Golf Sales Rep

[ZillaB]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone had any information or KNOW-HOW on how to break into the sales field for the large golf manufacturers. I am just coming out of college with a degree in marketing (heavily focused on sales), and have had 3 years experience with sales (Got my real estate license and have worked with a broker for a while now). I would literally do anything to get this type of job (I LOVE SALES and I LOVE golf.)

If anyone has ANY information on the subject it would be great to hear from you!

Thanks!

[ZillaB]

Anyone have any clue? I would literally do anything to get this type of job, thanks.

[nico002]

Every golf company should have a "career" section on their website.

[NM Golf]

A buddy of mine got a job as the Nike Golf rep about a year ago. He just found out they needed a rep, sent in a resume, and interviewed for it. I would just try and contact some of the golf companies and inquire as to whether or not they have any jobs open. Its a tough gig so they have a fairly high turnover rate. You may have to move also.

[ZillaB]

Every golf company should have a "career" section on their website.

Yes I understand that, but EVERY large company doesn't have "sales rep" as a job opening under their career section.

[ZillaB]

A buddy of mine got a job as the Nike Golf rep about a year ago. He just found out they needed a rep, sent in a resume, and interviewed for it. I would just try and contact some of the golf companies and inquire as to whether or not they have any jobs open. Its a tough gig so they have a fairly high turnover rate. You may have to move also.

Yea, I figure sending in my resume and writing a letter would be the best way to go. I guess I just have to find the right time when someone has an opening because as of right now not one company has an opening for a sales rep.

[RickPro]

Yes I understand that, but EVERY large company doesn't have "sales rep" as a job opening under their career section.

wrong not every company does.

[ZillaB]

Isn't that what I said (or meant to say)

[Bourbon and Coke]

I would send in resumes with a cover letter focused on a sales rep position; it certainly can't hurt your chances.

[DJYoshi]

get the general HR email to the company that you're interested in. Send a cover letter stating your interests and intentions focusing on why you believe they should hire you... if they dont' have any openings..then 1 might have to be created..and in this economy where sales reps are getting canned often due to downsizing... you have to sell yourself

[HytrewQasdfg]

Every golf company should have a "career" section on their website.

That's as likely to land you a job as folding your resume into a paper airplane and trowing it at the company (actually, that might work better, at least it would get noticed by somebody.)

I can tell you from practical experience that going though a companies website is a dead end. For example, someone working at a local company told me they get over 2,000 job applications A MONTH via their web site. I also saw first hand how mailed in resumes were handled at a mid-sized company. They come into the mailroom (no matter who you address them to, they get forwarded back to the mail room.) The mailroom delivers them to HR when they are placed in a special bin just for mailed in resumes (at times that stack literally became over a foot tall.) Ocassionally, someone in HR would go though the stack when they needed to hire someone (how closely do you think they read each resume/cover-letter when they had a foot stack to go through?) The people who got hired where the ones that knew someone in the company who could carry their resume over to the hiring manager (not HR) and tell the hiring manager they should give them a call. If you want a job anyplace (not just a golf company) you need to network your way in. Find someone (anyone will do) who has some connection to the company. 1. Target specific comanies. It may seem counterintuative, but you'll get more answers to the question "Do you know anyone associated with Ping?" than "Do you know anyone associated with a major golf company?" Shorten you list down to five companies, and then target them specificly. 2. Ask everyone you know (professionally and personally) if they know anyone associated with your target companies. 3. Cold call the company. Don't just call the switchboard either. You'd be surprised how many phone numbers you can find inside a company if you do a little reseach on the internet. People attend conferences or put out PR notices with phone numbers on them all the time. Call them. For every 10 people that say "call HR" you'll get one person that will give you some time. And that's all you need one person inside the company. And it can be anybody in any department at any level. 4. Attend events where people that work for the company will be (how often does Ping have a clubfitting in your area?) 5. Don't let them just pass you off to HR ("Sure kid, here's the phone number for HR.") Ask the magic question: "Will you help me?" 6. Don't just walk up and ask: "Can you help me find a job at Ping?" People don't want to feel like they are just being used, and when they do they don't help you. Start a conversation. "What's it like working for Ping?" Then steer the conversation to "I've just graduated from college, do you think there would be a place for someone like me with Ping?" People like to talk. Once you've talked to someone for a while you've made a friend. Once you've made a friend you have increased you chances of getting a job there 5000%. You're going into sales. One of the prime skills any salesperson needs is the ability to break down barriers and get inside a company. If you can't get inside a golf company by the backdoor, the sales manager is likely to think you don't have what it takes to be a salesman. On the other hand, if you can get to the sales manager by an indirect route, he may decide you can get inside other companies as well.

[clemsontiger]

If you do find a job, let us all know. That way we can tell people that we know somebody that sells for a golf manufacturer.

[glebert]

^ what he said (Hytrew, that is)

Also, maybe consider doing a stint in a retail golf store, with your education maybe you could get an asst. manager position, which would let you interact with the OEM reps. I did an internship doing sales for an electrical wholesaler and had one of our suppliers offer me a rep job after he saw I could sell his product.

[HytrewQasdfg]

I need to add one more thing. Join LinkedIn.

I just did a search for Callaway Golf and it came up with 24 people who either currently work or have worked for Callaway.

LinkedIn is designed for people who want to make business contacts, so most of the people on it are open to being approached about positions within a company.

After you've created a LinkedIn profile, private message me here with your info and I'll add you to my contacts list. That should give you a head start on building some contacts.