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The Best Jobs for the "People Person"

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  • Extroverts thrive in careers that deal with people and the general public.
  • Studies show that extroverts generally take home higher salaries than introverts.
  • Some of the best "people person" jobs include sales, PR, politics, and law.

How much you earn throughout your career isn't just about your education and experience — your personality type can also play an important role. Research shows that those who identify as a "people person" have a better shot at lucrative jobs.

If you naturally gravitate to others, you may want to consider a career in which your people skills are sure to come in handy. These jobs all require you to be around and interact with people on a frequent or daily basis.

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What Is an Extrovert?

Extroverts tend to be more talkative and outgoing than introverts. Those who are extroverted process their thoughts out loud as they speak rather than taking the time to think before saying something; this tendency makes these people a generally gregarious bunch.

Extroverts thrive in dynamic, social situations and enjoy being the center of attention. They feed off the energy of others and are usually good at engaging in conversation and working in teams.

Extroverts thrive in dynamic, social situations and … are usually good at engaging in conversation and working in teams.

Some famous extroverts you've likely heard of include Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, Tom Hanks, and Martin Luther King Jr. Your favorite social media influencer is probably an extrovert, too.

Not everyone fits one category or the other, though — many of us fall somewhere between extrovert and introvert. If you're not sure which term describes you better, there are many online tests and assessments that can help you determine this. You might even be asked to take a personality assessment when screened for a potential job.

Do Extroverts Make More Money Than Introverts?

Several studies show that extroverts typically make more than introverts. According to research by Truity, extroverts command a premium of nearly $10,000 more a year. Similarly, an analysis of BBC data by The Sutton Trust found that highly extroverted people have a 25% better chance of holding a high-earning position.

According to studies, extroverts are more likely to earn higher salaries than introverts.

This data isn't particularly surprising considering that extroverts are more likely to ask for raises and show off their skills and performance at work.

These individuals' positive demeanors can also help them overcome any negative aspects of their job or work environment. A recent University of Toronto Scarborough study identified how certain extroverted characteristics, such as strong communication skills, can offer a competitive advantage in the workplace.

Extroverts' ability to engage with other people, combined with their enhanced persuasion skills, often pushes them into leadership positions, with many developing a take-charge mentality. In addition, extroverts tend to excel at sales jobs, which can offer extremely high earning potential.

Top Jobs for Extroverts

Some jobs and fields are well suited for extroverts. If you're not a people person, a career in sales, for example, might not be the best choice. Extroverts often thrive in occupations like sales because of their ability to comfortably engage in conversation with people they don't know.

Just about any job that requires individuals to work directly with the public on a regular basis is a solid fit for an extrovert. Below is a list of the top 18 careers for extroverts.

Ultimately, whether you're an extrovert, an introvert, or somewhere in the middle, choose a profession that makes you happy. Chances are that your inherent personal nature will steer you toward the ideal occupation.

  • Public Relations

    Public relations is all about influencing and building relationships with people across a variety of platforms. These public-facing professionals make media contacts, pitch stories, conduct interviews, and handle crisis situations.

  • Social Media

    Whether you are in a social media marketing role or have built your own social media brand as an influencer, your chances of finding success increase dramatically if you enjoy engaging with others and have an outgoing personality, both online and offline.

  • Business Management

    Management involves effectively working with people, inside and outside your organization. Successful managers in any type of business boast strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.

  • Politics

    Many famous politicians worked their way up the political ladder by leveraging their charismatic charm. Being able to lead, negotiate, and influence people is necessary for a successful career in politics.

  • Sales

    Sales is by far one of the best jobs for extroverts. Calling on and meeting new customers is a crucial function of this position, meaning extroverts flourish in these situations. Small talk comes naturally to them, and outward enthusiasm for what they are selling can inspire confidence in customers.

  • Event Planning

    It's pretty much a requirement that meeting and party planners possess great people skills. Coordinating successful meetings and lavish parties means working with a variety of vendors, clients, and staff while demonstrating impressive leadership and organizational abilities.

