By Richard F. Libin, President, APB

Seven Basic Reasons Salespeople Fail

All too often businesses are comprised of frustrated salespeople who seem to fail more often than they succeed.  While there are hundreds of “reasons” for this – personality lack of training, product, etc. – the responsibility lies with both the salesperson andmanagement.  To improve their success rate, salespeople should consider these seven common reasons for failure and take action to ensure they get back on track for success.

Keeping these seven reasons for failure in mind and developing action plans to avoid F-A-I-L-U-R-E traps is the first step on the road to a successful career in sales.

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Richard F. Libin, a master sales educator, author, and President of APB, deftly demonstrates ways that salespeople kill sales every day, often without knowing in his second edition of his book, Who Stopped the Sale?.  He provides common sense advice and practical tips that will help close more business at higher margins, and delivers realistic strategies for engaging customers, overcoming internal and personal roadblocks to success and learning not to stop the sale.

By Heather R. Huhman

Even the best jobs have the chance to turn into something you no longer yearn for. Some say all good things must come to an end, but in the case of a bad job, it’s best not to put off your departure.

In spite of the economy, there are plenty of fish in the sea or, rather, other jobs available that make you happy. (Yes, even in this economy.) While everyone has a bad day at work, it’s important to understand the glaring signs guiding you in the direction of a new job.

Here are 10 signs a job break-up might be the next step in your career:

1. The company is in decline. It’s time to get out now while the ship is still afloat. Times are tough for many companies, and it’s crucial you’re aware of what’s going on at your company. If your current employer is experiencing a downward spiral, it may be time to exit swiftly.

2. You’re bored. If you’re no longer challenged at work, it’s likely your work is suffering. This might be a great time to break up with your current position and move onto something new, perhaps even within the same company. Consider having a professional, solution-driven conversation with your manager to get to the bottom of this situation. 

3. Learning has ceased. Professional development is crucial throughout your career. If your work has stopped teaching you something new, it might be time to move on. Professional development is a beneficial aspect of career success and should be taken into consideration when seeking out a new position.

4. Your health is declining. Experiencing large amounts of stress, anxiety, and fear can have long-term effects on your health and bad jobs generally provide all of those. Whether physical or mental, deteriorating health isn’t something anyone should face due to their job.

5. You’ve found something new. Sometimes new employment opportunities can appear out of nowhere. While the grass certainly isn’t always greener at a new company, this is the best case scenario when it comes to leaving a position.

6. You’re having nightmares about your workplace. On-the-job dreams tend to happen to those individuals invested in their work, but it’s the recurring nightmares you should take into consideration.

7. Your gut says “go.” Trusting yourself is essential to successfully leaving a bad employment situation. If you truly believe you’d be happier at another company or in another position, it’s time to move on.

8. You and your company don’t share the same core values. Matching your values to your company’s values is a necessity when it comes to long-term employment. If your current employer doesn’t share the same visions or values as you, it might be time to seek out someone who does.

9. You’ve lost sight of your career goals. Big or small, the goals you set for your career are important. It’s easy to find yourself working at a job for longer than you’ve expected and completely veering away from your original goals. Take some time to reassess and seek out positions that will set you back on track.

10. You’re being mistreated. No one should have to deal with workplace bullying, sexual harassment, or any other kind of reprehensible behavior. Assess your current situation and be sure to share what has been happening to you with human resources. Never be afraid to leave a position in which you are experiencing mistreatment.

Reaching your career goals often means making crucial decisions about your happiness in regard to your current position. Use these signs to help you understand if a new job is in your future.

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Heather R. Huhman is a Glassdoor career and workplace expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. She is also the instructor of Find Me A Job: How To Score A Job Before Your Friends, author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships (2011) and #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.

By Donna Fuscaldo

In a perfect world, you love your job and your boss. But often times it’s one or the other. If you enjoy your position at a company, but can’t say the same about your supervisor, there are ways to manage your manager short of quitting.

“You have to determine if it’s an isolated situation or if it’s a pattern,” says Stephen J. Johnson author of THE SACRED PATH: The Way of the Spiritual Warrior. “It’s important to determine if it’s a boss issue or an employee issue.”

Anyone who has been in a situation where they’ve worked for a difficult boss knows it’s easy to blame their supervisor. But that may not be entirely factual, which is why career experts say the best way to handle a tough boss is to get to the bottom of the problem.

“If you think your boss is difficult, the question is: Is he difficult for me or do our styles naturally clash?” says Julie Bauke, career strategist, president of The Bauke Group, and author of Stop Peeing on our Shoes: Avoiding the 7 Mistakes That Screw Up Your Job Search. For instance, maybe you are the independent type that wants an assignment, deadline and to be left alone to complete it, but the boss is a micromanager constantly requesting updates and looking over your shoulder. If it’s a managing style that has the two of you clashing, then career experts say it’s up to you to figure out how to make it work. If giving weekly updates will keep your boss at bay then do it if you value and want to keep your job. 

Polling your co-workers is a surefire way to get a sense of whether or not your boss is universally difficult or if there’s something going on between the two of you. If the general consensus is your boss is a jerk, then you have to determine if the boss’s days are numbered and you can stick it out or he or she has an in with the CEO and will be there long after you. If it looks like your boss won’t be leaving anytime soon and you can’t stand another day, then it’s best to work elsewhere.

If it turns out that your boss gets along great with everybody but you, it’s a good idea to confront the situation instead of letting it simmer long enough for it to erupt. According to Bauke, talking to co-workers about your boss may provide the insight needed to make it work.

“It’s just like oil and water; find someone that does work well with your boss and ask them why their relationship seems successful,” says Bauke. Get tips on how to speak your manager’s language and to improve the relationship, she says. Talking to your boss directly about what could be a misunderstanding that has created this environment will not only help repair the relationship, but prevent you from landing on a lay off list. Bauke says to also build relationships with other mangers in the organization so you have allies if your boss wants to put you on the layoff list or pass you over for a promotion.

Unfortunately, often it’s not the employee who is the problem, but the boss whose behavior goes beyond difficult to abusive. According to Ronald E. Riggio of the Henry R. Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology Kravis Leadership Institute, if you work for an abusive boss it can negatively impact your mental and physical health. “Working for a bad boss can be very stressful, and psychological stress can lead to physical health problems,” says Riggio.

In the case of an abusive boss it may be best to quit. But, if you can’t or won’t quit, Riggio says it’s important to document the bad behavior including dates, times, specific descriptions of the actions and how they made you feel. You can confront your boss and explain how you feel, or if that will get you no where you can approach HR about the problem. Legal action is another option, but Riggio says there are costs associated with that and it can be risky because it’s not easy to prove. “Getting into a prolonged ‘battle,’ such as a legal action or one that triggers retaliation could make the stress even worse, but doing nothing doesn’t make any sense. No one should have to endure supervisory behavior that crosses the line of decent treatment of others,” he says.

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Donna Fuscaldo is a freelance journalist hailing out of Long Island, New York. Donna writes for numerous online publications including FoxBusiness.com, Bankrate.com, AARP.com, Insurance.com and Houselogic.com. As a personal finance reporter for years, Donna provides invaluable advice on everything from saving money to landing that dream job. She also writes a weekly column for FoxBusiness.com focused on technology for small businesses. Previously, Donna was an equities reporter for Dow Jones Newswires and a special contributor to the Wall Street Journal. Through the Glassdoor Blog, Donna will provide tips on how to find a job and more importantly keep it.