Managing Your Career

CHAPTER 18 MANAGING YOUR CAREER

Outline of Chapter I. Opportunities in Selling II. Making a Good Match A. Understanding Yourself 1. Understanding Your Needs 2. Understanding What You Have to Offer 3. When to Ask These Questions B. Understanding the Company 1. What the Company Has to Offer 2. What the Company Needs III. The Recruiting Process A. Selecting Salespeople 1. Applicant Information Sources B. Selling Your Capabilities 1. Preparing the Resume a. Conventional Resumes b. Functional Resumes c. The Career Objective 2. Gaining the Interview a. Using Personal Contacts b. Using Employment Postings c. Responding to Postings 3. Writing the Cover Letter 4. The Interview a. Preparing for the Interview 5. During the Interview a. The Approach b. Needs Identification c. Presentation d. Gaining Commitment 6. Special Types of Interviews 7. Follow-up 8. Interviewing Never Ends

Selling: Building Partnerships, 5/e28 IV. Managing Your Career Goals A. Making the Transition From College to Career B. You Manage Your Career 1. Dual Career Path 2. Learn Your Current Job 3. Learn the Job You Want Next C. Developing Your Skills 1. Sources of Improvement D. Managing Stress 1. Situational Stress 2. Felt Stress

29 Selling: Building Partnerships, 5/e Teaching Suggestions 1. Students need to shop for jobs (although the interview isn’t the best time for that), which means looking at a lot of different opportunities, trying them on, and seeing if they fit. One method we have found to be useful in introducing students to various types of sales positions is to invite several salespeople to speak on their typical day. We try to have one from consumer package goods, one who sells directly to consumers, an industrial or medical equipment rep, and a pharmaceutical rep. You can have two per 50 minute class period, but any more than that and their message is cut too much. Ask the speakers to: a)describe a typical day b)what they like about their job c)what they dislike about it d)how they got the job e)what it takes to be successful in that job You may also find the “Day In The Life” video segments to be helpful , or ask your McGraw-Hill rep for FREE copies of the latest edition of Careers in Professional Selling, a magazine put out every semester by Baylor’s Center for Professional Selling. This magazine includes stories on recent college graduates and their first job in selling to help students see what is needed to be successful in those fields. Other topics are also covered, such as how to interview. (If you would like to see one of your students profiled, or if you would like to write an article for the magazine, email Jeff at [email protected] - we always need help with this!) 2. Students in search of a career are a paradox. Either they put too much pressure on themselves to find the perfect job the first time out or they are so laid back that they don’t begin looking for a career until it is too late. And some put so much pressure on themselves that they are unable to look. Students should consider the following: According to a recruiter, his company interviews at 5 campuses, 2 to 3 days at each campus, interviewing 14 people each day. That’s anywhere from 140 to 210 people, not including people who interview for sales positions who are currently employed by the company in another capacity or who are out of school and looking to change employers. The usual number of positions available each year used to be 8. Now it is fewer, perhaps 5. If a student really wants that job, he or she will have to be exceptional. The competition for jobs isn’t just the other 13 signed up for that day, but students and others from all across the region. At the same time, though, students are still looking for a job, not a career. The first position launches the career, it isn’t the career. And if it is a mistake, so what. It is the person who stays in a mistake who suffers, not the person who recognizes the mistake, quits, and moves on. Use Exhibit 18-2 (also Slide 18-2) to illustrate this point, as it describes a good match between the individual and the organization. 3. The Sales Professional’s Survival Guide (by Gene Garofalo and Gary Drummond, Prentice Hall 1987) provides a great list of advantages and disadvantages of working for large or for small companies. You may want to ask the students to come up with a list first, then compare it to the one from that book. And you could use Case 18-2 to launch this discussion.

