Change Sales Jobs When You Are On Top

With the current economic downturn causing fear in the market place, many Sales Professionals are hunkering down in jobs they hate (or that are holding them back), content to stick it out until better times. But with thousands of companies still seeking great salespeople, now might be the perfect time to make a career move.

When to Move On

As a Sales Professional if you are on top, exceeding your quota, making President’s Club, and basking in the glow of success, now may be the very best time for you to look for a new sales job. I realize, for some, the idea of changing jobs when you are doing well in your current position may seem counter intuitive. But consider this for a moment.

When is the best time to close your next deal? We all know the answer – it is immediately after you just closed your last one. Why? Because you have momentum, feel confident, you believe in yourself, and with deals in the bag, you are a much better negotiator. Since you don’t really need the sale it is actually more likely that you will get the deal done.

The same thing is true with your career. While you are on top it is likely that you are getting more calls than ever from executive recruiters, that you have old managers calling you, or that you have people you worked with before talking to you about opportunities in their companies. Juxtapose that against what happens when you are out of work and searching – nobody is calling.

What is important to understand is that today’s mountain is tomorrow’s valley. All salespeople, and I don’t care who you are, are going to have a slump from time to time. When your time comes, in today’s business and economic environment, it is unlikely that your company or manager will cut you a break. In sales, yesterday’s heroes are tomorrow’s dogs. And when your company cuts you loose you will find yourself searching job boards, sending out resumes, calling recruiters, and begging your friends for help.

Why You Should Move on

The brutal fact is, if you are in sales, sooner or later you are going to be looking for a job.

So why not look for your next job when you don’t need it – when you are on top? If you do you will find several things that are in your favor:

• You will have more time and more to choices. You will have much more variety to choose from. More companies, more territories, more industries. You will have more time to explore and choose the very best path for your next move. I’ve read blogs recently from the “Chicken Littles” of the world announcing that the sales job sky is falling, despite that fact that top companies continue to seek great salespeople. We have thousands of sales jobs advertised on Sales Gravy Jobs at SalesGravy.com. Last week alone we had more than 100 software, bio-tech, and pharma jobs posted. Great sales jobs are everywhere because no matter what, to survive, companies need growth and salespeople provide that growth.

• People will talk to you. Because you are on top and you are employed you will be surprised at how open companies, managers, and recruiters will be to sitting down with you to discuss your next career move. These companies are desperately looking for Sales Professionals who are at the top of their game. They want to hire you because you have a track record of success. It’s just human nature, we all want to be around and associate with winners.

• You will make more money. Since you don’t need a job and you are performing at a high level, you will be in a powerful negotiating position. You can demand and expect to receive more salary, better perks, and a bigger signing bonus. You will be handsomely rewarded for being a top performer. Compare that to your negotiating position when you really need a sales job because your bills are due and you have no income. In that case, you are much more likely to give concessions and take a lower salary package. This is the very same reason elite professional athletes start negotiating new contracts when they are on top. And my position is why should you, as an elite athlete of the business world, be any different.

This is Jeb Blount, for more information on top sales jobs go to SalesGravy.com where you can search and post your resume for free and hiring managers can post jobs and search our resume database for free.

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