Ask the right questions

If you're in sales, you know the feeling; about two weeks after starting a new job, you begin to doubt your decision. You detect a gap between what you were told and what is actually happening, and it keeps getting wider. You hear yourself saying, "I think I made a mistake," after being on the job for only a month.

Salespeople seem to be more prone to making mistakes than others when it comes to selecting the right job. Since it's their business to stress the positive and minimize negative factors, it's possible they apply this same approach in choosing a job. Perhaps salespeople are good customers who respond to a solid sales pitch. Even though they know they're getting a sales pitch, they may be more easily swayed than those outside the profession.

To avoid taking the wrong job, here are 10 questions to ask before accepting a new sales position. While most should be directed to the sales manager, ask anyone who may give you more information.

1. Does the sales manager make me feel inferior? You are the only person who can answer this question. It's important because sales managers are often known for their well-developed, and sometimes oversized, egos. If the person you'll be reporting to makes you feel uncomfortable or inferior during the initial interview, just imagine how you'll feel once you're on the job. Is it realistic to think that it will be different in a month or a year? If you're uncomfortable at the start, it isn't going to change.