Is it a good step to shift my career, especially I'm interested in commercial more than project management?
I have 10 years experiences in project management.
I'm working as part time as consultant for small and medium enterprises and I hold master's degree in the engineering entrepreneurship and innovation. Saving Changes...
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Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Well, there are cultural differences between sales and PM, consultants and engineers. You have to decide if the sales culture fits you.
in sales, - the targets are monthly, quarterly, annually vs. a project end date, work may be seen as sprints though - primary target is signing of an contractual amount, not customer satisfaction (yes, we all want recurring customers, but thats not primarily) or profit of a contract - honesty is not a typical characteristic of salesmen (go to a bazaar) - most sales guys are not respected, as they exhibit behaviour suspicious of having a motivation getting into your wallet
and the saying goes, benefits of being a sales guy are - earning lots (and only the best do) - be at the forefront of getting to revenues
In my career at IBM, I was 8 years in a sales position, 7 as a program manager, and both overlapped in some way (and 12 years a project manager/PMO lead, 2 years a SW developer and 3 years a systems engineer).
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1 reply by Osama Almatrafi
Jan 21, 2023 6:05 AM
Osama Almatrafi
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Thank you for your feedback and I really appreciate it. It is very helpful
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Osama
It is never too late to shift your career to what you are passionate about. Remember, soft skills are transferable to any industry and your project management skills will be an asset for you in sales so I would encourage you to do that if this is what you want to do in your career.
While many of the skills are transferrable, remember that the "grass is always greener on the other side". Make sure you are fully aware of the disadvantages of many sales roles (e.g. feast and famine vs. stable income, cutthroat competition vs. collaboration) before you switch.
While skills may be transferable, I would consider your own personality and interests first.
I've worked in sales and hated it. Part of why is that I'm an introvert. Another part is I hate sales pitches to me. As an engineer and PM, I sometimes have to "sell" my solution or plan, but it is more about providing professional recommendations based on facts and data rather than being an infomercial pitch-man. Saving Changes...
If you consider that have good sales skills and that it's the sector you feel more inclined to perform as a professional, don't hesitate to take the decision. Your Project Management knowledge will be helpful in this area and will help you to attain the desired results. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
While you can use project management to work on sales the profile and skills are totally different. Perhaps you have the needed skills but I think this is not the forun where you can find answers, except for people that have been working in sales. In my case, I worked in presales which is closer but is not the same.Too much times people proposed to me to move to sales by I do not like it. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Make sure that you are happy with the compensation package. If the bulk of your compensation is based on commissions and target bonuses, you may wind up with an income roller coaster. Saving Changes...
Well, there are cultural differences between sales and PM, consultants and engineers. You have to decide if the sales culture fits you.
in sales, - the targets are monthly, quarterly, annually vs. a project end date, work may be seen as sprints though - primary target is signing of an contractual amount, not customer satisfaction (yes, we all want recurring customers, but thats not primarily) or profit of a contract - honesty is not a typical characteristic of salesmen (go to a bazaar) - most sales guys are not respected, as they exhibit behaviour suspicious of having a motivation getting into your wallet
and the saying goes, benefits of being a sales guy are - earning lots (and only the best do) - be at the forefront of getting to revenues
In my career at IBM, I was 8 years in a sales position, 7 as a program manager, and both overlapped in some way (and 12 years a project manager/PMO lead, 2 years a SW developer and 3 years a systems engineer).
Thank you for your feedback and I really appreciate it. It is very helpful Saving Changes...
Christina MandolfoAdvisor| Graystone Capital Advisors and MV RealtyHolly Springs, Nc, United States
Start by asking yourself some questions. Have a conversation with yourself. If you feel silly, sales may not be the direction you want to head in. First, Why are you looking to switch? What about sales is appealing to you? I suggest a Pros/Cons list when facing indecision. PM's have a very transferable skillset, I work in Real Estate and Life/Health Insurance. My days of being a Project Manager on paper seem to be behind me however the reality is - everything, including selling homes and life insurance - has a process. Saving Changes...
Latha Thamma reddiSr Product and Portfolio Management (Automation Innovation)| DXC TechnologyMckinney, Tx, United States
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