specific career field (for sales, it’s typical to have a bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, or finance), whichever proof of education you possess, it can serve as a firm foundation for your career.

And if you don’t have a formal degree, that’s totally okay. Don’t sweat it. Just be sure to supplement that experience with something else: mentorship, additional learning opportunities (i.e., courses/classes, micro-internships, externships, etc.), or whatever has helped you fruitfully gain sales knowledge.

If my encouragement wasn’t affirming enough, just keep this fact in mind: Employers care about how you’ve sought growth opportunities as much as they care about your education and where you got it from.

2. An aspiring sales representative should have a combination of soft and technical skills.

As much as I’d love to tell you that a sales job is about talking, I don’t believe in lying.

Unfortunately, a successful sales career doesn’t solely depend on how much you can gab. You’ve got to balance both soft skills (i.e., time management, active listening, etc.) and “hard” ones (i.e., knowledge of sales methodologies, ability to complete market research, etc.) to make it in this role.

If you’re wondering why, here’s your answer: The combination of these skills separates top-performing reps from those who struggle to close deals.

But don’t get too caught up on that right now. Later on, I’ll revisit this topic and go more in-depth into desired core competencies. I’m here to help you thrive, not overthink.

3. An aspiring sales representative should have some sales experience (don’t take this too literally … just stay with me).

Say it with me now: You don’t need years of sales experience to land your first sales role.

Tons of high-performing sales reps didn’t start in the corporate sales space. And, being candid, many of ‘em started just like the rest of us: working in retail, customer service, even in the non-profit space. No matter where you spent the first couple of years building your work experience, you likely spent that time doing all the things you’d be doing as a sales professional.

If you’ve ever had to convince someone or bargain for something, congratulations — you’ve already got the chops for sales under your belt.

4. An aspiring sales representative should have licenses and certifications (if applicable).

Some sales roles, especially in real estate, finance, and medical sales, require specific licenses or certifications. There’s no saying which ones you should be getting over others, but to help you filter through your options, I’ve researched several of the most popular ones for your consideration. Take a moment to explore — and maybe sign up for — them below:

• Affiliate and Partnerships Industry Fundamentals Certification by PXA (free, 30-minute online course)
• Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP) Certification by the National Association of Sales Professionals ($695, 6-week online course)
• HubSpot Sales Software Certification by HubSpot (free, 2-hour online course)
• Customer Service & Sales Certification by NRF Foundation (course content starts at $65; offers both online, in-person, and hybrid course options)

5. An aspiring sales representative should have a strong understanding of the sales process.

While you wait to hear back about any potential sales roles you’ve applied to, there’s only one thing you should be doing to prepare for an interview: Do all the research on the sales process.

Knowing the ins and outs of the sales funnel, how to prospect, what lead qualification looks like, along with any other sales timeline stuff, will help you feel like you’re in familiar waters once you start your job.

So, if you find yourself in the middle of a free moment (or hour), use the time to read up on industry best practices, consume sales content (The Pipeline newsletter is one of my faves), and, if possible, spend time connecting with experienced reps who can share real-world insights. Preparation can go a long way in making you primed for success.

Sales Representative Skills

Remember that blend of soft and technical skills that I mentioned earlier? Well, if you thought it wasn’t that important for your sales career, you slightly underestimated just how essential they really are.

In this section, I’ll give you a bit more context into what developing these skills will mean for the trajectory of your sales career. I’ve even researched how they’ll separate you from other emerging sales folks. Scope out what I found below:

1. Familiarity with sales methodologies.

As I previously stated, working in sales isn’t solely about having a great personality or being a decent conversationalist. It’s about understanding and applying structured selling techniques.

Familiarity with popular sales methodologies — SPIN Selling, Challenger Sales, Sandler Selling, or Solution Selling — can help you build stronger relationships with prospects and close deals more effectively. The best sales reps don’t rely on guesswork; they follow proven frameworks to guide conversations, handle objections, and tailor their pitches to customer needs.

2. Experience with CRMs.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is the backbone of any modern sales team.

Whether it’s HubSpot’s Sales Hub or some other CRM, knowing how to track leads, manage pipelines, and analyze sales data will transform how you sell. Many employers look for CRM proficiency when hiring, so being comfortable with these tools will make you a more attractive candidate.

