Why do Universities Ignore Selling?

It has been almost a decade since I attended University and I see little change to the importance formal education puts on selling as a profession.  My father “told me that selling was a great back up plan” and I believed him. I went off to University with the hopes of becoming a lawyer. Being a lawyer is a nice solid profession as most describe it. Sure there are bottom feeding lawyers, just as there are bottom feeding everything else. Generally society sees lawyer, doctor, dentist, accountant as worthy professions to endorse. Why not selling?

I had high ambitions of going to law school, passing the bar and becoming a respected member of society. I had no real intentions of selling as a career. Both of my parents had and are still currently sales people and they have made a nice middle class life. Nothing wrong with that I thought; I felt I would achieve more.

Before I arrived at University some of the doors had already been closed to the different areas of study. I was not a great math or science student so many of the math and science courses were off limits. I was disappointed to find that not doing well in advanced math would prevent more from taking business as a major. I have since learned to be in business you don’t need either calculus or algebra; nonetheless it still prevented me from studying business in University.

I settled on a Bachelor of Arts as a good back up plan. I was mildly interested in politics and law so I decided to pursue those subjects. I studied a wide array of courses from psychology, to political science, and philosophy. During my University career I quickly understood just how many other students had made becoming a lawyer a goal of theirs as well. Doing some quick math on the number of law school’s and the number of graduates from law school each year I quickly realized law was being over supplied; too many graduates and not enough jobs.

The pool of law school graduates was large and getting larger. Competition was fierce; not to mention the fact that I wouldn’t be getting a real pay cheque until my mid-thirties I decided being a lawyer was not for me.

After I graduated I needed to find a job. I decided to try a Government position due to my interest in politics. Civil service really has no interaction with politics (I learned this after taking the job); rather it is more the function of processing the business of Government. I was thoroughly bored at this job.

After six months my parents sensed my boredom and shear lack of interest in my Government job and suggested I look for a job in sales. This had been my back up plan and it looked like a good time to exercise this option.

With no prior training in sales I applied for and attained a job selling home appliances wholesale. I instantly increased my income and got into a job more suited for someone that liked to meet people.  

Now having spent years in selling I realize what a fantastic career it can offer. I also question why selling has not been entered into the formal education system and fully endorsed by College or University. Even today you will struggle to find formal courses on selling at most higher learning facilities. Why is this?

If you were a high school student contemplating your future the option to choose a job that paid in the top 20% of salaries and required little to no physical labour, would sound like a good deal.

Likewise if you were a parent and your child came to you and said, ‘I am thinking of a career that could very likely pay $60-100k a year, with a company car or car allowance, paid expenses, and very strong long term career growth potential’, I am sure you would be thrilled. So why does formal education not make more of an effort to educate students on selling?

If you look at any major business your will find the following knowledge based departments:

                Finance

                Accounting

                Marketing

                Research and development (engineering)

                Information Technology

                Legal

                Sales

All with the exception of sales are offered at Universities in either a degree format or at very least course format.

I was recently waiting in the lobby for a recent sales meeting and I overheard a conversation I thought to be particularly interesting. The receptionist was describing to the other receptionist her back ground. She had achieved a degree in Science but had never worked in a science field. She described all of her jobs had been in reception or office administration capacities. I realize this story is one of observation however I have to ask, what is the use of a Science degree in today’s job market if you are not able to find relevant work in your chosen field? It would be even sadder; if this person had gone into debt to finance her Science degree and ended up working as a receptionist.

With the trends of the globalization manufacturing is being moved to cheaper foreign markets moving the need for engineering jobs to those markets as well. IT is being outsourced globally to India and China reducing jobs for Computer Science majors. The list can go on; however, products still need to be sold. Selling is just as vital as production, marketing, public relations, legal, finance and accounting to any major business. So why don’t we treat it as an equal in education?

I would like to see sales be adopted into the ‘worthy’ professional category as it is a fantastic way to make a career. Sales people from all industries should be proud to be in sales; and try to educate students and recent graduates whenever possible of the benefits a career in sales has to offer.

Don’t let formal education’s narrow focus fool you. Selling can and does make a lot of people wealthy and very happy both at the same time. Selling does not have to be a backup plan or a fall back. We should look at selling as a viable career and education people accordingly.

Please comment: Why do you think higher education has neglected selling as a profession?