  • Customer Service Management

    Premier communication and people skills are key requirements for customer service managers. In this position, you're tasked with handling concerns of the public and any issues that arise with your support staff. It's important that you build positive relationships with customers, employees, and other management teams.

  • Teaching and Education

    Not all teachers are extroverts, but being one can certainly help. Teachers regularly converse with parents and students. Being able to motivate and develop relationships with students is critical to the success of both the student and teacher.

  • Human Resources

    Human resources (HR) professionals interact with people on a daily basis — it's where the "human" aspect comes into play. HR managers manage people, serving as a link between the employer and its employees. As such, having superb people skills is an important element of this job.

  • Flight Attendant

    If you plan on becoming a flight attendant, you should enjoy being around people, as you'll be around them most of the day some 30,000 feet in the air. Being friendly and positive, as well as possessing great communication skills, are all qualities needed for this exciting role.

  • Law

    The practice of law attracts introverts and extroverts for different reasons, and both personality types can thrive in this profession. That said, extroverts do have some advantages, especially if you want to pursue a career as a public defender, district attorney, or trial lawyer — all roles for which you'll need to continually perform in the courtroom.

  • Healthcare

    Careers in healthcare involve frequent, ongoing interaction with patients and other medical professionals. It helps to have great interpersonal and communication skills, particularly when you're trying to extract important health information from patients. Healthcare workers deal with difficult, complex situations that require a positive attitude and demeanor.

  • Social Work and Community Health

    Social workers and community health professionals work with patients, families, caregivers, and medical providers. Being able to assess situations and efficiently gather information is a key component of this job; it also helps to have superior people skills.

  • Cosmetology

    A cosmetologist who struggles to engage with their clientele likely won't welcome many clients. Solid people skills are a must for anyone choosing to work in hair-styling, cosmetics, skin care, and other forms of beauty treatment.

  • Acting

    Getting discovered is half the battle for aspiring actors, so being able to put your personality on display is paramount. You might assume that all actors are extroverts due to the nature of the job, but this isn't the case. Still, it does help immensely if you've got a winning personality (or personalities).

  • Coaching

    Whether you're a sports coach, business coach, or life coach, you'll be interacting with people on a routine basis, and how well you engage can mean the difference between success and failure. An excellent coach must be able to motivate, lead, and inspire.

  • Consulting

    Consultants constantly work with people. Many consultant roles require frequent interaction with clients and other professionals working on the same team or project. You should be determined, have confidence in your expertise, and boast strong social skills.

  • School Counseling

    School counselors are important members of the educational team, assisting students with their social and emotional development, directing career paths, and helping students become active and productive members of society. Counselors routinely interact with parents and other service providers, meaning you'll need a high level of professional communication.

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10 Careers To Consider If You Love Working With People

Does a future spent in front of Excel spreadsheets with no one to talk to except your desk plant fill you with dread? For many extroverts, jobs with limited human interaction can seem like punishment. Luckily, there are many careers to consider if you prefer people to spreadsheets. 

 

If you love working with people, your ideal work day most likely consists of networking events, one-on-one sessions with a client, collaborating on projects, or surveying a crowd for market research. You feel most comfortable at a job that lets you strengthen current relationships while also introducing you to new faces. These people-centric spaces inspire you, but you may be unsure of which industry you want to break into, or which role you want to fill. To help you get a better idea of which job fits your personality, we’ve rounded up 10 options for a wide range of majors that can kickstart your meaningful career.