Large Companies (Slide 18-3):

Instructor’s Manual 30 Advantages: Disadvantages:

Training Red Tape Support Limits on income Co. name recognition Regimentation Fringe benefits You’re just another number Financial stability Slow reaction time Specific career paths Higher prices Small Companies (Slide 18-4): Advantages Disadvantages: Better chance to make big $ Limited resources Less red tape Little training Immediate recognition of your Unclear career paths performance Easier access to top management Tougher competitive situation Faster reaction time to market changes Unstable financial situation 4. Ask students how the interview differs from a sales call. Keeping in mind the statistics in suggestion #2, what is the probability that using some sales techniques would hurt? What else from this course can they apply to their job search? Should they ask for a sale? If so, what is the sale they should ask for? 5. Questions 2 and 4 from the end of the chapter are good discussion starters. A sales manager once told us to keep an I Love You file, a file for thank you notes for a job well done, memos of appreciation, etc. These letters and notes can be used as proof sources during an interview when presenting one’s leadership, management, or other ability or experience. In addition, students should keep term projects that they are proud of. We have had recruiters ask for copies of our students’ role play video tapes and we have also seen students take in projects that they were proudest of and use these to demonstrate their creative talents. Slide 18-5 asks students to discuss what they should take into an interview. 6. Question 3 is a good starter for integrating material concerning personality styles with interviewing. Assign this question ahead of time so that their responses will be thought out. 7. Ask students who have gone through job interviews to list some of the unusual questions they have gotten and questions that they have gotten repeatedly. Compare this list with the one in Exhibit 18-3 (also Slide 18-6). Then put up Slide 18-11 (Exhibit 18-4), which illustrates legal and illegal questions. Ask your students how they would respond to these questions. Slides 18-8 and 18-9 list traditional questions that students will hear. 8. Learning corporate culture is important to early success in a career. You may want to read the Thinking it Through from the chapter that asks how students learned the school’s culture and how they can apply that learning process to their first job. You can also suggest that students buy stock in their company as soon as they can so that they can receive annual and quarterly reports. These reports often say alot about a company’s mission, values, and culture that may not be otherwise apparent. In addition, the reports will keep the new employees informed about the status and health of their company. 9. One speaker at a conference said that stress was an excuse when someone says he or she is stressed, they are using it as an excuse to do something they wouldn’t otherwise do. For example, stress is used as an excuse to lose one’s temper, to take a day off, to ignore activities that need to be done, and similar tactics. That doesn’t mean that people don’t

31 Selling: Building Partnerships, 5/e really get stressed, the issue is whether they are dealing with the symptoms of stress or the cause of stress? Ask students how they handle the stress of final exams. Then ask which strategies reduce the feelings of stress and which strategies reduce the cause of stress. Then ask what causes stress in a sales job. Can all stress be eliminated? Of course, the answer is no. So the question then becomes of identifying stressors, eliminating when possible, and to develop healthy strategies for managing the stress that can’t be eliminated. This is another good time to bring up role stress. Remember the discussion from the last chapter about who a salesperson represents (see teaching suggestion #1)? You may want to link that discussion into one on role stress and how to manage stress. This is also a good time to re-emphasize the importance of internal partnering.