3. Adaptability.

What worked last year in the sales industry might not work today. Welcome to the reality of modern selling.

Whether it’s adjusting to changing buyer behaviors, new industry trends, or evolving sales technology, the best sales reps know how to pivot and experiment with new strategies. Being adaptable also means:

• Staying open to feedback
• Learning from both wins and losses
• Continuously refining your approach to match what works best for your target audience

4. Comfort with data analysis.

Gone are the days when sales were purely about gut instinct. Today, successful reps use data to drive their decisions.

Tracking conversion rates, identifying top-performing outreach strategies, analyzing customer behavior … you name it, a sales rep is likely doing it to sell smarter, not harder.

Understanding KPIs like lead-to-close ratio, sales cycle length, and customer acquisition cost (CAC) will allow you to optimize your efforts and improve performance over time.

5. Persuasive communication.

At its core, sales is about influence. Clearly articulating value, handling objections, and building trust with your prospects can (and will) make or break your success.

Persuasive communication isn’t just about talking more. It’s about listening, asking the right questions, and tailoring your message to what truly matters to your prospect.

Sales Representative Salary and Pay

Up to this point, I’ve talked a lot about what you’ve got to bring to the table to become a sales rep. However, it’s finally time to switch gears and give you some insight into what you can expect after landing your dream sales position.

According to Payscale, the average base salary for business development representatives (BDRs) is about $53,000. That said, I already know what you’re thinking: In today’s economy, a $53,000 salary isn’t the most appealing. But before you write off the role entirely, here are a few things you should keep in mind about earning potential in sales:

Source

• Like every other job, what you get paid as a BDR/sales representative is determined by where you live and how much knowledge, skills, and experience you have
• BDRs/sales representatives are likely to receive bonuses and commissions on deals (sometimes, vested bonuses are integrated into BDR/sales rep roles)
• BDR roles are high-growth roles (meaning that there’s tons of potential for folks to get promoted very quickly)

To help you better gauge what the sales representative job landscape currently looks like, have a peek below at the various job listings I found from real-life employers.

There’s a ton to learn from these postings, not just about what you’ll do but how much you’ll get paid for it:

1. Business Development Representative at Adobe

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Adobe posted this Business Development Representative job. The pay range for this position is $70,200 – $112,900. This role emphasizes the following responsibilities and qualifications:

• Collaborating with Adobe’s Marketing teams to improve demand-generation strategies
• Performing prospecting and qualifying activities to hit and exceed performance goals
• Previous experience at an Enterprise SaaS (B2B) business
• Excellent communication skills (specifically written and verbal)
• Experience using a CRM

2. Outbound Business Development Representative at HubSpot

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HubSpot posted this Outbound Business Development Representative job. The base salary for this position is $49,910 (with an on-target commission of $21,090). This role emphasizes the following responsibilities and qualifications:

• Making daily cold calls and emails
• Qualifying outbound-sourced leads based on criteria and scheduling qualified leads for follow-up discovery meetings
• Conducting high-volume outbound prospecting activities through cold calling, email outreach, and social media scouting
• Experience with/willingness to learn HubSpot Sales Hub, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and other sales tools
• Previous successful sales or BDR experience OR have a strong desire to begin a sales career path as a BDR if new to sales

3. Business Development Representative at Impact.com

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Impact.com posted this Business Development Representative job. The base salary for this position is $76,500 (with on-target commission earnings included). This role emphasizes the following responsibilities and qualifications:

• Educating and qualifying prospects about Impact.com’s technology
• Participating in team meetings and networking efforts
• Tracking and managing prospects as they go through the sales process
• Must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Experience in any customer-facing service industry (retail, telesales, etc.)
• Hungry, humble, smart, and passionate about marketing and technology

4. Sales Development Representative at Webflow

Source

This Sales Development Representative job was posted by Webflow. The base salary for this position is $90,300 (with on-target commission earnings included). This role emphasizes the following responsibilities, experience, and qualifications:

• 1+ years of sales experience minimum (ideally in a SaaS company)
• Comfortable learning CRM and other Sales engagement platforms
• Establishing rapport with all levels of buyers, including senior executives
• Working cross-functionally with partners (like Marketing & Ops) to iterate processes and ideas for successful lead-generation campaigns
• Evaluating and improving Webflow’s sales processes with an emphasis on building to-scale

How to Become a Sales Representative

Becoming a sales representative is part seeking out the right roles, part self-investment.

