The Importance of Soft Skills in the Sales Industry
When considering sales as a career, you might be worried about the technical knowledge you’ll need. But at entry-level, soft skills can often overpower their more specific counterparts. So, in this blog, we will discuss which soft skills employers look out for, and why they are so important. We will also share some tips on how you can develop these skills yourself to prepare for a job in sales.
What are Soft Skills?
Soft skills are attributes that aren’t specific to one industry or role. They are often referred to as interpersonal or “people” skills and are essential to building and maintaining relationships.
In sales, they might include communication, discipline, problem-solving skills and adaptability. Although not easily measured, recruiters and employers are on high alert for people with them. So, during your job search, it’s important to find strong examples of where you have shown these skills.
Relationship-Building Skills
Fundamentally, sales is about people. So, being able to build high-quality relationships and empathise to solve their problems is important. One of the skills that is key in building relationships is active listening: focusing on what a client is saying to learn more, not to figure out what you will say next.
Another is emotional intelligence. To build a relationship with a potential client, you need to go beyond business to show genuine interest and build rapport. This empathy means you bring genuine curiosity to every interaction.
Alongside high-level verbal communication skills, salespeople need to understand the importance of body language and facial expressions. Non-verbal communication gives others an insight into your intentions, thoughts and feelings. So, knowing how to read into these signals and give off the right impression can change everything.
Discipline & Self-Motivation
Sales can be challenging, involving daily rejection. For some, this leads to productivity slowing down over time. So, employers value people who can navigate these setbacks and take them in their stride. One attribute that helps with this is discipline: being able to set goals and work consistently towards them, regardless of any distractions.
Another valuable skill that drives the sales industry is self-motivation. External encouragement won’t always be there, so having the drive to push yourself through tough moments is vital. In sales, this might mean being very money motivated or goal oriented.
Problem-Solving and Adaptability
At it’s core, sales is built on solving problems. The aim of every salesperson should be to get to the bottom of any potential client’s issues and market their product or service as the solution if applicable.
But unprecedented challenges like objections, competition and changing requirements, can also arise during the sales process. So, if you’re looking to excel in sales, you should be able to think on your feet and adapt quickly to secure the deal.
Where can you Find Examples of Soft Skills?
As a graduate starting your career in sales, there are lots of ways you can display these important soft skills in your CV, conversations and interviews. But there are some things to remember.
Firstly, it’s important to come up with examples that set you apart from the rest. Although university helps you to develop soft skills, lots of other applicants will have had the same experience.
So, think about any sporting achievements that show your competitive spirit. Look back at working alongside your studies and the discipline that took. If you did a year abroad, did it push your communication skills? Other experiences that can help build up your soft skills examples are:
• Extracurricular activities like the Duke of Edinburgh Award
• Being part of a University Society
• Leadership roles like Student Ambassador
• Volunteer Work
The sales sector values experiences outside of the office or classroom. So, if you’re looking to start your career in sales, it’s important your CV and interview presentation reflects the variety of soft skills you have developed.
One way you can make the best first impression to an employer is with the help of a recruiter. Here at Prime, our team specialise in helping graduate talent optimise their experience to access some of the top sales roles in the country. So, once you’ve put our soft skills tips into practice on your CV, send it in via our website or apply on LinkedIn to start your sales journey.
