Careers other than sales?

Team, what are jobs that someone leaving the sales world should look into? Are there certain careers that best utilize a B2B salesperson's skill set or allows them to have an easier transition?

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24
funcoupons
WR Officer
6
👑
Why are you leaving sales and what do you like doing at work?

First ones that come to mind are Sales Ops and Account Management.
SiliconBBQ
Politicker
2
The Metal Rooster
in the 6 years i've been in sales I've seen reps move to:
Ops
AM
marketing
counseling
teaching
Management 
small biz ownership
dope dealing 
IT/coding
Channel/ partners/alliance

Just don't move to accounting. if you have any panache for sales or people, you'll hate it. although one am manager bought a local tax prep and bookkeeping practice. his wife was working on her cpa and had a CFP.

like funcoupons said, the question has to start with what do you like doing at work? what drives you? what do you value. 

assume you're here in the US...so It's fucking America you can re-invent your whole life if in 18 months if you want to work for it.
funcoupons
WR Officer
3
👑
The reps I know did dope dealing before they did sales. 🤷‍♀️
SiliconBBQ
Politicker
1
The Metal Rooster
that was half tongue in cheek and ya caught me funcoupons. 

but i know more than 2 white collar professionals who've hooked up their co-workers throughout the years to pay for their own stash or just have a little extra cash. it's the original side-hustle economy before uber was even dreamed up.
Tomahawk
Member
1
Director of Commercial Sales
Sales somewhere else. But seriously. I’ve found different orgs present new challenges and you may be able to incorporate something new into your role. Unless you just want to cut ties with ever selling anything ever again.
SiliconBBQ
Politicker
0
The Metal Rooster
great point - product, leadership, culture, PROCESS and REDTAPE, can all be vastly different. That's the number one switch. But if someone knows they're in the wrong role entirely, I'd advocate for exploration of other roles at the least.

I could do Sales Ops. And probably be good at it, but I'm sure I'd be bored to tears within a few months. 
SlinginSoftware
Politicker
3
Account Executive
This is tough and it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately.

In my mind, I've got 10-15 more years of being an IC. Any longer and I fear I'll jump in front of a train from the stress. I don't know what that job will be, but I know that I'll be making significantly less because I have zero hard skills and a masters degree in geography.

To plan for this, I sat down with my financial planner and mapped out a plan where I have a 50% drop in salary in 10 years.

-Worst case scenario: I move to a non-sales role, don't make as much money, but still stay on track for retirement and live happily & health into my 90's
-Best case scenario: I stay in sales & literally die on the sales floor, rich AF at 45
BusterMcDialRipper
Politicker
3
Director of Dials
clown school
CaneWolf
Politicker
1
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
Which somehow isn't even a joke to me now because of Bravado. What a world.
inboundsalesrep
Politicker
2
SDR
Yeah unemployment 
SiliconBBQ
Politicker
2
The Metal Rooster
outside the box crossover:

hostage negotiation

why? 

look at all the success Chris voss has had with sales management and trainers and some reps. why wouldn't the inverse play work. just josh braun the outreach to the fbi.

msp_sales
Opinionated
2
Full Cycle Sales
Honestly, have you tried development for a nonprofit? It’s the same gig, sometimes with the same commission structure, but you can feel much prouder of what you’re “selling.”
msp_sales
Opinionated
2
Full Cycle Sales
I should also mention I’m not talking about doorknocking, or standing on the street in San Francisco hassling people. Lots of nonprofits have but it’s basically Account Management roles, but for high-value donors. It can be an incredibly rewarding job.
linkedinconnectmaster
Politicker
2
CEO
customer success!
UserNotFound
Politicker
1
Account Executive
I think about this a lot. If I can get set up financially where I need/want to be- I’m all in on non profit work.
Wanna.Be.Rick.Spielman
Valued Contributor
0
Account Executive
totally.  this is how I feel about being a teacher.  Maybe I make hella money until mid-thirties and then jump ship once I can't take it anymore? 
RandoSalesGuy
Opinionated
1
AE
money is dope that's for sure, and I certainly don't necessarily buy into the "if you love what you do you never work a day in your life bs" but there is SOME truth to the fact that money is JUST happiness. Definitely doesn't buy contentedness and joy. 
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
Teaching or training?
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
1
Account Executive
I could see myself in an ops role. Idk about being a full cycled AE yet, but let's see what happens. It's my second year being a BDR and after this year, it's one of those shit or get off the pot scenarios in terms of career choice. 
sellingsellssold
Politicker
1
SDR
Anything with Business I think would be a easier transition. Your degree does not matter that much when it comes to broad jobs as you will be trained once you get there. As long as you have some good skills I would go with what your strength is. 
Nairobi
Politicker
1
AE
I'm thinking VC. They literally do similar things as salespeople but for funding.
SaaS1
1
Strategic Account Executive
Of the people that I started at Salesforce with in the 2000s, most of them that wanted to stay close to Sales without being a direct AE/RVP went to Customer Success, Biz Dev, or Enablement.
wHaTyAgOtCoOkInG
Catalyst
1
Solution Consultant
Ops / Solutions consulting / management / enablement / marketing. But the paycut :(
Blackwargreymon
Politicker
1
MDR
To me, this is the aspect you should try to sort out for yourself if at all possible.
Clashingsoulsspell
Politicker
1
ISR
Just don't move to accounting. if you have any panache for sales or people, you'll hate it.
AShank15
Good Citizen
0
Sales Representative
Door dash
Bandido
Politicker
0
Client Director
ranger on a golf course
MR.StretchISR
Politicker
0
ISR
This is tough and it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately.

In my mind, I've got 10-15 more years of being an IC. Any longer and I fear I'll jump in front of a train from the stress. I don't know what that job will be, but I know that I'll be making significantly less because I have zero hard skills and a masters degree in geography.
Mr.Floaty
Politicker
0
BDR
I have imposter syndrome like a mother f'er in my current role. I struggle with it constantly because at my old job I was not just the best, but the best by FAR.
Cyberjarre
Politicker
0
BDR
It helps to separate emotion from reality.
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