Salesmen are a big problem to their bosses, customers and wives, to credit managers, hotels, and sometimes to each other. Individually and collectively they are cursed and discussed in sales meetings, conventions, behind closed doors, in bar rooms and under one’s breath from many angles, and with much fervor.

They make more noise and more mistakes, create more cheer, correct more errors, adjust more differences, spread more gossip, explain more discrepancies,, hear more grievances, pacify more belligerences, and waste more time under pressure, all without losing their temper, than any class we know – including ministers. They live in hotels, cabs and tents, on trains, buses, and park benches, eat all kinds of food, drink all kinds of liquids – both good and bad – sleep before, during and after business hours with no more schedule than the weather bureau, and with no sympathy from the office.

They come in at the most inappropriate time, under the slightest pretext, stay longer than desired and under more opposition, ask more personal questions, and take more granted under greater resistance than anyone on the face of this earth.

Yet salesmen are a power in society and in the public economy. In many ways they are a tribute unto themselves. They are the ones who introduce more new goods, dispose of more old goods, load or move more freight cars, unload more ships, build more factories, start more businesses, and write more debits and credits in ledgers than anyone else. With all their faults, they keep the wheels of commerce turning, and the currents of human emotions running. More cannot be said of any man. Be careful whom you call a salesman, lest you flatter him.

Every once in a while, one comes to a crossroad. I reached one a few days ago. Unlike the clichéd – one hard and the other easy, both the paths were difficult and both were (un)fortunately right. There was no wrong. And I had to choose between the two. What was it? What came of it? Let me just say, I am looking forward to a long and hopefully rewarding career in sales.

I got an offer from HP. The pay was perhaps not the best. I could have done much better if I had gone for the campus recruitment; perhaps up to 30% more than what HP is offering. But I took HP, with a lower pay for just one reason. It helps me keep my options open. I would start with Sales in IT Hardware and solutions. Some years down the line I could look at software, telecom or even soap!

IT has always been first love, and maybe for once sales is taking over that love of mine. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced: Sales is a way of life. As I look forward to what awaits me in another 5 months I hope to embrace it and make it part of me. About the journey as an MBA, next post!