for the past few years I've been working as a sales rep in retail wine for a major wine distributor. I make ok cash, am college educated, and live somewhat comfortably for a single young dude. The only problem is I work way too damn much. Pretty much 7 days a week and no holidays. Every morning I wake up from calls and texts from angry stores or angry management and they are both mad about opposite ends of the same issue. It's impossible to please both of them. I dealt with it at first but it's taking its toll. I am sick and tired of dealing with retail stores. Bunch of dicks. The pressure from management to try and push product onto these dicks is unreal. I just have had it. I'd take a pay cut to just enjoy life a little more. I recently tried to move to the liquor side of the business but they had no openings. Can anyone suggest a career path? I've heard things about pharmaceutical sales. Probably will look into it. Anyway, if any of you wake up every morning and hate the **** out of your job, I feel you. Also if any of you have ever worked on premise alcohol after working off premise can you tell me if your quality of life and overall happiness improved?
you're mistake was not anticipating this so you could plan a peaceful, easy, exit or transition. now you're planning an exit but you've already reached your wits end. I have no experience in the spirits business and I don't have any suggestions for career path but I would advise you to put your big boy pants on, work your ass off to do both your current job and find your next. if you can put all that sick and tired, angry, energy into a job search your next career could start very soon.
Honestly just airing it out in this post and making up my mind gives me sort of a light at the end of the tunnel way of thinking. Big boy pants are on! Just now I need to know where to start looking! I just can't bring myself to go through another holiday season so I have a good while before that. Thanks for the tough love good sir
If you can sell, you really should be able to find a job in any industry you want. I would work my ass off and put aside as much money as possible. Then when you're really ready to start looking for another career, you won't be desperate enough to take the 1st thing that comes along because you'll have some money in the bank. You're young and single....this is the time to find something you really want to do. It's a lot harder after you're married and even moreso when you have kids. Good luck!
I'm a people-person. Always have been. I can find common ground with pretty much anybody. I was a bar manager through college and thought the natural transition would be alcohol distributor but instead of bars I got stuck in retail where it's more a game of deception over actually representing your brand.
If you are a good salesman, your skills should translate. It does not need to be in just wine and spirits, I'm assuming. I had a buddy that years ago was a salesman for Miller. The beer sales trade is much more relaxed, with a lot of golf and sporting events, but it is still a 6-7 day a week job. Because of the industry my father was in, I always worked with home construction suppliers. Maybe look into sales for lumber, trim material, appliances (commercial or residential, but in the construction industry, not retail), etc. It was tough work, but usually a 5 day a week job.
You should start not giving a damn. People are going to stick their boot up your ass if you let them. Bonus: being an uncaring dick gets you laid much more.
I have a friend that was a wine rep too. I heard the same complaints. She quit and opened a franchised gym recently. So it's to be continued....
The problem with not giving a darn in a sales job is that your performance is directly correlated to your income. If you start doing a crappy job, your paycheck dives.
It sounds like you work for Republic National. How about becoming a merchandiser for the company? Would be a pay cut but a lot less hassle and you dont have to deal with customers.
Well, you do have a pretty good source and supply of wine to mollify the pain. Good luck with whatever decision you make.
I feel your pain. Ive been in a sales job for about 6 years now and I am getting burnt out. Our owner has slowly started losing his mind ever since he moved out of the city and only sees our performance through his laptop while sipping coffee in his own home or at some upscale coffee shop. I have just been biting my tounge in the worst times and like said above putting some cash aside while working on my resume. Good luck to you on your next move.
Good luck, don't stay in a situation you hate for too long. There's always other options. I'm also in sales, and know the feeling of being over promised, lied to, etc.....you can only take so much BS.
you should get away from sales imo. Doesn't sound like its right for you. Find a routine desk job. The routine can be annoying, but it makes it easy to manage your free time as that's consistent too.