 

Member Advocate

Good-fit majors: Business, Communications, Psychology, Liberal Arts

 

If you’ve always wanted to make an impact with your work and are also looking for job security in a stable industry, consider becoming a Member Advocate at Pure Insurance. In this entry-level claims adjustment role, you’ll be responsible for speaking to Pure’s members, taking their calls when needed and adjusting their claims. To excel in this role, you should be entrepreneurial and persistent, but also have great communication skills and a high degree of empathy. As a Member Advocate, you’ll be speaking with members who are going through a difficult time, having experienced anything from minor car accidents to storm damage to their home. As a purpose-driven organization, Pure takes their commitment to their members seriously, and it will be your responsibility to support them through these challenging life events. 

 

Before starting as a Member Advocate, you’ll receive extensive training in Pure’s comprehensive, team-oriented three-month training program. You’ll learn everything you need to know to excel in the role, including what it means to work with high net worth property and casualty insurance and what sets Pure apart from competitors.  You’ll also obtain the necessary state licenses and designations. The skills you develop in training and in your position as a Member Advocate will prepare you for a number of career paths, allowing you to shape the future you’ve dreamed of. If you enjoy working with people and using your skills to help others, you can learn more about Pure Insurance and their Member Advocate role here. 

 

Product Manager

Good-fit majors: Computer Science, Engineering, Design, IT

 

Not everyone with a technical background wants to be behind the scenes developing a product. If you feel like you’d thrive in an environment with more face-to-face interaction – instead of face-to-computer interaction – you should consider stepping into the role of a product manager. Your role would be to set the course for which products the engineering team would build, and then bring those directives to life. As a product manager, you will work across teams such as engineering, design, marketing, and sales, in addition to interacting with clients or users to gather feedback. This makes great communication and interpersonal skills a must alongside strong technical knowledge.

  

Financial Advisor

Good-fit majors: Economics, Business, Finance, Mathematics

 

A financial advisor’s role is completely based on effectively communicating the complex world of money management. Every day, your job would be to speak to clients about their income, expenses, taxes, insurance coverage, and the need to develop a specific financial plan. And since money is a confidential matter, it’s important to build relationships that not only strengthen your connection with current clients, but also help you grow your network and obtain new clients by word-of-mouth.

 

Sales Representative

Good-fit majors: Business, Communications, Psychology, Finance

 

A job as a sales representative requires you to have outstanding communication skills as you go out and sell your company’s product to other people or businesses, either through email, phone, or in-person. You have to be friendly enough to develop a close network of potential customers, yet confident enough to make sure these customers truly believe in everything you’re selling. And when you’re not trying to sell a product or service, you’re surveying customers to gather more information on their interests and problem areas. You’ll then communicate your findings with your team and assist them as they head back to the drawing board.

 

Many companies offer sales training programs for entry-level employees that can help you learn everything you need to know to excel in the role, regardless of your college major. Herc Rentals, for example, has a 12-month Sales Training Program for new graduates, called the Black + Gold Academy. The program includes three weeks of formal instructor-led training, structured on-the-job learning activities, special project work, and more. At the end of the year-long program, you’ll be ready for placement into Territory Sales Representative positions and set up for career advancement into roles in branch management, region sales management, national accounts and more. Learn more about Herc Rentals’ Black and Gold Early Career Sales Program here.

 

Environmental Engineer

Good-fit majors: Engineering, Environmental Science, Geology, Urban Planning

 

If your strengths include persuasive speaking, organizing data, and conducting extensive research, environmental engineering may be the perfect role for you. This job would require you to develop relationships with lawyers, technicians, and city planners to support sustainable efforts. Your knowledge of public health, waste disposal, and CO2 emissions will help you regulate environmental projects and communicate your concerns with government officials who can put your ideas into effect.

 

Public Relations Specialist

Good-fit majors: Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Advertising

 

As a communication major, speaking to people face-to-face is an integral part of any job in the field – especially a public relations (PR) specialist. A job in PR means your number one goal is to communicate to media outlets on behalf of a person or organization. You may be selling a product, or your job can be solely focused on helping someone maintain a certain image. The majority of your time will be spent contacting media officials, arranging interviews, creating press kits, and of course, growing your far-reaching network. Since you’ll be interacting with others for most of these responsibilities, working in public relations is a great career for extroverts!

