Anybody else feel unworthy of this career? When it comes to stack rankings I’m generally in the top 50% of reps at companies I’ve worked for. On good years I’ll get into top 20%.

It seems every sales job posting is looking for people who have blown out their number every single year. I just don’t see how this is even possible, I’ve worked plenty of places where they gave us an unachievable target so nobody hit their number in a given year.

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Of course a company is “looking for an elite amazing superstar Tom Brady of sales”… who wouldn’t want that? The reality is most resumes are inflated as much as the quotas the reps were assigned.

This is the toughest part of sales… only focusing on yourself. I always tell myself and others that 50-75% of reps miss quota every year (this is based on anonymous national polls).

If you want to last in sales you got to have the mental fortitude to brush off bad years and come in fresh. Just like every job there’s a full spectrum of performers year over year, it’s just sales has numbers attached.

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Tech sales is literally the most fortunate role for the money you can do, so people need to do a much better job of having context.

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You've hit it right on the head. Everybody wants to hire the "A Player" and there are 26 letters in the alphabet. My claim continues to be - "I've been #1 or #2 in every sales job I've held, right up until management jacked up the goal so much that I could not succeed. And then I moved on. This is why we're having this conversation.". It seems to work.

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@Salesforce 1 - it seems to have worked out just fine for me. I'm financially independent, so now I do the sales thing entirely for the entertainment value....and the million dollar years.

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Other people are embellishing their accomplishments. Not saying you should but I would definitely think of a way to spin things. You don't want to sell yourself as mediocre

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Yes I think the embellishing on the numbers is pretty widespread.

I think my side gigs and investments make me more money than my 9-5, it prevents me from actually performing at my best. So I feel like the job isn't worthy of me lol

Lol! Well that’s a good problem to have

In this case I would lean on the top 20% number on your resume and interviews. Focus on your highs. If they ask further tell them you’ve never been on the bottom 50% of the company. Every company needs foot soldiers. The guys and gals that go in and march every day.

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