Thinking About Becoming A Salesman For Lexus

[Lexdiamonds]

Hey guys, I am finishing college this year and was thinking about getting a job for lexus as a salesman. I really love cars and lexus and thought that might be a place for me to excel and enjoy going to work in the morning. Just wondering if anyone in here can tell me anything as for as the work week goes. The times and days. I know you must work saturdays because it is your busyest day(sp?). Just kind of what the job is like and is it the kind of job you can have and maintain a good relationship with family. (wife, kids). I know it is a lot of hours. Anything will help. thanks guys.

[SW03ES]

Graduating from college and going into car sales? I wouldn't.

Car sales is tough, in my former business I contracted and designed marketing systems for car dealerships so I know a lot of car salespeople. Its a hard job and like most sales professions, most people never make any money. Gotta work nights, weekends. Its easier with a luxury marque but still hard. Lots of downtime waiting for people to come in, lots of competition and backbiting. Plus, 100% commission isn't for everybody trust me.

If you're interested in sales and feel you have a knack for it (sales can't be learned in a classroom, you either are born with the ability or learn it from experience) then I'd look in other directions. Your college degree can place you in corporate or industrial sales, pharmaceuticals, etc companies where you'll be trained and given time on salary to build up a commission base before you go 100%. I'm in residential real estate sales and love it, but its not for everybody either. I personally would never consider selling cars.

[914lps]

Salespersons hours tend to be hell.... But you can make good $$ I sold Toyotos about 20 years ago in California.

I did not like the fact that nice folks got hosed on the deal, and the got the good deals....

I think in Nevada dealers are closed by law on Saterdays and Sundays.... So if you work Nevvada you may get the weekend off.

[SW03ES]

Your hours don't HAVE to be hell. Like anything else though the people that have the business are the ones that get to enjoy the flexibility that type of profession has to offer. Can't take a Sunday off when you can't pay your mortgage for instance...

[Lexdiamonds]

Thanks for the info guys, i am actually working right now for a pharmacuetical company that markets drugs. My parents tell me that i should stay there. I'm just not the type of person that likes to travel accross the United States. I would rather be home. (in state of NJ) We'll see though. My father was a salesman his whole life so i figured i might follow him.

[melhadri]

I also work for a pharma, not sales though. Wouldn't recommend being a salesperson for a dealership especially as a recent college grad. You will gain much more business exposure and knowledge in the industry; providing many opportunites for you to grow both personally and professionally. I agree with SW, you will also make more $$$ in the industry which isn't heavily dependant on pure commission...personally gotta have the salary for security purposes, no matter how sharp you are. If selling cars sparks your interest, look into opening ur own business. Little optimistic but definitely feasible.

[Lexdiamonds]

Thanks.

[Catch-22]

Just an FYI,

I sell commercial trucks, Ford SD, Sterling and Western Star. I had been a heavy truck mechanic for ten years, so it wasn't a hard transition. The "sales" part is really what you make of it. In my "world", future referrals and the customer relationship are as important as the margins. If you enjoy the marque and don't mind the odd hours, you can earn a very nice living doing something you enjoy. Can't say I would personally enjoy selling cars. I don't do the nights and the weekends, or have to do the "dance", or wait for "ups".

You really have nothing to lose and the experience can only help you in future endeavors.

Good luck!

[SW03ES]

Thats a little different than selling cars. You deal with companies that will come back and buy multiple vehicles, you create and maintain long term business connections. What you do is more similar to what I do, or what say a Pharmaceutical sales rep would do. Thats where the referrals and repeat business come in. I also really enjoy what I do.

Selling cars to specific people is different, its a lot more like say retail or furnature sales. Your repeat and referral business is dependent on the fact that most people don't buy the same type of car again etc.

[nc211]

Lexdiamonds, it's all in your own personal tastes as to what you want to do, and don't think that what you pick right out of the gate is what you are to stick to for the rest of your life...well that is until you have kids and become a provider to them...then they become your sole priority to get up in the morning. Doing something that you love is just a bonus at that point. I used to work in the movie business here in NC, down in Wilmington. I did that for 5 years as a camera geek. When I turned 25, I decided to go back to college and add a finance degree to my tool box, along with a real estate brokers license, and commercial real estate appraiser license. I now am a lender for comemrcial real estate and business loans. I personally am no salesman, period. I SUCK at selling anything. In my business there are two types of positions; mortgage broker/banker and mortgage lender. The broker/banker are somewhat salesmen as they find you a loan. They sell your loan application to someone like me, a lender. As a lender, I'm the source of the money. I much prefer to be sold, and to sell. But I also don't get those big ole' commission checks either. But I don't have to toss and turn at night either when the market goes bad and I need to make some sales, or in my business, close some loans. I'm straight salary with annual bonus. If I deny a loan, I still get paid. Infact sometimes I get paid better due to performing good analytical skills in determining a loan application is bad "brokers can be sneaky, especially when there's $10 million on the table". It's really all about what YOU want to do. I liked and miss my movie making days. Had some fun on those big shows like Jackal, and bailing out Markie-Mark and his funky bunch. Drug free my !Removed!! Guy should move to Jamacia, if you know what I mean. :whistles:

But I love what I do now even more. Not as "cool", but a lot more stable and dependable, which is what you need to start laying down the foundation for your life. Either way, your first job out of college will most likely SUCK anyway...they all do.