[Euphoric Nocturne]

I think marketing and selling are the two most valuable skills anyone can learn in any field. Everything is sales. A job interview is sales. It's convincing someone else that hiring you would be a benefit to your company. Asking for that first date is sales.



Making a living as an artist is sales dependent. I mean someone has to buy your book, painting, jewelry etc. The business of art is sales and most of the time the artists have to do that themselves.

I'd much rather sell something that sells itself. I don't know if this would be a good comparison to a real life sales job but I sold candy for my after-school program in high school, I drove in the most sales and all I had to do is keep it in plain sight and it becomes a magnet, no convincing just take the money (for a good cause) .

[WiscoExplorer]

Yup, I'm working as a sales associate at an outdoor store. What I enjoy most is helping people that want my help, but some people you just can't please, and it's really disappointing when I can't help someone out. I've been working there for about 4 years now to get me through school. I love the people i work with but I can't stand some of my customers. People can really be dumb as hell, and since our biggest competition is right up the road, I hear of them alot. I just feel like telling people to go screw themselves. I'm kinda stuck there too until I find something better (which I havn't) or finish school (which isn't for another 2 years). Lately, I can't stand my job. I'm fed up with having to deal with stupid corporate changes to our department which means months of work for me while I try to help people at the same time. I am also tired of working weekends which I do every other. Can't wait til my vacation in May!! I've been thinking of getting licensure to be a teacher and lately, it's beause I think I could teach well and because of the summer months of vacation! All I want is a M-F job that gives good vacation. Anyway, happy St. Patty's!

[BudaRhythmic]

I tried sales...CutCo knives.... I'm not assertive enough. I keep being told "oh youre such a nice guy and youd make a wonderful salesmen but im not gonna buy it because ...."

fricking hate cutco now....

not the product...but the copmpany... x_x

[kenpo1980]

I really appreciate the responses and I do agree that a great deal of our lives involve selling but I think as an INFP we need to be passionate about what we are selling. As an artist (writer, actor, painter, musician, etc.) there is obviously a deep personal connection because we are the creators of what we are offering. In most sales jobs you are selling a "widget" for someone else and no matter how great it is there is always a disconnect. On top of that you have a number that you are expected to hit regardless of demand with the thought that you could be fired always hanging over your head. And I do agree that this job is helping me to develop thicker skin should I choose to head down an artistic path again but no matter how much I try to pretend it's really not a great place for me to be. This is hopefully a bridge to something that will be a better fit.

[Euphoric Nocturne]

I tried sales...CutCo knives.... I'm not assertive enough. I keep being told "oh youre such a nice guy and youd make a wonderful salesmen but im not gonna buy it because ...."

That was the sales job I was incredibly close to getting. I didn't feel I could bother so many people, I was basically told to go to start by going to the houses of people I know try to sell it to them and to tell them to tell everybody else they know to buy these knives potentially (and I stress that word) giving me more money in the process. The thing is I don't think anybody that would be remotely interested in $500 in cutlery, they're the frugal types.

P.S.

you're such a nice guy and youd make a wonderful salesman but i'm not gonna buy it because...

This would probably sound like me getting rejected by a girl after asking her out.

[Rommel]

I actually just got my first sales job recently. This is mostly because of my own self awareness of how my personality is, so I avoided any kind of hard or soft sales like they were the plague.

I was working in Real Estate Development for a number of years which was great because it allowed me to set my own schedule and it allowed me put all my creative juices to work. Sadly when that market took its nosedive it was time for me to go and find other employ, which led me to a job offer at a bank.

Now I was rather apprehensive about taking a sales job and was concerned as to my ability to follow through, to self start and overcome any number of objections (oh I'm happy with my current bank, I heard your bank does such and such, etc... etc). Not only am I hugely INFP (not even borderline on any of them) but I'm massively ADD.

Back to the subject on hand lol... I've been very surprised by just how successful that I've been in my current position. So much so, that they are talking about promoting me after another quarter.

I will say this though, as an INFP in a sales situation you have to have certain factors working with you. The most important being having great coaching, someone who can listen to your calls and give you advise. It helped me a ton having friends who are very good at sales with this company. I always pick their brains for ideas on how to pitch sometime or how to overcome objections.

Even with my sucess I still struggle to keep myself going, especially on days that my manager isn't in the branch. It feels overwhelming at times to always have to hit a number each and every week. There are days that I will phone it in and only work with the walk in traffic that brings itself to me. Pushing myself always will be my struggle, but from what I've found its about being self aware of your limitations and then creating an environment which you can be sucessful within those limitations.

Tip from one salesman to another... ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS assume the sale when talking to a customer Talk like they've already agreed to it and your just going over some final details... has helped me

[lycanized]

Oh I thought it said INFPs 'for' sale...ok nevermind then...haha

[Renegade]

oh i thought it said infps 'for' sale...ok nevermind then...haha

i'm grinning like a loon at a public place because of this comment. A+!!!

[Rommel]

Typically we can be had for a song

[OrangeAppled]

I think marketing and selling are the two most valuable skills anyone can learn in any field. Everything is sales. A job interview is sales. It's convincing someone else that hiring you would be a benefit to your company. Asking for that first date is sales.

Making a living as an artist is sales dependent. I mean someone has to buy your book, painting, jewelry etc. The business of art is sales and most of the time the artists have to do that themselves.

Another post that smacks of ESTJ....