Careers and Jobs: So You Wanna Be a Car Salesman?

So you want to be a car salesman? Like the automotive industry and want to sell some vehicles? Here are some things for you think about before you make a career move.

Pro: You're around a lot of people
If you're a social butterfly then a career in automotive sales might be for you. As a car salesmen you are constantly meeting new people everyday. These are folks from all walks of life and all sorts of personalities. You will be sure to get lots of social interaction and you must be a good communicator.

Con: You have to deal with all sorts of people
Sometimes you'll have to deal with people who disgust you or you find to be appalling and despicable. But that's your job. You sell cars to people regardless of whether you like them or not. You'll encounter mean, rude and cruel personalities and you'll have to be nice or at least polite and respectful no matter what they say. If you easily lose your temper this is not a good choice for you.

Pro: Your earning potential is high
As a salesman you'll likely be on commission so the more you can sell the more you'll make. It's up to you. The more you work and the harder you work the bigger your paycheck can potentially be. Again, it's on you.

Con: The hours are terrible
If you like having weekends off stop reading now, because car salesmen work nearly every weekend. They have to. It's their busiest time. People come and shop for cars on the weekend. During the week the hours are still terrible because the shifts are so long. While the schedule varies from dealership to dealership they all have one thing in common, extremely long hours.

Pro: It's easy to move around
There is a lot of turnover in the car industry so if you want to relocate it's easy to get another job at a different dealership. Also, because of the turnover, if you stick around for a while you'll have a great chance at being promoted and rising through the ranks where there is a lot of money to be made.

Con: There's a lot of trickery
There are a lot of shady things that happen in the car industry. Questionable deals, embezzlement, people stealing trades and so on. Since it is a commission only job the competition between salesmen can be fierce. Some will do anything it takes to get their name on a deal including lying, cheating and stealing. People can get in trouble and be fired for no apparent reason while others who do wrong can be promoted without validation. There's a lot of butt-kissing that goes on.