What was your first sales or marketing job?

For anyone willing to answer, what was your first sales or marketing job? -WobblyBox

Selling my future mother-in-law on the idea that I'd be a perfect wife for her son! Very tough sell....:) -Irene Morales Ward

Tough sell indeed. Did you use the old "puppy dog" close? :D -WobblyBox

That's a new one to me but if it involves kissing the woman's backside, then yes I did! On a serious note, my first marketing experience was when I tried to integrate mothering 5 kids and starting a Physical Education Curriculum for Preschoolers. I started it about 13 years ago and saw a variety of services like that take off since then. It was a newer concept at the time...before Gymboree and Toddlin' Tots became really popular in this area.

Essentially, I freelanced in order to work with and around my children's schedules. No easy undertaking and the pay was ridiculously low for the amount of time, effort and physical energy I had to put in. But it was a great lesson in time management, marketing and sales. I had to sell a product that didn't exist, no one really thought they wanted, and with no referrals to go on. Talk about a tough sell...:) -Irene Morales Ward

My first sales job was working for the local school district selling magazines, candy, etc. -Mikey

Was that as a student or a sales rep? I sometimes forget the amount of sales my own kids have to do in their local schools for fund raising. Either way, it's not easy.:) -Irene Morales Ward

Student.

In fact, I'm still unhappy about the situation and personally believe that it's wrong to compell children to push product. :mad:

[steps off soapbox] -Mikey

I hear you! If it makes you feel any better, I enjoyed the candy bars thoroughly...each time one of my 5 kids brought them home!;) -Irene Morales Ward

I bet that is where the majority of that candy ends up. ;) -Mikey

I believe my first sales job was selling my brother's snow shoveling service door to door in Montana when I was a kid. I'd knock and he'd shovel. At least that's how it was supposed to go. Usually I'd find myself in a supportive role however. You know, I'd stand next to him when he knocked and behind him when he shoveled. :) -Jeff Blackwell

My first "real" sales job, not to include my career as a student chocolateer, was selling windows and insulation (home improvements). -Mikey

My first sales job (and only...hurray! I suck at sales) was as a pharmaceutical rep.

My first (of several) marketing jobs was Assistant Product Manager for a candy company. -Bobette Kyle

My first job as a salesperson was selling new and used cars. :) -SpeedRacer

I'd say "complell children to push product" is more like "compell parents to buy overpriced product!":p :mad: -RainMaker

Mine was selling newly devloped land in Florida to strangers over dinner. I was so naive. I needed the money and just did what I was told to say and do and often walked away from the dinner table with a cash deposit (sight unseen!):o -RainMaker

my first, other than selling candy for youth football and hockey teams, was for an electronics distibutor selling pcs and LANs to dealers. Televideo and Cordata were the hot brands in my bag. tough racket, talk about low margins -briand05

So THAT is why you are so helpful...:D -RainMaker

I was moved from being an engineering manager at an electrical power measurement products company to product manager literally overnight. Since I shifted product lines, I knew nothing about it, didn't understand how customers used the products, and knew NOTHING about marketing or product management.

That experience prompted me to go back to get my MBA, which after two years of struggling in product management, I finally quit to go to school full time.

Not the ideal start--but I certainly learned a lot! -Terri Zwierzynski

When I was in Middle School me and a friend started a business called "CallAKid" in which people in our neighborhood would call on us to help them with computer or electronic needs. We would help families purchase their first computer with everything they needed. We would teach some of the older folks in the neighborhood how to use their new computers (sometimes starting from the difference between the right and left click and a single and double click). It was a great time with GREAT pay for a kid who just rode his bike around his neighborhood to help people with their needs. I enjoyed it a a lot and everyone thought I would end up taking some kind of IT classes in college. Instead, its been Political Science for me. -poconnor

Mine first sales job was to sale , computers to offices, i had to go to diffrent offices and persuade them to buy our Pcs and that was way back in 2000 -mtajim

My first sales job, like many other women was selling girl scout cookies. It was many, many years ago, when kids were still expected to go door to door. My mom (who was both a local and regional leader) would drag my sisters and I out and we'd canvas the neighborhoods. Between my two sisters and I, we'd sell cookies to probably 500 customers each year.

I did telemarketing in college off and on for extra money. I did well enough that I was always hired back.

For a very brief time (less than a week) in the early-80's, I tried door-to-door, cold call cancer insurance sales...For a long time after that, I was convinced I had no sales ability. ;cr

Eventually though, I got back into sales and spent 15 years in retail sales, including a stint selling swords at ren-faires.;co

Pam -LadySmith

My first sales job was selling my services as the best golf caddy on the coarse!:yi -Tony Dunne

Selling suits at a boutique mens clothiers when I was 16. Kinda funny, power players taking fashion advice from a kid. -TommyMac5