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Sales Director

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Best college degree to set you up for Sales?

The most successful sales reps/leaders I've interacted with don't have any specific formal education they attribute their success towards, and in some cases never completed a higher education degree at all. As much as colleges and recruiters like to push the courses, an MBA is not a guarantee, nor indicator of success in a Sales career. Of course there can be some valuable skills learned through formal education, but I feel like the most successful traits in sales are intangible (ie: grit, persistence, mindset, coachability, etc.) and/or learned by going through the trenches and adapting.

I've feel like previous experience in Finance, Accounting, Statistics, Psychology, and Philosophy all offer helpful and applicable skills you can use to be successful in a sales role depending on your vertical, but what do you guys think?

If you had the chance to go back and choose, what education path would you have taken and why?

🤘 Personal Growth

💡 Education/Resources

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22 comments

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funcoupons

WR Officer

9

👑

I don't think people with degrees find more success than people without when it comes to sales, so honestly I'd say don't bother spending money on college unless you're doing it out of personal interest/satisfaction. If I had to pick one I'd say a business degree/MBA only because employers get all hot and bothered when they see an MBA from a good school on a resume.

Only exceptions being:

- STEM degrees for those working in high level technical sales are sometimes required by a company.

- Biology degrees sometimes required for pharma reps.

paddy

WR Officer

5

Director of Business Development

Women’s studies.

Santipodero

Politicker

0

Sanix

con esto ganas rapido ajajajaja

Minininja

0

sdr

lol

CuriousFox

WR Officer

4

🦊

There's not one that is better than the other for a general sales position.

I will say if you have a nursing degree, or if you are a scientist, then you could make some SERIOUS cash working for a pharmaceutical firm. More than what a normal sales rep makes.

DrunkenArt

Politicker

3

Sales Representative

There's no real correlation between degree and sales success. Just like Coupons said, if you want to dive into something technical, then it would really help to have that background

RandyMoss

Politicker

3

Account Executive

I have a biology degree and I used that for a few months when I was in medical device sales at a startup. The technical aptitude that I gained from my degree was also nice as I now sell highly technical software and products, but other than all of my coworkers immediately thinking I was smart, I haven't seen any huge benefits for my sales career other than a very robust and extensive network of alumni from my school. I have found if you are good at selling yourself and you can convince whomever you are interviewing with that you are the best person for the job, you can get a sales job just about anywhere.

Ozz

Politicker

1

Account Executive

I have a Chemical Engineering degree so might be an outlier but my technical and logical background has helped me crush it as an AE and helps build more credibility with my prospects/customers.

alecabral

Arsonist

0

Director - Digital Sales Transformation

Agree with @funcoupons, not sure there's a direct relationship between a certain degree and a career in sales.

Tres

Politicker

0

Account Executive

I don't think the degree matters

Santipodero

Politicker

0

Sanix

I don't think a title defines whether you are a good salesperson or not, the best university is experience

CaneWolf

Politicker

0

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

Degrees that help you become a better communicator, verbally and written, are definitely impactful.

I actually took sales classes in college and that was pretty fucking helpful.

happyhunter

Politicker

0

spittin' sunshine

I spent two years traveling the world after college (graduated with two degrees I've never touched-urban planning and a degree in sustainability)...those experiences are what prepped me for my professional life, NOT college.

FromaBlankPerspective

Politicker

0

District Manager

Definitely depends on the industry. I spent a few years recruiting for healthcare IT sales and companies would pay $$$$$$ for a nurse/someone with a nursing degree who had a minimal amount of sales experience.

thegrinch

Politicker

0

SDR

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

cw95

Politicker

0

Sales Development Lead

I find people that study Business at Uni do well in sales. but as others have said, it doesn't really correlate, it's more so drive and personality I reckon.

DopeSalesLeader

0

SVP of Sales

Although it’s fairly rare, some schools are now offering sales as a major or at least a minor. I’m on the board at my alma mater and we just started a sales minor program that I was involved in. I’ve always felt that it’s a miss that more Universities don’t offer sales curriculum given the amount of people that going into sales out of school. I have heard that schools like Baylor taught high level sales major programs, does anyone have experience doing a sales major?

Sniper

Valued Contributor

0

Enterprise Account Executive

Lol

mollybloomstanaccount

Politicker

0

AE (Account Executive)

Psychology and I’m definitely not saying that bc that’s what I majored in…

sellingsellssold

Politicker

0

SDR

I personally think anything with business or communications would be a great degree to give you an overall good experience and set you up for success

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