Instructor’s Manual 32 Suggested Answers to Questions and Problems 1. You are interviewing for your dream job. Suddenly the interviewer notices your wedding ring and compliments you on it. But then he says, “You know, this job requires a lot of travel. What is your spouse going to say to that?” You answer the question, and he replies, “That’s great, now, when you don’t have any kids. You don t have kids, do you? Because it is tough to be successful if you don’t get the travel done.” What do you do? The interviewer has just asked a series of illegal questions. While his intentions are probably honorable and he may be genuinely concerned about your ability to balance family life and travel, he should not have asked the question. You can try deflecting it by asking questions about how much travel is involved, where the travel is, and that sort of thing. Or you can say something like, “Look, I realize the issue of family balance and performance is critical; however, this is an inappropriate line of questioning and I would prefer not to discuss it, except to say that I can and will do the travel necessary to get the job done at the rate you have described.” Sorry, but the chances are that this isn’t going to work out no matter what you do at this point, especially if you do have kids and while you pursue it with the EEOC, you probably need to consider how important it is to work for a company that does such a poor job of preparing its managers for interviewing. 2. Some people recommend signing up for as many interviews as possible. They reason that the experience will be helpful when you find a company with a job you really want. And who knows? You might find a job you like. Is this ethical? Why or why not? Many people will say this is ethical. Others will say the practice is unethical, that students have a responsibility to find out enough beforehand to know if they have some interest in the job. That is not to say that students should only interview for one position, the one they want the most. But there should be some indication that the job is a possible fit. Are companies ethical when they come to campus and interview although a job is not available, just so they maintain a presence on campus? Many in industry would also agree that this is an ethical practice. However, it is very discouraging to students and can backlash. When the company needs people, students who would have been interested may not sign up because of the company’s reputation for interviewing without positions. 3. What would you do differently if being interviewed by an amiable, a driver, an analytical, or an expressive? Students should plan for different personality styles by mentally role playing what they would do if faced with different personality styles. An analytical will want support material, an amiable may be more interested in references, and an expressive may be interested in your I Love You file. The driver, however, will appreciate responses and questions that are quick and to the point, illustrating a desire to move to the key points quickly. What about a panel interview with one driver and one amiable? One analytical and one expressive? When faced with panel interviews consisting of interviewers with differing social styles, the more assertive individuals will probably take the lead. The student should be cautioned about ignoring the less assertive interviewer and should make efforts to bring the others into the conversation. In addition, the student should make efforts to observe the other interviewer’s reactions to the interview. 4. Is a resume the only document you should take into an interview? What other things might be helpful in documenting your capabilities?

33 Selling: Building Partnerships, 5/e Resumes are good fact sheets for reporting past experiences but provide little in the way of real proof. Award certificates, thank you notes and memos, term projects, recommendation letters, and other such documents would be useful proof sources. We had one student who did home repairs while in school bring a photo album of before/after pictures that he used when selling his services. 5. Analyze yourself. List your strengths and weaknesses. What type of sales would best suit you? Why? While anyone could find a place somewhere in sales, each student’s answer should vary depending on interests and skills. Some students feel that they are not assertive enough for sales yet, some sales positions involving repeat sales may be very appropriate for them. Others feel that that they are not responsive enough. Sales situations with high rates of rejection may suit them. What type of sales position would you like? Are you qualified for the job? If not, what do you need and how would you go about getting it? Many students may say that a college degree is the only thing standing in their way. If so, they either have an unrealistic view of the situation or they are not thinking very far beyond that first position. Even so, they should consider the need for any specialized knowledge (medical, for example, in the pharmaceutical field), experience in sales-type activities, and any other special qualifications (pilot’s license to sell airplanes, for example). How would you express your career objective on one sentence? If you are thinking of two or more industries, re-write the career objective as you would for a resume to be sent to recruiters in each industry. There is a great deal of debate over the effectiveness of “career objectives. “ Candidates have been rejected because they expressed their objective in terms of where they wanted to finish their career interviewers couldn’t see the relationship with the entry level position supposedly being applied for. Career objective may be a misnomer—a better statement may be “Desired Position. “ Of course, each response will depend on the students’ individual career desires. 6. The chapter suggests joining a trade or professional association now. How can the organization help you determine whether you are pursuing the right position? The association should provide training and educational programs for that position. Students who can access such training opportunities can learn more about the position and determine if it fits them. Also, they will interact with many people who hold the position they desire. Interacting with these people, probing to determine what makes them successful, what they like and dislike about the job and career, and what the growth opportunities are can also help them determine if the fit is there. How could you network through the association? By going to meetings, and by joining committees that work on projects. Volunteering time to the organization is a great way to network. 7. Answer the questions in Exhibit 18-6. The answers will depend on the student. 8. Your summer internship in a sales job was a very bad experience. Your biggest complaint was that the sales manager put too much pressure on you and wanted you to hardsell. In spite of this negative experience, you like sales, so you are interviewing for a sales position. What would you say if asked why you do not seek full-time employment with the summer internship firm?

