Looking to change jobs soon and the two I am currently looking at, are straight commission. Current job is 50/50 and somewhat sceptical about the change in career. Anyone on here getting paid straight commission? Any advice?

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

Be prepared to [U]work your ass off[/U]. These jobs are numbers driven and if you aren't putting up numbers, you're gone. There's very little loyalty, and when there is it's usually reserved for whomever is hot at the moment. Your co-workers will cut you at the knees without batting an eye and you'll have to do the same if you want to succeed. Oh and be prepared for a conference call every week from some bigwig saying "The sky is falling! Our goals aren't being met! Everyone needs to work twice as hard!!" Watch Glengarry Glen Ross or Boilerroom for a little taste of what the atmosphere is like.

If you are totally driven by money, willing to work loooong hours, and are able to completely commit yourself to a job - you will be rewarded big time. If not, well best of luck to you. What kind of job is it?

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

Sounds exactly like what I am doing now. Currently managing a wireless retail store and pretty much live here. Just took a $10,000/year pay cut and constantly on calls as mentioned above. Don't mind working long hours and dedication is not a problem at all. I'm the type of person that would cut my arm off, if it meant I would be successful. The jobs in question are radio ad sales and a financial advisor position.

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

glengarry glen ross .... what a cast

everybody is a whore , yes theres no loyalty whatsoever

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i would never consider a job on straight commision unless i was desperate and/or the market is in dire need of the service/product. just my opinion though... there are no guarantees with 100% commision. and i don't like that one bit.

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

^^ depends on what ur selling

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

that's why i said "and/or the market is in dire need of the service/product" ;)

i'm not a good salesman so i know i wouldn't do well in a 100% commision job.

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

if I had to choose between the 2, I'd take the financial adviser position...at least there you'd have a chance to build your own client?le.

Radio blows these days as is...selling advertising is even worse unless you're a natural at sales...

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

straight commission is where its at. in any job you have a floor and a roof. with a salary job the floor is set so you are guaranteed $ but so is the roof. on 50/50 the floor is lower and your roof is higher, but with straight commission, there is no floor and no roof either. its all about hard work and motivation, but there is no limit how much you can make. i will never go back to sallary because i couldnt never get paid enough, sans some big time ceo job.

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

^^ my thoughts exactly. thanks for everyone's input.

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

Oh dear god no! I most certainly wouldn't do that. Especially if you work in advertising, as the revenues on that field are down in general.

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

I suppose it really depends on your preference for risk. I tend to approach straight commission offers skeptically, and I make no qualms about admitting that much of that is due to my personality. First, I'm assuming that these are both is a reputable companies - there are plenty of shady straight commission types of outfits out there that are not much more than scams for the gullible - i.e., "buy this starter kit from us and you can make $50,000 a month from your own home!!"

That aside, if I was in your shoes I would want to establish a realistic assessment of the risk that I would be undertaking. Can you answer these questions:

1.What's the length and frequency of the average sales cycle?

2.How much on average can you expect to make on a NET basis (don't forget whatever sales/job related expenses you may have to cover) per sale?

3.What level of business will you have to establish and maintain over time in order to maintain your desired minimum standard of living?

4.How long is it likely to take you to establish your book of business?

5.If this company isn't even providing you with any support while you're coming up the learning curve, do you have enough saved up to support yourself during this time?

6.What kind of support, if any is this company willing to provide to you to help you succeed (training, etc.)?

7.What's the general historical distribution of outcomes at this company (i.e., frequency and degree of success)?

8.What specific characteristics and actions have differentiated the winners from the losers at this company?

Consider this under a variety of scenarios - particularly "slow/worst case". Try to do your best to gather info that represents the entire reality and don't just talk to the one recruitment hotshot with a boat and a BMW.

If you can't answer all of these questions, you probably don't know what you're getting yourself into. If you can, then you're probably well-informed of the risks and ready to go - godspeed!

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

[QUOTE=Miroslav;529614]I suppose it really depends on your preference for risk. I tend to approach straight commission offers skeptically, and I make no qualms about admitting that much of that is due to my personality. First, I'm assuming that these are both is a reputable companies - there are plenty of shady straight commission types of outfits out there that are not much more than scams for the gullible - i.e., "buy this starter kit from us and you can make $50,000 a month from your own home!!"

That aside, if I was in your shoes I would want to establish a realistic assessment of the risk that I would be undertaking. Can you answer these questions:

1.What's the length and frequency of the average sales cycle?

2.How much on average can you expect to make on a NET basis (don't forget whatever sales/job related expenses you may have to cover) per sale?

3.What level of business will you have to establish and maintain over time in order to maintain your desired minimum standard of living?

4.How long is it likely to take you to establish your book of business?

5.If this company isn't even providing you with any support while you're coming up the learning curve, do you have enough saved up to support yourself during this time?

6.What kind of support, if any is this company willing to provide to you to help you succeed (training, etc.)?

7.What's the general historical distribution of outcomes at this company (i.e., frequency and degree of success)?

8.What specific characteristics and actions have differentiated the winners from the losers at this company?

