What’s your dream job? Sports agent? Fashion blogger? Rap mogul? CEO? Whatever those big dreams you’re dreaming, there’s a secret for getting there faster. Get a sales job. Seriously.
Here are just 25 of the careers where a strong sales background will put you a cut above the rest.
1. Advertising executive
Life’s a pitch as an advertising executive. Whether you are previewing a campaign for a client or pitching your product to the world, you are going to need to sell — Like. A. Boss. The quality of your groundbreaking cat food commercial depends on it.
2. Attorney
Think of it as high-stakes selling. As a criminal trial attorney, it’s your job to sell a jury of 12 ordinary people on a person’s guilt or innocence. It’s not for the faint of heart, and it’s not for lawyers who can’t sell.
3. CEO
As the boss, you’ll never stop selling. You’ll sell your products to the public, and your vision of the bad-ass company you built to your employees. It’s no wonder most CEOs have a business and sales background.
4. Contractor
You make dream homes, but first you’ve got to sell prospective buyers on the fairy tale. In a crowded field, the ability to market yourself and your services will set you apart from those other guys who just build houses.5. Fashion blogger
The perfect OOTD, the must-have LBD. On Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and your blog, you’re hawking a lifestyle using pretty pictures and perfectly styled shoots. If you can sell that lifestyle to enough followers, companies will reward you with major, major swag.
6. Guidance counselor
Ever try to convince a 16-year-old to think about his future? GCs might be the best sales people on the planet.7. Financial advisor
It’s a hard sell — asking people to forgo vacations and lattes in favor of investments and savings. But that solid sales background will help you know just the right way to pitch financial peace and security to people whose lives you can change for the better.
8. Headhunter
Selling peeps to other peeps — basically, that’s your job. Sure, it’s selling highly talented, large-salary commanding people to Fortune 500 companies, but at its heart it’s just one big negotiation.9. Insurance agent
People need life and home and auto insurance. Your title may say “agent,” but your job is to sell it to them.10. Investment banker
You’ll have the flyest suits and a dope apartment, and a job raising capital for companies and institutions that need it. That’s one big sales job, bro.
11. Land developer
You’ll need to work with land owners (in many cases farmers and ranchers) and city planning and zoning commissions to buy available land and have it zoned correctly. Even a little sales training will go a long way in delicate and often complex negotiations.12. Lobbyist
Whatever the business or cause, as a lobbyist you are working to persuade legislators to help it. Only the best of the best sales leaders need apply.
13. News anchor
Fires, rising crime rates, snooze-worthy city council elections. No matter what the news is, it’s your job to sell viewers on why they should care.14. Nutritionist
It’s another hard sell — asking people to give up Diet Coke and donuts in favor of granola and greens — but that vision you paint of a happier, healthy life will help your clients buy in. Sell it, baby!
15. Model
You’ll also need symmetrical features and possibly a killer set of abs, but what is professional modeling if not selling merchandize in a very personal way?16. Orthodontist
Voted the number-one best job in the country by U.S. News & World Report, orthodontia has a high income and rosy outlook for the future. But in order to score the big bucks, you’ll have to market your services and distinguish yourself in a field crowded with other talented specialists.
17. Physical therapist
Physical therapists dish out pain. Lots of it. You’ll need your very best persuasive techniques to get patients to commit to the rehabilitation they so desperately need.18. Physicist
No sales skills needed here — you’ll just hide in a laboratory and think about relativity theory and quantum mechanics. Oh, wait, until you need someone to fund your research. Then you’re going to need the power of persuasion in a major way.19. Plastic surgeon
You’ve got the brain of an Einstein and the artistic of talent of a Michelangelo. But you’re hawking ELECTIVE surgery. No one’s going to trust their body to your scalpel unless you can convince them that you are one freaking talented genius.
20. Publicist
You’re oh-so-glamorous job is all about promotion. You’re selling your company to the media, and, through them, the world. In this job, sales skillz (with a capital Z) are an absolute must.20. Rap superstar
Sure, you just want to hang out in your PJs and craft, but to sell your music you’ve got to sell THE LIFE. No Snuggies and potholder looms for you. Get out there and party like you mean it.21. Realtor
Another “agent” job that is actually selling. You’ll need your best sales skills to help people find their dream home — or unload it.
22. Stockbroker
For this job, you’ll need a strong background in both sales and finance. Stockbrokers buy and sell stocks and other securities, either for individuals or institutions. More importantly, they keep the American economy running by helping companies receive the capital they need to do business.23. Sports agent
Um, could there be an awesome-er job? Pretty much no. It’s your job to persuade, hawk, pitch and sell the Ezekiel Ansahs and Cam Newtons of the world to professional sports teams. And scoring them a contract with Under Armour or Wheaties? That’s legit.
24. Tax accountant
Sure, you’re job is all about data collection and tax strategies. But thanks to competition from tax software, you’ll need to convince the world why your services are better than a machine’s.25. Web developer
The Interweb is all about commerce. Programmers who can put persuasive copy around their airtight UX designs rule the world. …well, maybe not the world. But they DO get paid more.
