Commission Sales Jobs: Are They for You?

Commission sales jobs are perfect for some people, while others simply can't make it work. I'm a member of the latter group of people, which might present a certain bias to this article, but I've found that most commission sales jobs are far from fair to the employee. If you are considering taking a commission sales job, answer the following questions about yourself as honestly as possible.

Do you depend on a guaranteed paycheck?
Commission sales jobs do not guarantee that you will earn a certain amount from week to week. Some have a low hourly rate, while commission is extra, but it still might not pay as much as a salaried job. If you are supporting a family, saving for a new car, or are simply struggling to make rent every month, a commission job might not be the best way to go. However, if you are good at sales, then a commission job might earn you more money than you could possibly make on salary. It depends how well you can sell a product or service.

Are you a "people person"?
If you are uncomfortable approaching and talking to people, then you might not flourish in a commission sales job. These types of positions require that you be gregarious and full of life as you try to convince people to purchase a new car or a new pair of shoes or to switch to XYZ Energy Co. People who do well in commission sales jobs are naturally good at relating to people, and are persistent to a fault.

Are you comfortable with stretching the truth?
While this isn't a fact of all commission sales jobs, many (even reputable) companies encourage their sales force to lie to potential customers in order to get them to sign on the dotted line. For example, a sales representative of a home security company knocked on my door yesterday afternoon and wanted to sell me a home security system. He went on and on about how the "McDonald's" and the "Waldorf's" and the "Johnson's" down the street had been burglarized in the last month, so they were offering free installation to everyone in our neighborhood. I know for a fact that there is no one named McDonald on Johnson on our street - or on our block, for that matter - so I knew that he was stretching the truth. It's a relatively harmless lie, but many people are uncomfortable with that.

Will you be able to stand (or walk) on your feet all day?
Some commission sales jobs are located in-store, which means that you only have to stand in one place to sell a product or service. However, it is becoming more and more common for companies to send their sales team out-of-house for a little direct marketing, which means walking from business to business or from residence to residence, knocking on doors. Not only is this a safety issue, but it can also be rather exhausting. Realize that if you take a commission sales job, you might wind up on the streets all day.

Are you going to be an independent contractor or an employee?
Most commission sales jobs involve the hiring of independent contractors rather than employees. This way, the company doesn't have to shell out benefits for sales professionals. It also means that if you are out sick or unable to come to work, you simply won't be paid. It also means that you'll be responsible for paying your own taxes, which can get complicated.

Can you move the product?
And finally, you will need to assess the type of product or service that you will be selling. Even the most gregarious and experienced of commission sales professionals cannot move a lousy product., so you'll want to take a look at the sales records for the company to determine if you actually can make a living. Is it something that the public needs or really wants? Can you sell it over and over again, or is it a one-time-only deal? These questions should be taken into consideration before taking a commission sales job.