A career in sales provides equal amounts of opportunity and reward as it does dedication and hard work. There are many unique attributes to a career in sales, with a myriad of different ways to build your career.

Many enter the industry late in their career, having developed key transferable skills and attributes that complement selling houses. The industry appeals to a wide range of people, offering independence and financial sovereignty while working collaboratively in a dynamic, ever-changing landscape.

What to expect after you get your license.

Sales is for the self-motivated. It takes sacrifice, persistence, and tireless work ethic to pave a reputable, long-term career. It can also include extended periods without income. In the early stages, this can translate to working long, irregular hours; up-skilling in accelerator programs; examining market trends; attending training sessions, or spending additional time in the field.

Similar to starting a business from the ground up, it is recommended to enter the industry with enough capital to support yourself in the early chapters of your career. For a newly licensed salesperson, there is a six-month sale and purchase agreement probation, whereby you cannot prepare agreements. It can also take 12- 18 months to build a solid database and nurture those relationships through to listing.

What will my early career in sales look like?

Once you are a registered salesperson, you then need to consider how to operate as a business person. Unlike other jobs, you are not protected by a salary or contractual agreement. Your income depends on your ability to list and sell houses.

Getting a license is paramount to learning the legalities and technicalities of being a salesperson. It doesn’t, however, prepare you for the nuances and hardships of being out on your own. Being a capable salesperson requires a portfolio of services, including market intelligence and gauging trends, constructing marketing campaigns, being a confident negotiator, understanding basic accounting formulas, engaging presentation skills, as well as offering clear and consistent communication. You also need to have confidence and belief in yourself to learn and lead in your marketplace.

Your real estate career is an ongoing journey of learning. A minimum of 20 hours of training is required each year for the ongoing renewal of your licence. The more services you can provide to both your clients and your agency, the better. Once these skills are honed, you will reap the rewards of finding your own listings, building out your own business, while forming meaningful relationships along the way.

Key considerations.

Before diving headfirst into the first available agency, it’s important to understand what you value from a company. Like many industries, the role of a sales practitioner can look entirely different depending on who you choose to work for. One agency may offer an open culture that nourishes development and personal growth, sharing performance reviews and lending trusted advice. While, others lean on a ‘sink or swim’ individualistic style, hinged on hierarchy, meritocracy, and individual work ethic.

The market also has an impact on the work environment for a salesperson. Here at Damerell Group, for example, our Ray White Mt Albert office has a different workplace culture, with different KPI’s and workplace demands, than our Ponsonby and Grey Lynn team.

Your first steps into the industry can be the most important. Herein, you form key relationships and lay the foundation of your career, so it’s important to step into the right place, which best matches your character, values and skill set as a burgeoning salesperson.

Aside from the agency, it’s also important to network on your own accord. In a rapidly changing industry driven by technological advancements, being a salesperson has changed dramatically over the years. More people are stepping into the industry, with an entirely fresh set of skills and methods of prospecting and cultivating buyers. To get an edge, it requires adaptation and motivation to up-skill.

Get in Touch.

Sales can be an extremely rewarding profession for the self-motivated. It enables you to ‘get out what you put in’, while working in a field that touches everybody, at some point. As the market continues to change, the role of a salesperson will inevitably change with it, introducing new skills and attributes, while offering new opportunities and challenges.

Get in touch if you would like to find out more about starting your career with the Damerell Group.