It's like this. I'm currently looking at two job opportunities, both within my current company, both located in the Cleve. And no matter which way I slice it, I can't come up with a clear frontrunner. I change my mind daily, and the stress of it has me all torn up. The bottom line is they are both good options and I can see myself excelling in both. So I suppose it shouldn't matter. Yet I can't help but feel like one of them is a trap door. Like that scene in Labyrinth where she's falling down the hole of hands, and they stop her mid-fall and tell her she can go up or down. She chooses and the hands taunt, "She chose DOOOOWWWWNNNN!" And then you hear her ask, "Is that wrong?"
Job 1: A promotion within my current department. I'd be mainly responsible for what I am now, only much more strategic and high level. My new employee will take over the day to day and most of the things I've been doing the past two years, and I'd probably take on an additional 1-2 employees within the next year. Job 2: A move to the sales organization. I wouldn't have my own accounts but would manage 6-8 existing sales reps. I'm a little surprised they think I'm ready for that, but the sales directors seem all over it.
Why I want to take the promotion: I'm comfortable here, and also well established. My results have been phenomenal and would continue to be phenomenal, and it's nice to have such a great story to tell. This is also probably the best "career" move if I'm looking to go a certain direction and move up through the ranks. And since my boss knows there's another player, he let me write my own job description, so I cut out all the crap that I don't want to do. The thing is, I have loved what I've done in this department. I love working with sales and marketing all day and being the one who can get things done for them. While I tend to think I belong in sales, I'm already in a great position where I am to be able to help the sales force (and by extension, customers). And let's not forget that my base pay would go down if I took the sales job. Granted, my overall compensation in sales would likely increase beyond what it would with the promotion because of commission/bonus, but just for the principle of the thing, I don't even think the possibility should exist that I could take on so much more responsibility and take home less pay. And managing 6-8 people? Can I do that? Do I even want to? Would I have time to do anything other than manage people? I know these reps, I'm younger than most of them, and it would be hard to come in and expect to be taken seriously as a boss. I don't want to take the sales job just because it's sales. There will be other opportunities.
Why I want to go to sales: I feel tired of my department (and my boss!), and the thought of a new challenge to tackle is exciting. Plus, it's sales, and sales always calls to me. Like a siren. I could do much of what I'm doing now (looking for ways to win new business via creative solutions) except at the end of the day, I'd report to sales and not operations. Even though I've weeded out crappy projects of my promotion job description, I know my department, I know my boss, and I know those projects have to get done one way or another. The odds of me getting crappy stuff on my plate is relatively high if I stay. And if I can swallow the risk, the reality is that I'll earn more money in sales. There's also my overall career to consider. Because even though the promotion seems the better career move, I have to ask myself, what kind of career am I looking for? And the thought of a career in operations does nothing for me. Will it just get harder to make my way to sales if I continue up the operations ladder? If sales is where I want to be, then I should get there. True that I've loved what I've done in operations, but if the operations part of my job is the part I hate, then I'm probably in the wrong department. There's also more room for me to grow if I take the sales position. Honestly, the thought of it terrifies me. But think of how much I'd learn and grow, not just as an employee, but also as a person.
Think of the whole picture folks. To me, this is not as simple as "sales vs. operations." And even though the sales sirens call to me, I can see a lot of benefits to taking the promotion. Please tell me what I should do. And then tune in to my special hour-long CNN program where I announce to the world what I've decided.
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Camping at Pine Flats July 2025
10 months ago
10 comments:
Sales.
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You know you would do great in both, but maybe think where you want to be in 10 years and if you were to go to another company what would allow for more opprotunity. Would it be better to have experience managing sales people, or experience in being higher up the corporate ladder. That's a tough decision. Can't wait to hear what you choose.
All I can say is, the main reason I was so excited for my new job was that I was getting the opportunity to learn more, both in a job aspect as well as personal. That sentence is what got to me...I vote sales.
Couple of things;
1) Having managed a group of sales people (also older than myself in the early years) it's tough to prepare yourself for the soap opera(s) you'll soon be a party to. Also, are you prepared to get tough with the weakest link(s) on your team, perhaps even firing them? Be prepared to not be universally loved.
2) The organizational chart is not kind to Sales during times of economic duress. If you're doing a phenom job where you are (as I'm sure you are) - that tract gives you a degree of job security, sales doesn't. Also - by managing a sales team - your job security is now dependent on the actions, and attitudes, of others.
just my two cents . . .
(corrected)
I vote NOT sales.
(B does too.)
But whatever you do, just remember that even when Sarah does feel like she may have chosen wrong, it's really because of the "false alarms" that the labyrinth is full of--"especially when you're on the right track". So who cares if you feel like you're in an Obliette. David Bowie might be just around the corner...to "see how you deal with THIS little slice." So, either you feel good (though you're not really getting anywhere) or you may feel bad but be moving in the right direction. Either is ok I suppose.
Not sales.
I vote promo. Not sales.
The job security, as well as guaranteed pay (salary), are more important to me than the Sales department. The road to hell (or unemployment) is paved with good intentions (and/or potential bonus yields). You should stay in operations, however, you may never get another shot at sales. So, I doubt there is a wrong answer, but I do believe there is a "better" answer
Here I am, disagreeing with the majority of comments, but here is my response.
You. Love. Sales.
If you love it, then do it.
I agree with Kat. There is nothing better than doing what you love for a living. Here I am, working at a swimming pool, who knew I could do what I love. If you indeed love sales, then do it. :)
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