 

School Teacher or Administrator

Good-fit majors: Education, Liberal Arts, Psychology, History, English, Mathematics, Biology

 

Everyone knows that teachers have a huge influence on their students’ lives because of how much time they spend developing connections inside the classroom. Whether you’re teaching elementary school students or high school students in their teens, you’re responsible for preparing lectures and creating a safe environment where everyone feels inspired to learn. And the job doesn’t stop once the papers are graded! Your love for working with people will really come into play when you develop meaningful relationships with your students, parents, and fellow teachers. After spending some time as a teacher, you might consider a role as an administrator, where most of your day-to-day interactions will involve working with other professionals and not as many children and teenagers.

 

If you’re interested in becoming a teacher but don’t have an education degree, Success Academy, the largest and highest-performing charter school network in New York City, might be the perfect place to begin your career. While many traditional school districts require a teaching degree and student teaching experience, Success Academy will provide you with extensive training to help you become an exceptional teacher, ready to make a difference in the classroom. You’ll spend the summer in intensive training and will continue learning throughout the year. In fact, you’ll get daily coaching, half-day trainings each week, and will even have the opportunity to pursue a masters degree for free, ensuring you can continue to grow and improve your skills throughout your career. 

 

At Success Academy, you’ll play a part in reversing the opportunity gap for thousands of students in New York City. Almost 80% of Success Academy students come from low-income households, but the school is ranked in the top 1% of all schools in New York State for both math and reading, and boasts a 100% college acceptance rate. If you love working with people and have always wanted to make a real difference in the lives of children, you can learn more about Success Academy here.

 

Consultant

Good-fit majors: Economics, Finance, Psychology, Political Science, Communications

 

The role of a consultant is pretty general, which is great for people who haven’t settled on going into a particular field. Your entire job would consist of providing advice to people and pulling from your expertise on a specific niche. This strategic advice would help a person or company get their business from point A to point B, with detailed instructions and ongoing coaching. You could be a financial consultant, human resources consultant, sales consultant, IT consultant, and the list goes on. The desire to work with people is important because you have to build a strong relationship with clients internally, while also building your clientele by attending industry events and networking conferences.

 

Social Worker

Good-fit majors:Psychology, Sociology, Education

 

A social worker is tasked with having deep conversations that extend far past typical business talk. Instead of meeting with clients to discuss a financial plan or the launch of a product, your job as a social worker would require you to empathize with people who’ve struggled with abuse, neglect, or have a mental illness. You’d be tasked with having long, private conversations with clients in order to properly assess their living situation and make comprehensive decisions based on their needs. And while the majority of your day would be spent talking to people directly, you must also have the ability to stay calm during stressful situations.

 

Area Manager

Good-fit majors: Business, Sociology, Liberal Arts, Communications

 

If you love collaborating with—and leading—teams, working as an Area Manager for Amazon might be the perfect way to start your career. This entry-level management position is a great opportunity for new grads who want to coach and develop their own teams while developing management skills that will last a lifetime. As an area manager, you’ll receive extensive training before being assigned a team of your own, ensuring that you’ll be prepared to lead a team of anywhere from 15-100 associates even if you’ve never been a manager before. In the role, you’ll work to monitor and mentor your team, ensuring they have everything they need to succeed. It’s the perfect opportunity for an extrovert who dreams of bringing out the best in others and developing as an excellent people leader. If managing a team and developing your own employees sounds like a great way to start your career, Amazon is actively hiring for Area Managers. You can learn more about the role here and apply now!

 

You can also hear about the role directly from recruiters at Amazon in the replay of our panel about careers for business and liberal arts majors.  

 

 

Your passion for working with people should never be an afterthought when you’re trying to find your dream job. Most industries are looking for candidates with great communication skills and welcoming personalities, so it’s up to you to figure out how you can combine those skills with your other interests to find your ideal career.

rules, difficulties, tips, feedback and stories from personal experience

Olesya Vlasova

working with stories

Author profile

Working with people can be difficult and nerve-wracking.

