Do The Best Salespeople Start Their Careers In Engineering?

Define best....

I think ypu've answered the question most explicitly.

I have to agree. An engineer who desires to become a sales person I think would be successful, but most of us (myself included) don't have the desire or temperament for the job.

I wouldn't be surprised. A salesman who talks real engineering rather than BS ought to do quite well. (Although not so well in a society of philistines.)

I don't have any personal experience, but my feeling is that if an engineer wanted to get into sales, he would not only have the desire but would know what he was talking about with the customer and the customers would realize that.

I'd say it depends on the industry and the audience.

And if you are an engineer who eventually ended up in sales, how did that work out for you?

My primary role from Engineer to part Engineer, part Sales Engineer evolved so gradually it is hard to say. Even harder to say was when I added part Production Manager to the mix.

In a technical field it is vital that the salespeople we deal with know the product and its application in the real world.

It is different in other markets but in technical fields we expect the sales people to be able to offer suggestions for products or solutions to our particular needs, not just give us a catalogue and small talk or worse, push a product or solution they want to sell over another that would be better for our needs.

Where I was the engineering manager. When then clients found out our company had an engineering department, they choose to circumvent sales and talk directly to my engineers. For the most part, to get a straight answer.

when ever I had them go on site bisits, I also said to keep you head on a pivot. When they have you look at an area, you look up stream and down stream. And it wasn't unusual to return with not only a purchase order from what they wanted you to look at in the first place. But also if not a PO for other areas, at least a lead to a future PO.

Dilbert's got a bunch of cartoons about sales...

Dilbert

I started out in sales and ended up in engineering. Can't say I regret it too much

Well, "it depends"!

In the years after high school, I went through many jobs, one of which was selling Kirby Vacuum cleaners. At that point in my life and not having much money of my own, trying to sell these very expensive machines was hard. Part of the reason for this is because I had no confidence in myself. But before too long, because I was not selling much, my boss put me to work in the repair shop where I excelled (it was better money, but still minimum wage). So, not liking, and not very good at sales, but liking the more technical route.

Fast forward several years through a divorce and some maturing, I was presented with an opportunity to go to college and I took it. I started college 10 years after I graduated from High School and finished 7 years later with a BS in ChE.

My college educational experience was extremely valuable to me in the sense that I really "learned how to learn" - and did it with enthusiasm and wonder!

I have now been working as a ChE for 24 years and am still learning.

Though I hate the "paperworky" portion of my job, I know that it is necessary to facilitate business. My heart though, has always been on the floor and in the field fixing problems, making sure that new processes are working/optimized, and doing research and development of new and different processes.

So, to reply somewhat loosely to the content of your post:

• I will always be more hands-on (not a "desk engineer").
• I have way more self-confidence now than I did 25 rears ago, it's not even funny.
• I do enjoy, and have learned to be pretty good at, explaining/describing how specific things work.

In light of these, I might be good in a sales position. If it was a really cool and profitable product, that would push me more toward sales.

Then again, maybe I would rather be R&D which I also like.

At any rate, I have resume's with different fields of focus.

Petty hard to beat the Turbo Encabulator guy for his engineering knowledge and his sales pitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLDgQg6bq7o

Sounds like a high-tech version of Professor Irwin Corey.

I worked with a guy my age in a job shop when we were both starting out. He moved through a few jobs at bigger companies before landing a job as a salesman. Everyone at the plant here, including myself, are more than happy to give him some time. He knows industry and machines. He understands limitations and design. He has even come in to help install new machines and made sure they run well. And by help install, I mean he's in a tshirt and blue jeans getting dirty with the others.

Very rare now days. But, he's always been one to stand behind his work. So, in my experience, it has worked out great for me. And like MANA and a couple others have said, a new viewpoint from a knowledgeable person can be just the thing to jump-start a stalled project.

Do I buy things from him even now? H*** Yes!

That all depends on the engineer, if he has excellent communication and listening skills.

He or she must know when to ask the right questions, and how to go about asking them.

They need to have at least a modicum of sales training to knock off some of the engineering "barnacles", and reveal the polished professional.

They do not need to be fast talking, blithering idiots.

I agree, it the people that are sociable and can talk to people. Its more in their personality.

The ability to sell a product over rides the knowledge of the product. From the companies perspective, selling and producing profit is what matters most. This applies to consumer products. If you are trying to sell a certain make of pump to industry or the government, a knowledge of the product is very important. It really depends on what the product is and who you are trying to sell it to.

I would have to disagree with you.

Knowledge of your product will enhance your ability to sell it. Also that knowledge will allow you to be aware of both the strong and weak points of the product.

Not too long ago we had a member of this forum request our assistance in trying to solve a problem; I don't know if it was ever rectified, but because of the problem the brand name of that item became a dirty word to him.

Sometimes knowledge of the product allows the sales person to explain why he/she is recommending a different model, simply because he/she aware of weaknesses or advantages of the model.

While the salesperson may recommend a lower price item, the loss is usually compensated by the customer's purchase of additional items from, or brand loyalty, to the seller's company