Consider this under a variety of scenarios - particularly "slow/worst case". Try to do your best to gather info that represents the entire reality and don't just talk to the one recruitment hotshot with a boat and a BMW.

If you can't answer all of these questions, you probably don't know what you're getting yourself into. If you can, then you're probably well-informed of the risks and ready to go - godspeed![/QUOTE]

I've set it before and I'll say it again, miroslav your a smart one dude...this is the kind of input you could pay someone for, seriously.

Next I'm betting the sightless could shed some intelligent light on the subject...personally I work for one of the largest commercial real estate investment firms nationally so I could write an essay on this topic, but miroslav does an excellent job of covering the main points at the starting point. I'll chime in once you've been there a year.;) Shosh is right as well, we're on the same page.

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

Hero to Zero!

Been riding the rollercoaster for several years now... wouldn't go back though even during the rough times.

Well unless I was getting a huge base

Good luck!

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

What is hero to zero supposed to mean jeffjones?

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

In straight commision you are a hero if you hit big numbers and you even if you hit them for a year straight if you hit a slump and miss a good month you are a zero

Hench "Hero to Zero"

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

[quote=floridaorange;529652]I've set it before and I'll say it again, miroslav your a smart one dude...this is the kind of input you could pay someone for, seriously.

Next I'm betting the sightless could shed some intelligent light on the subject...personally I work for one of the largest commercial real estate investment firms nationally so I could write an essay on this topic, but miroslav does an excellent job of covering the main points at the starting point. I'll chime in once you've been there a year.;) Shosh is right as well, we're on the same page.[/quote]

You're too kind, good sir... but thank you! :)

That will be $1000 please :p

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

[QUOTE=shosh;529183]straight commission is where its at. in any job you have a floor and a roof. with a salary job the floor is set so you are guaranteed $ but so is the roof. on 50/50 the floor is lower and your roof is higher, but with straight commission, there is no floor and no roof either. its all about hard work and motivation, but there is no limit how much you can make. i will never go back to sallary because i couldnt never get paid enough, sans some big time ceo job.[/QUOTE]

^spot on.

when i graduated from college in 97 i had the option to take a salary job, company car, insurance, that whole bag....or take a 100% commission medical sales job. I took the 100% commission job and never looked back. One of the best decisions i ever made. You get out of it what you put into it. Since then i've always just worked for myself, and there's nothing greater imo. Once you get into it and you're successful, you'll never go back. Give it a go.

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

it does depend how good of a salesperson you are or what kind of people skills you have. you can still make decent money if you just work hard as the numbers game will still pay off, however if you want big money you have to be good at it, i.e. bring value to your clients (dollar follows value). rainman, if youre not sure how you'd do at this sort of thing, you should maybe ask for a small hourly base for a limited time and then either quit or go 100% commission...

Re: Straight Commission Jobs

[quote=Miroslav;529614]

1.What's the length and frequency of the average sales cycle?

2.How much on average can you expect to make on a NET basis (don't forget whatever sales/job related expenses you may have to cover) per sale?

3.What level of business will you have to establish and maintain over time in order to maintain your desired minimum standard of living?

4.How long is it likely to take you to establish your book of business?

5.If this company isn't even providing you with any support while you're coming up the learning curve, do you have enough saved up to support yourself during this time?

6.What kind of support, if any is this company willing to provide to you to help you succeed (training, etc.)?

7.What's the general historical distribution of outcomes at this company (i.e., frequency and degree of success)?

8.What specific characteristics and actions have differentiated the winners from the losers at this company?

[/quote]

Awesome response/questions. Glad to know someone else thinks a bit like myself.

The financial advisor's position is with Edward Jones. I've done quite a bit of research on this one. Proven track record of accomplishment. 19 weeks of paid training (at my current salary) + free laptop, to study. Once completed and exams passed, 12 months of base while training, after 12 months percentage of commission, after 36 months straight commission and option of partnership. The autonomy is what I am really looking forward too. They pay for the lease, the utilities, my secretaries pay, office equipment/furniture and and 50% of what I sell pays for this, the other 50% is my commission. Once my location is profitable, I will receive every penny of profit. (- cost of operation) This is the one I am looking for long term. More than have my foot in the door on this one, however the background check is what scares me, as my financial past was not always great.

The other position is selling radio advertising for Clear Channel. I do not have an interview scheduled for this one yet, but pretty much have the job. (inside connection) This one pays a base for the first 6 months, plus 5% commission, after 6 months the base drops and the commission increases to 7% and after a year it raises more. The individual that is leaving the company will leave all of their current clients to me, so I will start with a decent client base from the beginning. (not to mention that I know most of these existing clients personally already) This particular job will not in any way come close to the financial advisor's position in pay or overall perks, but still a good job none the less, in the event that my background check bites me in the ass.

As far as my commitment, people skills, and ability to sell - no doubts. Been in sales for years (roughly 12), never worked for a company that I did not manage at some point. Totally understand the "Hero to Zero" mentality, used to call it "Feast or Famine"

Thanks for everyone's response, I truly appreciate it.