Instructor’s Manual 34 You could be totally honest, saying that you were asked to hardsell and that is not right for you. This answer would be appreciated by someone looking for a non-manipulative salesperson. Or you could say simply that nothing worked out. But there is the possibility that an interviewer might think you were covering something up. Therefore, start by saying, “Although my sales performance was quite good, as you can see from these check stubs that document my commission (or reports that document my sales), they asked me to sell in a way that was not right for me. Therefore, I’m looking for a company that I can feel comfortable working for. “ 9. The chapter discusses finding successful salespeople and learning from them. Another important career tactic is to find a mentor. How would you find or select a mentor? What characteristics would you want to see in a mentor? In many ways, a protégé does not find a mentor, rather a mentor finds a protégé. But it is reasonable to look for older and successful members of the organization with whom you share some mutual interest and can develop a friendship. This can then lead to a mentor/protégé relationship. In class discussion, you may want to discuss other characteristics in choosing a mentor, such as the mentor's place in the power structure of the organization. In class discussion, it is important to note that some companies have formal mentoring programs, particularly for under-represented groups (such as women). These programs are important in getting careers started. 10. How does partnering reduce stress? Could multiple partnerships lead to role conflict? What should the salesperson do then? Partnering should reduce stress by improving role clarity and by building a supporting relationship that can strengthen an individual’s resilience to stress. Multiple partnerships could lead to role conflict when partners demand conflicting responses. But because they are partners, open and honest communication can go along way to reduce the conflict. Compromises can then be reached to reduce or eliminate the conflict. 11. What stress do you have now? How do you deal with stress? What healthy ways to handle stress do you use? What are some ways you respond to stress that may not be so healthy? Obviously, students' answers will vary greatly. Stressors they are likely to have will be listed in terms of direct causes. The challenge in class or when grading is to consider what form of stressors they face. For example, is it situational stress or role stress? In terms of dealing with stress, students will put exercise, partying, shopping, and other such activities.

35 Selling: Building Partnerships, 5/e Suggested Answers to Case Problems

Case 18-1: Becky Ground’s Interview 1. What did Becky do right? Why was that right? 1. She let her interest be known in a subtle way by bringing up her visit to the physician at the sports medicine center. 2. She used her life story to present reasons why Jennifer should hire her. 3. She tolerated the silence associated with Jennifer’s writing of her answers. What did she do wrong? Why was that wrong? She should have kept notes during the interview. This can illustrate how important the interview is to the candidate. Some students (a few) might think that the research story was not a good one as they didn’t get an A. But it wasn’t the grade that mattered, it was what she was communicating, her ability to get people to work together, that was important. That was the difference between what would have been received gradewise and that B+. 2. What was Matt’s purpose at the interview? What do you think Matt could tell Jennifer about Becky? Matt was a greeter. His purposes were to set Becky at ease and to also find out anything that might be helpful to Jennifer in making a decision about Becky. Matt could tell Jennifer that Becky is interested enough in working in pharmaceuticals to have researched HealthSouth thoroughly. Matt could also tell Jennifer that if HealthSouth doesn’t hire Becky, she will probably find a competitor to work with. Matt could also observe Becky’s enthusiasm after all, she was fifteen minutes early. 3. HealthSouth is a publicly traded company. What sources of information could Becky use to learn about the company? What information should she expect to get from those sources? The point is that the student could get copies of annual reports and 10Ks in order to assess the financial health and stability of the company. Additionally, annual reports usually include comments from the CEO about the direction of the company and which areas performed well. She could also use what she learns about HealthSouth to further explore the industry and become more generally knowledgeable.