While scouring the internet for your next sales role, you should also plan to do some personal development. If you identify as a budding sales rep, scan through some of my proactive recommendations for getting prepped for industry expectations:

1. Challenge yourself to read (or listen to) some sales books.

Sometimes, returning to the basics means getting the best perspective on what works. Reading books is a super valuable way for ambitious sales professionals to get wisdom from seasoned sales pros without hunting high and low for expert advice.

Many sales books are available on various topics, from developing an entrepreneurial mindset to the psychological and behavioral aspects that affect sales success. Pick what best suits your needs, then read to learn from experienced professionals how to grow your skills and leverage your already-learned ones.

If you’re unsure of what books to buy, here are a few to start with (from my bookshelf to yours):

• To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink
• Fanatical Prospecting by Jeb Blout (this one’s a personal rec from Bri)
• Inbound Selling by Brian Signorelli
• Gap Selling by Keenan
• You Can Negotiate Anything by Herb Cohen
• The Sales Skills Book by Gerald Zankl

2. Get inbound sales certified. Seriously.

I tapped Kyle Jepson, former Senior Professor (and current Principal Marketer) for HubSpot Academy, to get his opinion on how far an inbound sales certification can genuinely take the up-and-coming salesperson. You’ll find his answer rather eye-opening, particularly if you’re looking for ways to grow your sales expertise fast.

“The Inbound Sales Certification is designed specifically for new sales reps. It gives actionable tips and strategies that salespeople can implement on their next call or in their next meeting, regardless of what industry they’re in,” Kyle told me.

Other sales training programs, whether entirely online, on-site, or hybrid, are also worth considering; that way, when you find one that piques your interest, you can best incorporate time for learning into your schedule.

3. Find out if you can take introductory courses near you.

If you’re hoping for a more traditional sales training program, take introductory sales courses at your local university or community college.

Many educational institutions offer business classes in sales development. If you can find a class to take, I guarantee that, along with getting a foundational education in sales, you’ll learn from experienced professionals and can begin expanding your sales network.

4. Build a sales network.

Working in sales is different from virtually any other profession; if you’ve ever been a sales rep before, you already know that you’ll feel the difference before you realize how fast-paced it is.

As you ease into the adjustment of being a sales rep at a new company (even if you’ve done it before), utilize every opportunity to seek out more established sales folks. Why? Well, for two reasons: 1) to understand how their positions work and 2) to get well-informed advice on the skills you should develop to be successful.

This means doing some serious social media scouring. Bri has done this herself as well. “I think it really starts with following people on LinkedIn that you admire. Once I started engaging with sales and marketing leaders on there, LinkedIn recommended other people to connect with,” she said. “The key to building a sales network is to post on LinkedIn frequently, share relevant content, and, [once you’ve built a community], connect the people you meet to others who can help them.”

Additionally, if you’ve already done the work to get your sales certifications or take university courses, talk to your instructors. Ask them if they have specific folks they think would be beneficial to chat with, then simply send them a note on LinkedIn. It doesn’t have to be complicated or scary.

Pro Tip: Want to start seeing salesfolks on your LinkedIn but don’t know where to start? Here’s a list — perfectly curated by moi, of course — of sales professionals posting helpful content on LinkedIn. Feel free to stalk as you see fit:

• Travis Simat (HubSpot)
• Nic Conley (The Follow Up)
• Jordan Benjamin (My Core Os)
• Oliver Johnson (Rep.ai)
• Darren Mckee (Darren Mckee Co., another rec from Bri)

How to Become an Independent Sales Representative

You may want to pursue independent sales once you’ve gained adequate sales experience.

As this section title suggests, an independent sales rep works for a company but is independently in charge of its operations (marketing, customer service, bookkeeping, etc.) and business practices. Independent reps sometimes contract for multiple companies at once. Kinda dope, right?