We asked readers T-F what difficulties they face and how they cope with them. And we collected short rules for the life of those who, by virtue of their profession, have to communicate a lot every day.

These are the stories of readers from the S-Z Community. Collected into one material, carefully edited and formatted according to editorial standards.

“I understand that people scream not from anger, but from helplessness”

Anonymous
does not take rudeness personally

I have been working as an operator of the support service of the public services portal for more than three months. I have 12-hour work shifts with a 2/2 schedule. Additionally, I go out for another 4 hours on weekends.

Did not take special courses. How to interact with people was taught at the time of employment.

I am a teacher by education and it is easy for me to communicate. I feel fine even after talking for 12 hours of work. Only towards the end of the shift does speech become slower.

People are often dissatisfied because of the impossibility of getting a service - they shout, use foul language. The operator takes the hit. Not everyone realizes that little depends on him. For example, I remember a case when an account was created for a user without his knowledge, and he blamed me for everything, shouted and threatened to fire me.

/kliyent-vsegda-prav/

“Rudeness and rudeness every day”: 9 reasons to hate everyone when you work with people

I don’t take rudeness to heart, I treat it as part of the job. It’s just that by nature I don’t know how to quarrel and I understand that people scream not from anger, but from helplessness. I easily make contact, I know how to work with conflict users.

It happens that you help - and people say thank you, and then do not drop the call right away in order to rate the service at the highest score. So, it's not all in vain.

“Everyone needs to be able to communicate and build business relationships”

Elizaveta Nekrasova
knows how to convey information in an accessible way

I have been working in the sales and building materials supply department for the ninth month.

The need to communicate with people during my work is 50/50. Sometimes clients have questions and problems that need help to solve. On other days, a person simply drops the order - I put it up for delivery and send a calculation in response, without any questions or calls.

Chose this profession due to circumstances. While I am studying, I need money, and in this area you can make good money. But now I understand that it was not in vain that I decided to try my hand at sales: everyone needs to be able to communicate and build business relationships with people.

Some clients are toxic. For example, one day a man called me a cow. Sometimes I even encounter fraud and non-payment of orders. All this makes it difficult to calmly complete tasks and find a way out of the situation.

/not-for-introvert/

“Communicating with strangers has always been difficult for me”: 7 professions not for introverts .

I always think carefully about the question first, write down the problem and its solution in a notebook. If it is impossible to solve it, I humble myself and distract myself with other things. Carnegie himself spoke about this important rule.

“If a person gets up on the wrong foot in the morning, smiles will not help him”

Dana to his wife
looking for compromises

I like helping people buy good equipment. I have been a sales consultant for 17 years.

90 percent of my working time is spent communicating with people.

Sometimes there are inadequate customers, who bought something, and then broke it and now demand a refund. But they are becoming less and less.

Customers greet more often - even those who came to the store for the first time. After shopping, thank you, wish you a pleasant weekend. It's nice. Regular customers sometimes come just to chat.

If a person gets up on the wrong foot in the morning, the salesman's smiles will not help him. He is dissatisfied with everything. In such a situation, I try to talk calmly, I ask what happened, I’m interested in how I can help. I am concerned about the problem, looking for compromises.

/operator-mfc/

“I don’t have time to think about how tired I am of work”: how much does the MFC operator earn

If the client is nervous, I ask him to write a complaint in writing. Very politely I try to persuade to postpone the solution of the problem until tomorrow. Usually the next day the client is already calm and the conversation is fruitful.

“It is important to develop emotional intelligence and feel the interlocutor”

Anonymous
always in a good mood

I have been working as a financial manager at for almost nine years. We have about 170 clients, daily meetings and online support. On average, I interact with 15 people a day - not counting our team of ten people. Most of the working time is occupied by communication.

