Work with your counselor or a mentor to find a sales rep in your area and reach out to them for an interview about their job. Prepare several questions that you'd like to know about their job or how they got there.

Interview a sales representative.

Check out this article about 20 qualities that great salespeople share. Write down 2 qualities you want to improve on. For each, brainstorm 2 small ways you can practice this in your day-to-day life.

Build qualities that'll make you a great salesperson.

Get the hang of working in sales or customer service by applying to jobs where you'll interact with people regularly. Make a list of 5 local places where you might like to work and start applying!

Get experience working with people!

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Sell goods or services door-to-door or on the street.

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Door-To-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Miscellaneous Sales and Related Workers

Sales and Related Occupations

Other Sales and Related Workers

Explain products or services and prices and demonstrate use of products.

Write and record orders for merchandise or enter orders into computers.

Arrange buying parties and solicit sponsorship of such parties to sell merchandise.

Answer questions about product features and benefits.

Distribute product samples or literature that details products or services.

Circulate among potential customers or travel by foot, truck, automobile, or bicycle to deliver or sell merchandise or services.

Persuade customers to purchase merchandise or services.

Set up and display sample merchandise at parties or stands.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office software

Route mapping software

Web browser software

Facebook

Passenger vehicles

Laptop computers

Global positioning system GPS receivers

Multi-line telephone systems

Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

A lot of freedom

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

Some freedom

How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?

Deal With External Customers or the Public in General

Extremely important

Very important

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Every day

Once a week or more but not every day

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?

Once a month or more but not every week

To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?

Very close (near touching)

Moderately close (at arm's length)

To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?

Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Overview

Career

What Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers Do

Other Job Titles Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Overview

Career

What Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers Do

Other Job Titles Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers

Related Leaders