There are two critical factors for becoming an independent sales rep; they’re as follows:

• Having sales experience, preferably in-house. It’ll be challenging to succeed in the role if you don’t understand how the sales process works, so developing solid selling experience is essential before embarking on a more independent journey.
• Being comfortable working for yourself and able to work for yourself. This means that you don’t struggle if there isn’t anyone standing over your shoulder monitoring your progress because you can monitor your progress and get your work done. It’s important to note that you still have to report back to the business you work for; they’re just not likely to monitor your everyday progress.

Pro Tip: Having in-house sales experience opens doors to new opportunities. It’ll help you develop a network of contacts and relationships that can help you when you start working independently, whether by introducing you to potential clients or giving you credibility within the sales industry.

Still, there’s more to the story. Becoming an independent sales rep isn’t just about having experience — it’s about knowing what you need to handle the responsibilities of working for yourself. All of this said, here’s what it takes to thrive as an independent sales rep:

1. Start with your goals.

If you’re learning to sell, start from the very end and work backward. Knowing your goals and measuring your performance against them (more on that later) is the best way to lay a foundation for success. You can anchor yourself in this reflection process by asking yourself questions like …

• How many customers do you or your company need, and in what time?
• How many leads do you need to close that many customers?
• How many connections do you need to generate that many opportunities?

Once you’re done, multiply your customer goal by the average sale price of your company’s product to get the revenue you should aim for.

Make sure you set personal sales goals as well. You can always tell when a salesperson is in the top 2% of their organization. They command attention, work at their craft, provide a consistent experience, and execute. These behaviors and actions typically precede results.

Aim to be in the top 2 percent of your organization. It won’t happen tomorrow and it won’t be easy, but always strive for the top.

2. Recognize that sales is a process.

Sales is not an art. It is a science and a technology that is changing rapidly, but simultaneously, it has a standard formula that will always be the same. To get customers, you’ll have to establish their needs and interest in your product, address inertia in their business, and determine a timeline to sell.

However, here’s the caveat for your consideration: How your company (and every company, honestly) moves through the sales funnel will be unique. You have to understand that every business has its playbook for a reason.

Before you get on the phone with a prospect, sit down with your managers and get all the information needed to thoroughly understand your company’s process. By doing so, you’ll learn the following (and then some):

• How to position your product
• Strategies for speaking with prospects
• Understanding your key value propositions
• Discovering what your ideal customer looks like

Pro Tip: Pete Caputa, CEO of Databox and former VP of Sales at HubSpot, and Harvard Business School professor and former HubSpot CRO, Mark Roberge, are some of the most successful sales executives (and scientists) I know of. They’re scientists and excel at making the classic sales process scalable. Follow them both on LinkedIn, pay attention to their content, and get as much as possible from engaging with any insights they share.

3. Identify business pains.

You must identify and distinguish your prospects’ business pain points from their run-of-the-mill business problems. If a step of their process is a slight annoyance, who cares?

Pain isn’t getting a cut on your arm. Pain is your leg falling off. Real business pain is discussed daily in the executive office and the boardroom. Someone has probably set aside a budget to solve it. If it’s a critical factor to their business’ success, you’ve discovered a real business pain.

Still, even after addressing their pain points, proposing a solution, and closing a deal, your relationship doesn’t end after the sale — you’re required to live up to your promise. Prepare your prospects for the transition to your product and give them all the help they need, and you’ll have a happy customer on your hands.

4. Measure every step.

Anything worth doing is worth measuring, and anything that can be measured can be improved.

Remember when you set your goals? Be fanatical about measuring your performance against them. At the rate you’re selling today, will you hit your numbers by the end of the month? Are your closing strategies converting prospects to customers? If not, change something up.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to reach your numbers this month. If you measure everything you do, you can solve problems as they arise. And these days, there are boatloads of coaching resources to help you through this.

A simple Google search for an area you’re struggling with will return a massive amount of material that can help you. Your managers will also be happy to help you, especially if you ask for assistance before it’s too late.

5. Sell to the right people.

This principle is at the heart of the inbound sales methodology.

Instead of trying to convince everyone to buy your product, focus on prospects who actually need what you’re selling. When (or if) you become an independent sales representative, your time will be incredibly valuable, so targeting the right audience will ensure that your efforts yield higher conversion rates and long-term customer relationships.

