My chance entry into a Sales career.

My story is quite long and eventful. But a few lessons may be drawn herein.

Jamb had dealt with me several times. I was always a few marks short of the required cut-off marks for my desired course of study which was Law.
In those days the cut-off mark for the professional disciplines in the first generation universities usually hovered around 230 -250.

After my fourth unsuccessful attempt I decided to take any course available then. I was ‘lucky’ to get Adult and Continuous Education. Laughable as it were I accepted the admission and combined it with Political Science.

I graduated with a Second Class upper degree and then hit the labour market.
One can only imagine the disappointments I had to experience in the course of looking for a job. Some people made fun of my degree and wondered if it was actually awarded by a university. A particular lady on the panel in one of the interviews I attended actually laughed loud when I was asked and I mentioned my course of study.

One year running and I had yet to clinch a job. I really wanted a corporate job....naturally.

My mind did not even flow in the direction of government or teaching as I had both parents as Civil servants and I had declared that I would work in the Civil service no matter how attractive.

After two years of running, nothing happened and just when I was about to give up totally I ran into a personality that changed my life totally. It was Christmas of 2014.

My church was having a youth programme to raise funds for an orphanage. Monies came from different people but we had a whopping 100,000 donation from one young guy whom we had seen as a ‘nobody’ apparently because most of the noisy ones were identified with one blue chip company or another. This guy was simple, quiet and unassuming. He donated his 100k and left quietly. I had to run and meet him to ask what he did for a living. He said he was a Sales Representative with a Detergent Production company located around Mile 2, Lagos. The company if I remember well went by the name European Soaps Limited.

The most intriguing thing is that he revealed that he studied primary and pre-primary education for his first degree. Yet in just two years post NYSC he was doing quite well. He later left European Soaps and became a Sales Executive with one of the bigger breweries in Nigeria. Today, he is a very successful businessman who operates on his own as a Major Distributor for many companies.

The modest success I have attained today is attributable to this guy.

He took me by the hand and guided me through the very interesting area of Sales. In his thinking, you need to exhume your deep seated ability in communication and also develop your confidence as much as possible. This is easily developed if you take on a Sales job. I had never imagined myself as a Sales person but this man was able to show me that I had all it takes;

my communication but written and oral was above par,

I could be considered smart,

I had excellent driving skills

and most importantly I had enthusiasm.

With this guy turning my focus in a new direction, I started applying for Sales jobs scouring all available media.

Within three weeks I had attended over 7 interviews and in February 2015, I resumed work as a Trainee Sales representative with a Cosmetics company.

In 5 years I have worked in several sectors and was guided by my mentor to set up a sales business on the side. I have sold all manners of things and still sell a lot of stuff on the side. Eggs, Snacks, Dried Fish, Crayfish, Palm Oil, Bread among others.

I must say that while all these commodities appear laughable it would surprise you to know that these are well paying activities. The bread distribution business is one of the most profitable ventures you can delve into. The rewards are simply phenomenal. The return on investment is a minimum of 10% and yet this comes every 24 hours. This translates to over 100% return on investment within a one month period. Little wonder you see even pretty damsels driving near exotic cars filled with bread and roving the streets.

Just last year December, I resigned/retired to expand and consolidate my Sales business.

The whole idea behind this write-up is to inspire young graduates to take on Sales jobs which incidentally are always available.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be stuck there all your life but believe me you would have learnt a thing or two while practicing this very old art.

Rather than stay idle, identify a company that makes or imports very fast moving goods and convince them to hire you.
Apply yourself diligently and keep your eyes on the goal. Unbeknownst to you, your abilities will begin to unfold and your confidence levels will increase sporadically. Sooner than later you will discover that Sales and Marketing may not necessarily be as difficult as we have made to believe.

May I finally state and clearly so that the inspiration for this thread was drawn from another post on this forum .

https://www.nairaland.com/6334643/experience-after-working-five-years

Nairaland is a great resource base for both good and bad with the good having an upper hand.

I am indeed happy to have found this forum.

You are very correct, I have people around me that works in the sales department of different organizations, and they are doing very well.

Well said at the OP. I would rather do whatever makes me happy than venturing into stuffs because money is there. Whatever makes u happy will surely bring money one day. See enhh, I have worked as a sales person before in a financial institution with just 40k. I will call customers with average of N200 per day and transport myself with N600. I only took up that job just because time was going. Thank God I was able to retract my path..... I'm now working as an analyst. Ieft that banking job after 4 month with nothing to show for it. Now, I can work from the comfort of my home without hassle. Thank you for sharing OP. Go for what makes you happy

Op, thanks for your inspirational piece. It'll help encourage those in the labour hunt a great deal. Meanwhile, your first and fifth paragraphs were hilarious.

Thank you op for this beautiful piece, I'm currently looking for a job and I'lld really love to try out sales and marketing, Do you mind guiding me through?

OP is esut your alma mater?

Nwanieke:
OP is esut your alma mater?

No its isn't.

joyousever:
Op, thanks for your inspirational piece. It'll help encourage those in the labour hunt a great deal. Meanwhile, your first and fifth paragraphs were hilarious.

Thanks!


I am encouraged.

fruitfulvine360:
Thank you op for this beautiful piece, I'm currently looking for a job and I'lld really love to try out sales and marketing, Do you mind guiding me through?

By all means please start out immediately.

And..........yes of course I would be honoured to use my experience in providing you some guidance.

But that can only be done remotely. I must however add that my advice will be limited to providing encouragement and indicating products that you can choose to buy and sell.

Since you have asked, please understand that the first thing you must do is to start out. That is the most difficult part. Start out and commence the making of mistakes, drawing the necessary lessons from them and dealing with the frustrations of rejection and slow earnings.

Start out small with an 'everyday product' and ensure that your investment is as minimal as possible.

20k (or less) would be a good benchmark for a beginner.