If we asked your sales team today, we'd bet that almost no one comes from a purely sales background. People stumble into the field from a multitude of careers. Some come more advantageous than others.

Here are some of the common paths that lead to B2B sales, the skills they bring to the table, and how they use their experience to close deals.

1. Retail managers

Their skill set: Face-to-face people skills, plus the drive to consistently reach sales targets.

Why they win deals: Retail managers are never ones to shy away from hard work. They are used to having in-person conversations and steering people from the top of the funnel all the way to conversion with one chat. They are persistent, personable, and great at representing any product passionately.

2. Ex-athletes

Their skill set: Competitive and driven, ex-athletes play to win, settling for nothing less.

Why they win deals: If you want to motivate your sellers against each other through friendly competition, an ex-athlete is always game. These sellers don't shy away from even the most complex selling motions. They keep their eye on the prize, which is glory and exceeding quota.

3. Finance majors

Their skill set: Finance majors understand money psychology and can communicate ROI like it's nothing.

Why they win deals: If you need sellers who can articulate value with ease, you're looking for finance bros. They can talk their way around ROI and why it would be silly not to buy your product. They are particularly great at speaking to executives who focus on big-picture numbers.

4. Theatre majors

Their skill set: These natural performers keep anyone engaged. And at the end of the day, selling is all about people skills. Something actors have no shortage of.

Why they win deals: If there's a larger buying committee, nobody wins them over like a theatre major. It's just like working a crowd. Prospects respond highly to people they can trust, and theatre kids are experts at growing it.

5. Solution engineers

Their skill set: Solution engineers can easily talk tech and speak a customer's language. No need to loop in sales engineers on your side with this highly technical seller.

Why they win deals: If you want a seller who can explain technical concepts in a simplified, appealing way, the solution engineer-turned-seller is who you're looking for. These sellers can anticipate product objections and handle technical blockers like pros.

6. Micro-business owners

Their skill set: Ex-business owners have an incredible business acumen and know how to play the long game to success.

Why they win deals: This isn't their first time around the block. Those who have mowed lawns, done some solo-preneur work, or run a small business know the kind of grit it requires. They put in the hard work and utilize their business acumen to win even the most complex deals.

How to get started in sales

Having a handy background is great, but how do sellers break into the career? Here are some quick tips:

• Find an organization with values and a product that resonate with you.
• Find a sales mentor and ask to pick their brain about getting started.
• Start learning on your own! Search up podcasts, read blogs, and learn from resources already available.
• Get creative in your application. Send in a video, demonstrate some cold calling skills, and speak creatively about why your background would make you a great seller.

Regardless of where your sellers come from, there are ways to improve everyone's performance and close more deals, faster. That's where Pod comes in.

We offer a full suite of AI agents to help any seller handle the most complex deals. To try it yourself, book a free demo with the Pod team!