This blog started with many premises, one that undergraduate curriculums are late to prepare their students for an eventual career in the sales profession. The outlook is much brighter now in 2014. Historically, those of us in sales probably just “fell into it” and survived the “in-the-field-boot camp” as an entry-level participant only to realize our dreams later than we expected. Else, many, many others fell by the wayside…….and we characterized such failure as “chalk it up to not meant for selling”. We all know the “churn” in sales positions……..what a waste of aspiring human talent!
Here is some
research that shows much change in just a few short years. Our undergraduate and post-graduate
curriculums are responding to the demand and look to train and educate aspiring
sales professionals with more fervor than ever before:
According to BusinessWeek and reference to studies from DePaul University (see below):
· Now, at least 15 universities offer an MBA with a Sales Concentration.
· http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-08-13/sales-hits-the-big-time-at-b-schools
Statistics from 2013/14 are still under research and consideration,
but rest assured, more good news is coming.
From my own personal experience, I am teaching in a newly-founded program
delivered from a well-known university that offers a major in the Sales
discipline. It was not mentioned in this
study because the program is brand new since this piece was written.
Action items
for those invested in this profession to consider:
o
Canvass universities and colleges that offer
curriculum in selling
o
Participate, sponsor and recruit in national
sales contest career fairs such as The
National Collegiate Sales Competition http://www.ncsc-ksu.org/
2.
Sales
“Wannabees”: If you want to be a
Sales Pro, do you have the education and training? Any firm looking at the “cost of hire” is
extremely diligent in hiring and that makes your placement goals
considerable. Take the “load” off the
hiring manager and show him/her that you’ve already been educated and trained
in the basics of Sales. As such, you
will ramp alongside his/her own program much faster, generating more revenue
faster for your new employer……
3.
Hiring
Manager/HR Professional: Do NOT
discount the worth of an entry-level hire from the college ranks when looking
for “experience”! So much in our
profession is placed on work experience…..I’ve hired many with “years of
experience” with accompanying mediocre performance against those with “no
experience”, but with strong undergraduate experience and saw super-charged
performance delivered in the short term and beyond.
