Career Advice, Career Counselling, Career Development, Career Education, Career Guide & Career Planning
Brett - Business Development Manager / AE Smith
What did you do before you started your sales career?
Service Co-ordinator, Junior Management
What was your first sales job and how did you land it?
Accounts Development Manager within HVAC industry. Basically the business (not AE Smith ) I was working for suffered substantial maintenance contract losses in a short time frame, I was approached by the service manager to engage the selling role as we needed to regain market share, I decided to have a go and have never contemplated looking back since. Basically I got the job because I was there, available and had the personality to do good work with the role.
Explain what you like about your current sales position.
I enjoy meeting new people; there are some great personalities in our industry. I also enjoy the freedom of the role, not constantly stuck in only one place, not chained to a desk or phone. Reporting to a General Manager and being identified as a senior management member.
Tell us what you don’t like about sales jobs.
… Competition but then I'm greedy, I want everything!
What are some common sales myths in the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning industry?
… That you need to be trade qualified. Most of the tradespeople I know are introverted and would not seek ever to undertake a selling role. Remember that like any good or service sold its all about people usually the client more than you.
What career advice would you give a graduate or person thinking of a career change so they could find sales vacancies in your industry?
… I would advise that the larger the employer the better equipped they will be to assist you with your industry specific sales training. While HVAC falls under the metal trades act and is an industry of trades and technical people the lingo is easy to pick up and selling alike many other industries is a combination of what the company you represent offers and your personal life experiences.
Sales in HVAC is extremely difficult to get into as there are so few available positions, keep an eye out on myCareer …