I chose this profession because I enjoy communicating and teaching others. The difficulty is that you need to please everyone, do not forget about promises, do not single out favorites.

A smile and a good mood help me in my work - even during telephone conversations. It is important to pump emotional intelligence and feel the interlocutor, try to listen more and talk less.

A customer called the other day. But it was not I who answered the phone, and he complained that I pay little attention to him and do nothing good for him at all. When I called him back, he said that everyone misunderstood and that in general we have love, there are just rough edges and they need to be corrected. On the one hand, I am always grateful when weaknesses are highlighted. On the other hand, it always unsettles you and you immediately want to refuse such a client.

/antistress-methods/

Sports, humor and massage: 10 proven ways to deal with stress at work

I try not to carry work home - I closed my mouth and went. Measured breathing, running and a psychologist help me cope with stress.

“You don’t need to respond to rudeness with rudeness”

Alexey Kazakov
found a job he likes

For the fourth month I have been working as a call center operator in a large telecommunications company. My profession involves a large amount of communication with a variety of people from all over Russia.

I don't feel like an extrovert, although others say otherwise.

I chose this profession only because I was looking for a part-time job that could be combined with studies. In my current schedule, this works out well. The location of the office was also important for me: now it takes me only 20 minutes to get to work on foot.

I used to have a 12-hour day with a 2/2 schedule. I realized that with such a load, I can’t recover, fatigue accumulates, some kind of state of apathy sets in. I decided to switch to a shortened working day - four hours with a 15-minute break, from 18:00 to 22:00, five days a week.

I have some important rules that keep me calm at work. We need to provide quality service. Do not respond to rudeness with rudeness. Treat people with compassion and learn to understand that even the simplest life situation everyone reacts differently.

Satisfied, when people say simple human thanks and give good grades while staying on the line.

"It is necessary to periodically direct the interlocutor so that the conversation does not go into the jungle"

Anonymous
retired from journalism

I was a news journalist for five years. I have been interested in journalism since my youth, and I got into the news part of it after an internship at the university. I liked the dynamism: you need to work quickly and often with a lot of data.

Recently quit - partly because I got tired of the communication that took up to 60 percent of my working day.

Most often I talked to people on the phone, and often the interlocutors simply did not pick up the phone. In the last couple of years, this has escalated - it's good that most people have instant messengers. It happened that I was rude and added my number to the black list.

A list of questions helps to keep the ground under your feet and not get confused, especially when you call a very unpleasant interlocutor. When you are interviewing by phone, it is important to record all communication using a special program or simply on a voice recorder - the law does not prohibit recording your conversations.

What to do? 02/28/19

I record all telephone conversations. Is it legal?

Once I had a very long conversation with a man, and then he said that he told me everything as a friend, and not as a journalist. Needless to say, he knew perfectly well with whom he was talking, and we talked for the first and last time.

After frequent phone interviews, it can be difficult to switch to a real meeting or video calls. If the interlocutor does not see you, then you can relax, sit at random or even lie down, draw scribbles in a notebook or write something in a work chat at the same time. During visual contact, this privilege is no longer there.

Most often, I spoke with people in trouble. Often they wanted to talk about their whole life. During such interviews, it is important to periodically guide the interlocutor so that the conversation does not go into the wilds. And sometimes you just need to stop the speaker in time.

In five years, I have not found a way to recover in an environmentally friendly way after dealing with traumatized people. I get too carried away by their stories. Therefore, I left the profession and for now I am looking for what I want to do next.

“Written communication is evil”

Vlad Osievsky
prefers personal communication to correspondence

For more than six years I have been the lead manager of for working with clients.

Most of my activity is communication with people - during personal meetings, as well as through various means of communication: telephone conversations, letters and instant messengers.

It is priceless to hear from customers and partners that your help has contributed to the growth of their business.

At work, I often hear rather tactless questions about my income level. They tried to gossip with me, and there were even attempts at hunting.

