Hi everyone! I’m a recent college grad hoping to get into sales and am seeing a lot of job postings looking for ‘team players’. What exactly does this mean? I thought sales was mostly an individualistic job? I’m a pretty independent person, so I want to make sure that I can meet the expectations of being a team player. Does anyone know any examples or ways to prove that one is a team player? Thank you!
You are correct about sales being that it is an individualistic job but an individual that is self centered and only focused on themselves is probably the least ideal person you would want to have on your sales team. A person that is focused on themselves ideally would be focused on being accountable and figuring out ways to improve themselves. Lastly, at the end of the day you are responsible as an individual for your performance it doesn’t matter how much of a team player you are.
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I have done a lot of recruiting and I have developed new sales teams up and down the West Coast. When building a new sales team I found it a lot easier if I found people that were team players because these type of people would be more willing to help build the team by recruiting their friends. They will be more willing to help train new reps because they want the team to win and not just them.
Having a sales team with team players helps develop a culture where everyone wants to help the team succeed and not just an individual person.
To prove that you are a team player can be done by showing how you have been a part of a team and helped other team players. Maybe a basketball team or the chess team. Show how you may have mentored a new team member If you don’t have an example like that you can compare a team to your family since a family is similar to a team. Show how you help family members when they may have been in need.
Hope this helps Thank you!
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By “team player”, most organizations mean that they don’t want someone who prioritizes themselves over all else, in all situations. In most cases, it’s just a matter of being sensible. If you’re working with a prospect and you know they’re likely to buy, but you’re unfortunately getting nowhere with them, hand it over to a coworker and let them sell it. Way better than no one getting the deal at all. At the end of the day, don’t just focus on purely individual interests, be a decent person, help people out, and you’ll be just fine!