from Name and address withheld
Sir; I have noticed recent readers’ letters that you have received from people who are aged over 40 saying finding employment in sales was difficult because of their age.
But employers and recruitment agencies don’t just set age limits for people who are applying for jobs in the sales arena. They also set the standards for the level of education, which in a lot of cases is nothing less than a graduate.
Years of quality sales experience with large international companies, account management, people skills and a good O/A level education from people in their 30s in fact count for not very much these days.
Almost every ad for a sales position asks for a graduate. But a graduate in what exactly?
This obsession with graduate sales people has in part been fuelled by the ubiquitous recruitment agencies that place advertisements.
I am employed as a territory manager in a successful international company.
When I joined the company in December 1999, the UK sales manager told me that various recruitment consultancies had offered to undertake the selection process for him.
They promised him a highly educated person, however he preferred to carry out the process himself.
He told me that he had nothing against graduates - we have them in our marketing department - but they don’t necessarily have the makings of good sales people.
A well-educated man, he had no axe to grind, but was merely pointing out something that no one else would probably have the courage to say.
There are some large successful companies out there that will employ non-graduates in sales, but unfortunately they are in the minority.
I’m not a graduate myself but I am a successful salesperson. In 2002 I was the top sales person in my company for the country and in 2003 I came third in the country.
I really think that companies and recruitment consultancies should take note of the lesson here. There’s far more to being successful in sales and managing a large territory than simply being a 23-year-old graduate!
Sir; I have noticed recent readers’ letters that you have received from people who are aged over 40 saying finding employment in sales was difficult because of their age.
But employers and recruitment agencies don’t just set age limits for people who are applying for jobs in the sales arena. They also set the standards for the level of education, which in a lot of cases is nothing less than a graduate.
Years of quality sales experience with large international companies, account management, people skills and a good O/A level education from people in their 30s in fact count for not very much these days.
Almost every ad for a sales position asks for a graduate. But a graduate in what exactly?
This obsession with graduate sales people has in part been fuelled by the ubiquitous recruitment agencies that place advertisements.
I am employed as a territory manager in a successful international company.
When I joined the company in December 1999, the UK sales manager told me that various recruitment consultancies had offered to undertake the selection process for him.
They promised him a highly educated person, however he preferred to carry out the process himself.
He told me that he had nothing against graduates - we have them in our marketing department - but they don’t necessarily have the makings of good sales people.
A well-educated man, he had no axe to grind, but was merely pointing out something that no one else would probably have the courage to say.
There are some large successful companies out there that will employ non-graduates in sales, but unfortunately they are in the minority.
I’m not a graduate myself but I am a successful salesperson. In 2002 I was the top sales person in my company for the country and in 2003 I came third in the country.
I really think that companies and recruitment consultancies should take note of the lesson here. There’s far more to being successful in sales and managing a large territory than simply being a 23-year-old graduate!
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