Technical Sales Engineer: Picking an Industry
A typical full-time employee works over 40 hours a week. When you add those hours up, an average worker spends a big chunk of his life working at his or her job.
Time is a limited commodity that, once spent, you can never get back again. Wouldn’t it be great if you were spending all that time on something you are passionate about, or at the very least, enjoy doing?
How Technical Sales Engineers Choose Their Industries
As a technical sales engineer, one of the things you need to decide on is what industry to focus on. When you’re starting this process, there are several important things you should consider.
First, you need to think about what you like and what interests you. Consider what excites you and what will motivate you. For example, do you like robotics? Do you like airplanes and how they work? Or maybe you find all kinds of engines interesting? These questions can guide you in choosing your industry.
Besides thinking about what you like doing, you should also think about what you don’t like to do, what your non-negotiables are, and what you wouldn’t mind dealing with. You also need to consider your financial goals and long-term plans.
For example, if you’re interested in robotics, there are a few industries you can consider getting into. Industrial automation or any company that deals with automation would be great for you to work for. If you find future technology interesting like 3D printing and AI fascinating, a company that specializes in technology and software would be a great fit.
Pick an Industry Based on Things That You Enjoy
It can’t be emphasized enough that you need to think about what interests you and what you enjoy doing. This may not seem that important at the start of your career – many people think that work is work. However, when things get tough and nights get long combined with constant traveling and regular rejection start taking their toll, you’ll want to be doing something you enjoy.
It’s challenging to go back to work, day after day selling the same thing, but this becomes even harder if you’re not the least bit excited about what you’re selling or you’re not interested in the product that you’re offering.
That passion for your work and the enjoyment you get from selling something you’re interested in will carry you over tough times. The worst thing is to hate what you’re doing and know that you’ll have to continue doing it with no end in sight.
If you are looking to begin a career in technical sales and want actionable lessons on how to choose the right career path and what it takes to land your first job, we have the tools to show you how to stand out from the competition and get recognized by employers.
If You’re Not Excited About What You’re Selling, People Will Notice
If you don’t believe in your product or you don’t like what you’re selling, your potential customers will know. They’ll see it in your face, your body language, and will be able to tell by your general disposition.
This is another reason why you should like what you’re doing. You don’t want your customers to think, “He’s just doing this until he finds something new.”
If you’re not excited about your product, you can’t expect your customer to be excited about your product either. So, before you reach this point, you need to hone down and look into what industry it is that really interests you that you want to get into.
I was an applications development engineer that shifted careers into selling plastics and injection molding. I loved this industry because of the prevalence of plastic in products for both consumers and organizations.
The possibilities were endless. I found the industry new and exciting, and stayed in it for almost a decade.
To find the different industries you can get into, search through job boards and find out which companies are hiring. This will give you an idea of what interests you and what jobs are available in the market.
Is it Aerospace, Medical, Automotive, or Industrial automation? Look at it more specifically. Maybe you’re interested in manufacturing? Or working for a SaaS company? Choose and see what industry and kind of job captures your attention.
Narrow Down the Industries You are Interested In
After seeing your options, narrow it down. Some popular industries are Software, Industrial, Manufacturing, Medical, and Chemicals. From the industries you’ve found, choose the top 3 that interest you. There is no right or wrong answer. All of them are great options.
Maybe you want to get into Medical – it’s a huge industry with many opportunities for a technical sales engineer, from silicone to implantables. The Aerospace industry is another popular industry. Both are expensive industries that charge a lot for their products and also typically pay their employees well. These details can also be part of what to consider when choosing an industry.
Salary Depends on the Company Not the Industry
Part of deciding what industry to enter is looking at the financial aspect. Remember that differences in salary depend more on each employer and not on the industry itself. For example, one company can pay $90,000 base a year with no commissions. Another company might offer you $70,000 a year but with a 2% commission.
Some pay lower basic salaries with higher commissions. Some don’t pay as high, all of them from the same industry. When looking at financial security, it’s more important to look at the specific job and company you’re interested in over the industry as a whole.
Choosing how you spend your time is very important. As a technical sales engineer, you’ll be spending a lot of your time at work selling a product or service. Make sure you choose an industry you find interesting and exciting, as well as a financially rewarding job. When you do this, you’ll have what most people want – a job that is both fun and fulfilling.
With over 15 years of experience, we don’t just teach “theory.” We provide actionable lessons so you can see results tomorrow by providing you with all the tools you need to not only significantly increase your personal income but become a top performer at any company. If you are ready to take your technical sales career to the next level or are eager to make a career change, then click here to take the next step towards success with Technical Sales University.