Rolling Head: How to rebuild your career - The Business of Furniture 6/01/16 - Stephen Says




Dear Stephen:

I have just been told that my job as an Account Manager at a major Steelcase dealer is being eliminated. I loved the job and grew into it from a sales assistant role through a project manager position and eventually into an Account Manager job. My base salary was 90K and I received a bonus at the end of each year based on the revenue that the customers I handle generate and the gross profit margins of those sales. I worked on the team for a major sales producer of business. He has clients in all industries and brings in a ton of money. Our dealership has sales teams headed by major sales producers who develop new business (or in my boss's case people who milk existing accounts...) and then a combination of account managers and projects managers to maintain and cultivate these majors accounts. The goal is to increase business and keep the customer happy. They tell me that between profit margins, not enough new accounts for our team, and a slowing of our existing business, heads are rolling, and mine is one of them.

I've been applying to some other dealers, but they all tell me that my base salary is higher than average, and so far, the dealers I approached haven't been willing to match it. The Account Manager role does not exist at every dealer I found, and most companies are just looking for new business. I have also tried applying to manufacturers--even the one I work with--but I have no business development experience and they all tell me that they want a "hunter." (If I hear that word one more time I swear I will go out and buy a gun!) The big clients I now service love me, but it is true I didn't find them, and I can't take them with me when I leave. At first, I loved this job because I loved the generous base salary without the pressure of a sales goal. Now I can see that because I was part of a team, and not the rainmaker, I had very little control over my own destiny. When business slowed down, I was just overhead to the team and became disposable. I don't think I want another job like this last one, yet I feel stuck because all my experience is in the contract furniture industry but not in direct sales. Where do I go? Where can a find a career job that is going to last?

~ Rolling Head in a Slowing Market
 

Rolling Head in a Slowing Market,

Let me start with the old sales adage: you are only as good to any company as your last sale! It applies to an individual and it applies to people who are part of a sales team as you found out first hand. And, by the way, that is the new normal! But maybe it is time to reinvent yourself. It's very common today for dealerships to give senior salespeople who control major customers a whole team around them to service existing accounts. You see this in real estate as well. The thought is that a having a whole team to service accounts will free up the salesperson (excuse me... usually these individuals who everyone reports to have the title VP or Principal) to go out and find new business and grow the existing business. Your role, Account Manager, is usually the first to go when the business slows down. This is not a job to choose if you want to be in control of your own destiny; there is only so much you can do to protect yourself. That being said, you might be able to renegotiate your salary to keep your job to a lower base--say 75K.

If you're looking for something different though, here is my suggestion: Don't give up on the idea of interviewing for jobs with manufacturers. It's true that most sales positions look for people who describes themselves (ridiculously) as "hunters." However, there are simply not enough true "hunters" to go around, therefore, some manufacturers simply don't have a choice on who they hire, and end up hiring Account Managers who are usually the "second face" to a major client in a sales role. That experience you have is invaluable. Some manufacturers would not expect you to take the client with you, they simply like that you have dealt with people at an executive level. Remember these manufacturers have stronger brand names, so often the salesperson does not have to come in with clients--the clients come to the manufacturer. You presumably have shadowed your boss and learned a thing or two about new business development. So assuming you are ready to make the leap into sales, some manufacturers should be willing to take you on. And be creative with where you are applying. How about a high end residential company that wants contract business? Most senior contract people will not jump there, so this an opportunity for you! Think JANUS et Cie, Holly Hunt, Donghia, B&B Italia, USM, even tile companies or the contract division of Design Within Reach. They all want a piece of the contract market pie. Go to their websites and apply online, or even just walk into their showrooms and see if they have any openings. Then there are B and C players at the manufacturing level in furniture and on the textiles and floor-covering arena looking for reps. Just look at the "Help Wanted" ads in this week's BOF! Getting these jobs should not be too difficult for you, but if you're having trouble try re-crafting your resume and LinkedIn page to add an "Objective" section. Make that "Objective" something like: "I am seeking a position where I can use my experience as an Account Management to help sell Fortune 500 clients, to contribute to my team's work, and grow revenue. Your LinkedIn and your resume both need to express your desire to "sell" and explain why you can." Makes sense? As always, be sure your LinkedIn picture makes you look like a sales pro, and remember to call in favors from sales reps who you have worked with already. These connections within the companies are the best headhunters for individuals without real sales experience. You'll also need to be open minded about a new base salary. 90K is high for inexperienced sales people. Talk to friends at other sales jobs and try to understand the potential income from these positions factoring in commission. Do not overthink this and be stuck on the idea that you need a high base salary, or you will be out of work for a long time.

If you don't like my idea of how to reinvent yourself in sales, you can always go directly to a competitor dealer, that is, a dealer who sells the same major. I know you said you went to some dealers, but now try and go to direct competitors of your current company. For instance, if you're at a Knoll dealer, apply at the competitive Knoll dealer...get it? Same for Steelcase dealers and Haworth dealers and Herman Miller dealers. In my experience, many dealer owners often hire with their egos, and always love to hire from direct competitors. That seems to be key. Even the worst employee fired from their direct competitors with the same major line can find a job with some of the dealer owners I know. We call this sort of lateral move to a competitor a retread--ever heard the word? The point is, if you really cannot see yourself selling, and you can't find the price you're looking for, there is always an easy out at the competitive Steelcase dealer in your town.

- Stephen

P.S. Come meet me and members of my team during NeoCon in Chicago. Whether you want to talk to me about hiring or just are looking for a new career, I am happy to talk. E-mail me for your appointment today at Stephen@viscusigroup.com. By the way...How many of you know what NeoCon stands for? Well, according to the Chicago Tribune it stands for the National Exhibition of Contract Furniture, and was shortened to NeoCon by etiquette expert Letitia Baldwin, who worked in the Kennedy White House. Smart idea to shorten the name Tish, I like NeoCon much better! BoF
 

You can send your workplace questions to Stephen at: StephenSays@bellow.press.
Questions selected to be answered, will appear in this column. Please use the Subject: Stephen Says for all emails.
Stephen Viscusi is a bestselling author, television personality, and CEO of The Viscusi Group,
global executive recruiters located in New York.
Follow Stephen on Twitter @WorkplaceGuru, Like Stephen on Facebook; and follow him on LinkedIn.