Written communication is evil. Unable to convey desired intonation in message. Sometimes a person perceives it differently than the author wanted, which causes conflicts.

If a conflict does arise, it is better to call rather than write to the client. This will save a lot of time.

If there is a possibility of a personal meeting - meet, discuss, get acquainted, take charisma and build friendly partnerships.

Always record verbal agreements in writing so that both parties can correctly interpret them in the future.

Cheer up. Remember that we are all people, everyone has a bad mood and periods of crisis. It is important to understand, accept and help if it is in your power and competence.

The financial rules of life. Readers share economic and existential principles

Tell your story

Why is working with people considered hard?

Work in the field of service or sales is not an easy job with people, which requires a lot of vitality and energy. Despite the number of vacancies and their availability, not everyone agrees to work with clients. “What's so difficult about that? Speak your tongue and that's it!" - those who have never worked face to face with a client will say. If you think the same way, you are very much mistaken.

Personality types and compatibility

There is an opinion that working with people is not for everyone, that it depends on the type of person's personality, whether he will cope with everyday communication and will this communication be effective? Also, there is a theory about the compatibility of different personality types. Some people can communicate with everyone in a row, while others are very susceptible to certain types of personality. "I can't stomach them at all!" , are you familiar with this phrase?

Most companies put a lot of effort and time into recruiting customer-oriented staff. There are many ways to do this, for example, how to choose the right sales manager, you can read here. However, all these methods do not guarantee you a long and effective work of these employees, since the point is not at all in the employees, but in the specifics of the work.

Self-monitoring

Effective work with people requires endurance and patience. This is the main and most common reason for dismissal. Agree, it is difficult to perceive dissatisfaction, screams and insults from customers every day if you work, for example, in the complaints department or in the warranty department.

Each client is an individual. Everyone has their own mood, their own character, their own needs and moral convictions. Despite this, an employee who communicates with customers should always be in the same “right” mood, no matter what. The client can afford to be intemperate - you are not! Find out how to get ready for work here.

Constant control over one's behavior leads to a depressed state, and sometimes to depression and nervous breakdowns. Therefore, it is very important to throw out your emotions somewhere, whether it is a sport or a hobby. Many cannot learn to switch and then their life turns into one continuous stress that leads to psychological illness.

That's right, the service industry selects "moral strong men" - people who treat their work and customers in a special way. You can tolerate the situation or behavior of the client, or you can manage them. This is the difference between a beginner and a professional.

Emotional exhaustion

And yet, when you have to process several dozen clients a day, and sometimes two or three are enough, emotional fatigue begins. A person begins to withdraw into himself, apathy appears, and the usual relaxation no longer saves. “At the end of the day, you just want to be silent - you get very tired from communication!” - this phrase often slips among experienced sellers and service managers.

The thing is that during direct communication with clients, a state of mental tension arises, accompanied by changes in emotions (experiences, anxieties, fears, joy) - this is very tiring. That is why, at the interview, many employers try to test the applicant for stress resistance.

If a candidate reacts too emotionally to a non-standard situation - this means that he will not cope with regular shake-ups at the workplace - he will simply “burn out” at work. Read more about professional burnout here. The ability (or gift) to control the level of one's emotional arousal is very valuable in working with people, and that is why there is such a turnover in sales - there are very few such people!

Young employees simply cannot stand the flow of other people's thoughts and emotions, they feel every day that they are simply “sucked out” by clients and the desire to work in a beautiful office and a white shirt immediately disappears. The flow of all kinds of people: pleasant and not pleasant, rude and stupid, self-satisfied and critical, young and old, does not allow a beginner to relax even for a minute. And it is useless and pointless to fight with yourself, and even more so with a client! Therefore, it is not uncommon to meet a successful manager in middle age. Which employee is better - young or old, read here .

What is the hardest thing about working with people?

