The vast majority of people who turn to a sales recruitment agency or advertisements for sales vacancies tend to just look out for full-time jobs. They can offer greater security as you can negotiate longer hours, plus they usually pay more than roles with shorter hours attached. However, part-time sales roles can offer their own advantages, including flexibility, more time to network and the chance to step out of your comfort zone to discover new skills and experiences.
Here are some more reasons why you should not overlook what a part-time sales recruitment agency can offer when you are looking for your next sales position.
Find Greater Flexibility And More Spare Time
Many people actively choose to work part-time if they can afford to, or while receiving income from other avenues as well. This is because it frees up more time for them to pursue training courses, hobbies, other jobs and socialising with friends and family. Often, part-time jobs work better for parents and carers of younger children. They allow them greater flexibility to be available for school runs, for daytime events and to look after children if they are unwell, or during school holidays. This can also apply to job-sharing arrangements, which are another way to enjoy the flexibility of part-time employment.
Part-Time Sales Roles Deliver Greater Variety At Work
Many people find that, after a while, their job becomes more routine and less engaging if they are required to do the same tasks over and over again. Choosing part-time sales roles allows easier movement between jobs to find more variety and gain experience and skills in multiple sectors and industries. You can also find variety within the same role, for example, if you take on fixed-term projects that come to an end and are immediately replaced by another one with new aims and task lists. Finally, if the organisation employs a lot of part-time salespeople, you may find that you work with different colleagues at different times, adding even more variety to your day.
Get Opportunities From Networking And Contacts
Part-time roles often come with additional networking opportunities and the chance to make valuable business contacts. You may find yourself with more time on your hands to attend industry events, get to know colleagues socially and join groups associated with your chosen sector. You could also meet more people if you take on more than one part-time sales role at once since you will have multiple teams of work colleagues to build relationships with and exchange knowledge.
Develop New Skills
If you are at the start of your sales career, a part-time sales role can teach you skills that a full-time job may not. For example, you will learn how to manage your time better and how to fit a busy job into fewer paid hours. If you take on more than one part-time sales job or balance it with a different type of work, hobby or voluntary activity, you will need to work out how to balance your various responsibilities and appointments, leading to increased planning skills and scheduling experience.
Push Boundaries
Taking on any new sales role will help you develop personal skills and attributes, such as self-confidence, meeting new people, learning USPs about a product or service quickly and the art of persuasion and negotiation. Having a part-time role will help you push these types of boundaries even further and take you out of your comfort zone. This is because you may be juggling it with other jobs or activities. Plus, you may move from one part-time role to another fairly swiftly, helping you learn how to adapt to change and ‘hit the ground running’ when faced with a new situation.
Avoid Gaps In Your CV
If you have any sizable gaps in your employment history on your CV, this can put some companies off from even interviewing you. Many organisations prefer an unbroken track record to show that you are committed to working and progressing in your career. If you are finding it hard to find a full-time sales job that suits your skills and career goals, taking a part-time role instead can help fill the gap. It can also help keep your sales knowledge and skills sharp, ready for when you are able to take on a full-time role, or progress in a different direction.