Pro Tip: Here are my suggestions for finding the correct folks to sell to:

• Start by defining your ideal customer profile (ICP). An ICP will help you consider factors like industry, company size, budget, and pain points.
• Leverage lead qualification frameworks. Before investing too much time in a pitch, use frameworks like BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) or GPCT (Goals, Plans, Challenges, Timing) to determine if a prospect is a good fit.

6. Embrace team selling.

When starting in sales, you want to make a name for yourself. Many reps think the fastest way to do this is by blowing away the competition alone. That approach can be isolating, and you miss out on a lot.

For example, if you’re unsuccessfully trying to speak with the CEO of a large company, ask a sales leader if they can get you in the door by leveraging their seniority and making that first call. This collaborative approach doesn’t just help. It strengthens your chances of closing deals.

No matter their experience level, modern reps should embrace team selling; Bri agrees, too.

“Looping in another team member that you think would help you sell because they just closed a big deal, bringing in a [sales specialization partner] … even reaching out to people on Slack is what has constantly built up my knowledge as a sales rep,” she told me.

In light of Bri’s honesty, here’s my advice: Don’t be afraid to utilize your team's expertise to close more deals. It’s not cheating; it’s maximizing your resources. You’ll learn valuable skills and blow your quota out of the water.

8. Shadow your peers.

Along those same lines, you can learn a lot about excelling in sales by listening to the best — your peers and teammates alongside you.

Take some time each week — or each month — to listen to how your teammates conduct successful sales calls. Whether you’re listening live or listening to recordings, you can pick up phrases, rapport-building techniques, and closing strategies that you can personalize your calls.

9. Find a mentor.

Checking in with peers to hone your selling skills and day-to-day workflows is valuable. But pairing with a mentor who can impart wisdom, help you plan and grow your career, and guide you through challenges is likely the most advantageous thing you can do. This person should help you visualize where you see yourself one, five, or even ten years later.

That said, be sure to identify a mentor who:

• Has found measurable success in the career you aspire to be in
• Has accomplished specific achievements or milestones you admire
• Has relevant experience that applies to your career path

Once you’ve identified someone with the experience and availability to be your mentor, don’t be a scaredy cat. Set up monthly or quarterly meetings with them to discuss how you anticipate spending that time so you can walk away with mutual value and new knowledge.

10. Build a personal development plan.

Every salesperson has strengths and weaknesses. As an independent sales rep, you must constantly re-evaluate your strengths and skills. This starts with pinpointing areas of the sales process that you do well, such as building rapport or asking good questions, and keeping tabs on how you refine them.

When you start, you are unconsciously incompetent – you don’t know what you don’t know. Then, over time, you become consciously incompetent – you do know what you don’t know, and you can make a plan to continue learning and filling in skill gaps. From there, finally, you become consciously competent — you have the qualities you need to do the job well.

I suggest assessing your new skills and creating a personal development plan (PDP) to facilitate this process. This can be a simple document that defines the two to three things per month that you want to work on to improve your skills.

You should aim to revisit this document with your manager or mentor regularly to ensure you’re on track with your learning.

11. Start a film club.

Professional athletes watch many films and footage of their performances. Salespeople can benefit from the same approach.

I recommend that new salespeople build a film club to accommodate different learning styles, with a handful of their peers trying to improve their skills. Here’s how a sales film club can work:

• Set aside an hour, and have one person bring a recorded call and a standard evaluation template
• Have the group listen to the call and note what they hear
• Beginning with the person who recorded the call, have participants provide feedback on what worked and what could be improved

This group dynamic helps new salespeople work together to reduce their anxiety and learn to improve their sales skills in a safe environment.

Take a Chance on a Career in Sales

Taking a chance on a career in sales might feel like a big leap, but if you’re willing to put in the effort, it can be one of the most rewarding decisions you’ll ever make. And while it can be demanding, the payoff — both financially and personally — makes it worth the hustle.

Over time, you’ll develop skills that aren’t just valuable in sales. You can take whatever expertise you nurture to other industries, opening doors to leadership roles, entrepreneurship, and beyond.

If you’ve been hesitant about becoming a sales rep, consider this your sign to go for it. Take the first step, invest in your development, and embrace the learning curve. Your next deal might just be selling yourself on a lifetime career.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in May 2015 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.