Work with your counselor or a mentor to find a sales rep in your area and reach out to them for an interview about their job. Prepare several questions that you'd like to know about their job or how they got there.

Interview a sales representative.

Check out this article about 20 qualities that great salespeople share. Write down 2 qualities you want to improve on. For each, brainstorm 2 small ways you can practice this in your day-to-day life.

Build qualities that'll make you a great salesperson.

Get the hang of working in sales or customer service by applying to jobs where you'll interact with people regularly. Make a list of 5 local places where you might like to work and start applying!

Get experience working with people!

Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Sell goods or services door-to-door or on the street.

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Door-To-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Miscellaneous Sales and Related Workers

Sales and Related Occupations

Other Sales and Related Workers

Explain products or services and prices and demonstrate use of products.

Write and record orders for merchandise or enter orders into computers.

Arrange buying parties and solicit sponsorship of such parties to sell merchandise.

Answer questions about product features and benefits.

Distribute product samples or literature that details products or services.

Circulate among potential customers or travel by foot, truck, automobile, or bicycle to deliver or sell merchandise or services.

Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Overview

Career

What Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers Do

Other Job Titles Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Overview

Career

What Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers Do

Other Job Titles Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Related Careers

Related Leaders