Interview with an Account Executive

I currently work as a sales account executive in the Optical Media Industry and I have been working in this position for the past three years.

My job is to find new commercial customers for our Optical Media product line. Most people are confused by “Optical Media” but it’s just a fancy way to say CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. Most assume that I sell CDs at retail outlets. However, while our final product does reach that destination, before that happens it must pass through several middlemen, distributors and VARS, or Value-Added Resellers. Only after all of this does it finally go the end-user customer.

Currently, I would have to rate my job satisfaction at a 5 out of 10. While sales can be a very rewarding experience, and the compensation can be substantial, it’s sometimes hard to make it work in a consumer driven industry such as the one I currently work in. Optical Media is entirely consumer driven and with the economy the way it is, it is often hard to nail that sale. A lot of times it involves smaller profit margins, and that invariably involves smaller gross profit and consequently, a smaller commission. Since so much of my revenue comes from commissions, a decline in these commissions makes it difficult. In terms of what I need to unleash my full enthusiasm, I would like to get into management at some point. As a career sales professional, I know how hard sales can be sometimes. As such, I feel I have just what it takes to help salespeople reach their full potential. Continue Reading