With the right outlook, sales jobs are available in varied industries

From automobiles to insurance, the need continues for people to work in sales.

"Having the right attitude and the right personality is essential in automobile sales," said Steve Redman, chief executive officer of Steve Rayman Automotive, which has seven dealerships in metro Atlanta. "Although the higher gas prices have impacted us somewhat, the outlook is still excellent."

The philosophy at Rayman's dealerships is to help the customer have a good buying experience, but further, once a car is sold, the sales and service doesn't stop.

"The sales people sell the first car and our service advisers sell all the rest," Rayman said. The service advisers not only take orders from customers for oil changes and brake work, they sell transmission jobs, new tires and routine maintenance. "When the service advisers continue to meet the customers' needs it creates a good experience here and customers want to continue to come back for their next new car."

Parts departments also offer sales opportunities in automobile dealerships, on the retail and the wholesale levels, selling parts to the public and to independent shops that work on cars. For example, if an independent body shop does an insurance repair job on a Chevrolet, the shop's buyer may come to a Chevrolet dealership to purchase a new bumper or fender.

"It's important for sales people to understand the delivery of good customer service," Rayman said. "The type of people we look for are very friendly and have a good understanding of the business. One hundred years from now, it's the people who help the customer have a good experience that will still be in business."

Most sales jobs center on customer service, and this is very true in the insurance business. In light of rising homeownership and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the public is more aware than ever of property, casualty, flood and earthquake insurance.

"The insurance industry is on target to do pretty well this year," said David Colmans, executive director of the Georgia Insurance Information Service, a non-profit, non-lobbying communications organization supporting property and casualty insurance companies doing business in Georgia. "People continue to need homeowners', automotive and business insurance, and with the multiple series of natural disasters in the past year, people are more aware of the necessity of insurance protection than ever."

Colmans said that there are several types of agents in property and casualty insurance: those who work primarily for one company, independent agents who represent several different companies, and insurance brokerages who work with a large number of providers.

"Even with the diverse settings, the key to being successful in insurance sales is to be a good listener and fit the right products to the individual's needs," he said. "Agents also need to be marketers, to be able to reach potential clients."

It takes a certain type of person to succeed in sales of any type. Colmans said, "You've got to be tenacious and very customer oriented."