Instructor’s Manual 36 Case 18-2: Help Wanted 1. What characteristics do you have that might work well in these positions? What characteristics do you think are necessary to be successful in these jobs and why? Answers will depend on each student. But the first position will require repeat sales to a limited number of accounts. Therefore, good partnerships building skills are necessary. Technical aptitude may help in solving some packaging problems but isn’t necessary. The second position will require computer or telecommunications knowledge, flexibility (6 months training in New York), and an ability to withstand a lot of rejection but keep on going. Selling network systems to small business is not a long-term relationships sale, so ability to work with new accounts and develop many prospects would be required. 2. Tausha Aldridge from Crummer called and wants to interview you tomorrow. You never heard of the company until you saw the ad. How will you learn more about it? The first step would be to call several commercial printers and get their perspective. Calling only one will limit what can be learned so you need to call several. Also, you could do a Web search to see if the stock is listed on a major exchange. If so, you could get the financial status of the company and any other special news. You don’t want to work for a company about to go out of business. And finally, there is the library, with D&B, S&P, Moody’s, and many other sources of information. 3. It turns out that Crummer is a division of a U. S. based Fortune 500 company, while Wedo is a distributor for several Japanese manufacturers. Crummer employs 535 salespeople while Wedo employs 47. What are the advantages and disadvantages of working for Crummer? For Wedo? A large company probably has better training and better benefits. Larger companies also have more support for their salespeople, such as product information, service help, and so forth. Wedo may have difficulties in that area, depending on companies halfway around the world. Crummer may have greater name recognition, but then, you could use the Japanese company names if they have great recognition. Large companies have specific career paths with many opportunities for personal growth. Small companies may not have any opportunities for personal growth. But large companies also come with bureaucracies and red tape. Individuals are not well recognized nor well tolerated the company wants it done a certain way. Large companies also have to pay for those bureaucrats, which means higher prices. Small companies often pay better. They don’t pay for support or training but they make it up in salesperson compensation. You have easier access to top management, which could mean faster response time to changing market conditions, better customer service, and better recognition of your efforts.

37 Selling: Building Partnerships, 5/e EXERCISE 18-1 WRITING A CLASSIFIED AD Locate a classified ad for a job that you would like but requires 5 years of experience. You may want to use the classified section of the Wall Street Journal if your local paper does not have any, or search Monster.com or any other job site. Call or e-mail the interviewer. Find out specifically what type of experience is desired, what companies should you contact to begin your career with, and anything else you should do to prepare for that position. Write up your findings and attach a copy of the ad.

Instructor’s Manual 38 EXERCISE 18-2 LOCATING INFORMATION Choose three industries that you are interested in pursuing a career. These industries should be something like consumer packaged goods, power tools, pharmaceuticals, etc. , rather than something like sales, advertising, or marketing. Next, visit the library and locate three sources in general business publications plus two government sources that you can use to forecast employment opportunities. This exercise will require some thought on your part as to what information could be used to forecast employment and what sources are available. In your paper, compare and contrast the opportunities in each industry.

39 Selling: Building Partnerships, 5/e EXERCISE 18-3 MOCK INTERVIEWS This role play requires some preparation. Write a brief job description of the entry-level sales position that you desire. Be sure to list the duties, responsibilities, and activities required by that position. You must also prepare a resume.

Gather in a group of three and swap job descriptions. Each person must then take the given job description and prepare for an interview as if they were the sales manager who needed to hire a new salesperson. Prepare a list of questions designed to identify characteristics that would predict success in the job. You may want to refer to the textbook (see Exhibits 18-6 & 18-7) for assistance.

Then conduct a mock interview. The person who prepared the questions is the sales manager and does the interviewing. The person who prepared the job description is the candidate for the position. The third person observes. As an observer, use the form below for your evaluation.

Opener: Did the person use an attention-getter related to the position? Was the candidate enthusiastic?

Answering questions: Did the candidate provide answers that made sense, answering the question in a way that related personal skills and experiences to the needs of the sales manager? Check non-verbals if they indicate confidence? Were responses rambling or to the point?

Asking questions: Did the candidate ask questions that indicated a sincere desire to learn more about the company, the position, and the interviewer? Did the candidate practice active listening?

Closing: Did the candidate attempt to gain commitment? Did the candidate confirm the next step of the hiring process?

Overall evaluation: General impression

Fit between skills, experiences, needs and company’s offer and needs.

Instructor’s Manual 40