This is the ability to work with people, namely, to possess knowledge that will help you choose the right negotiating position and the right words in a timely manner. To do this, you need to understand where the situation is working, and where there is a transition to the individual and respond correctly to this. It is the correct reaction to what the client says that distinguishes a professional from a beginner.

"Experience" - you will say and you will be right, everything comes with experience, a person gets used to everything and to negativity too. But how to gain experience in that which exhausts and brings discouragement? Only a professional approach will give you the answers!

So, in order:

Communication skill. Despite the fact that we regularly communicate with each other, it is necessary to communicate with the client correctly. We analyzed the rules of communication with the client in detail here, but in short, business communication excludes:

  • Words are parasites (sho, che, aha, in short, etc.).
  • Interrupting an opponent. The client should be able to express their thoughts. Many novice sales managers do not wait for a pause and try to quickly transcend to the offer and sale.
  • Lack of knowledge of negotiation techniques and your product. There are special methods of communication with the client that help build a dialogue with maximum efficiency. You can read more about this in the article “Win-win principle in sales” and “How to negotiate with a client?”.

Listen. Although communication with people is a huge part of our daily life, communication with friends and with clients is very different. The most difficult thing in working with a client is learning to listen to the client, but at the same time manage the conversation. Talking to a client is not difficult, but making your dialogue help sell is already a skill!

In any conversation there are phrases-signals, we talked about them in detail here, they help to identify the hidden meaning that the interlocutor deliberately hides. Novice sales managers often do not understand the reasons for the refusal of the client, and all this is because they do not know how to listen to him.

And think about it, are there many people around you that you would like to listen to day and night? Not? And no wonder. Man is selfish and designed to dominate at every opportunity. We like to talk more so that we are listened to, and not we listened to someone. It turns out that if a client speaks or wants to say something, a professional seller must have the patience to listen to him and decipher the stop phrases. It requires composure, endurance, tact and, above all, desire.

Excellence. Clients like to be taller than you. This is due to the fact that they are buyers and they have money. If the client does not like something, he will turn around and leave, and you will be left with nothing. Understanding this, the client wants respect and a sense of superiority. This often hurts our pride, because we are also people. It turns out that in order to give the client what he wants, you need to suppress the desire to dominate in yourself: to be clever, to be cheeky, to “taunt”, to mock, to humiliate, to seem more significant and important.

Not visible result. If a turner makes a part, a designer creates a mechanism, a doctor treats people, then working with clients is not tangible - you will never touch your result. "What can you do? …. I can communicate with people!” sounds strange, doesn't it? A sales manager, consultant or service manager will never hear what, for example, a builder will hear: “What a beautiful house you built!” or designer: "Awesome design, how did you do it?" This is the problem of all humanitarian professions - internal devastation, not seeing the result of their work.

Stress. Whatever one may say, but working with people will always be stressful, as we have already said above - all people are different. The client-contact professions all have this shortcoming. Each of us digests stress at work in different ways: some went beyond the threshold of the office and everything went away, while others are very worried, which leads to a deterioration in their health.

Benefits of working with people

And yet, let's find the pluses, because they certainly are!

  • Fascinating. Working with clients is very interesting, because each person is unique and it's funny to fix it in their behavior, manner of speaking, actions. This can become a serious personality development hobby.
  • Clear. Work in a store, office, salon - not dusty. You don't mine coal, you don't chop meat in a freezer, you don't sweep dusty streets, you don't drill concrete all day, and so on. A clean and bright room, music, a computer, clean clothes - it's nice, don't you agree?
  • Salary of a successful sales manager may exceed the salary of a production manager or chief mechanic (foreman). Isn't that a plus?
  • Demand for the profession. Open the Internet and see how many current vacancies for a sales manager? Hundreds, or even thousands. This means that good "salespeople" are needed everywhere and always, there would be a desire to work.

Pins

In addition to sales, there are many professions that require constant communication: teachers, presenters, psychologists, etc.

Learn more