A short YouTube talk by Brian LaManna warning candidates about the realities of tech sales. He lists eight key cautions—frequent rejection, variable commission pay, high stress and quotas, need for self-motivation, irregular schedules, cold-calling, and competitiveness—while noting sales can be highly lucrative but isn't suitable for most people.
Chapters
Tech sales can be life changing. But before you dive in, here are eight things you absolutely need to consider. Number one is if you hate hearing no. Rejection is constant in sales and if that gets you, it's pretty tough to stick with it. Number two is your paycheck is all over the place. If you need a steady income, commission based roles can feel like a roller coaster. I've earned 83k in a month before and other months I've only earned my base salary. Number three, it's stressful as hell. Sales is all about hitting targets and the pressure to perform can wear down. Last year doesn't matter this year. Number four is you've got to be super self motivated. No one's standing over your shoulder. So if you struggle with staying on task, it can be a tough gig. Five is your schedule isn't your schedule. Sales often goes beyond the 9 to 5 job and top performers often work the hardest. Your schedule often isn't in your control either. Six is if you can't stand cold calling. If the idea of calling strangers gives you the ick, you're gonna hate a majority of sales jobs. Not every job needs it, but 8020 rule here. Number seven is if don't handle pressure well, there's always a quota to hit. And if that stresses you out, it can feel daunting. Eight is if you're not competitive. Sales can be cutthroat and you'll always know how great or bad you're performing. With a company dashboard that is alarming to some. My list is much much longer for every reason. I love sales. It has a low barrier to entry and the earnings can truly be life changing. But I won't sugarcoat it. It's not for 90% of people.
