The first type of car sales jobs is an actual car salesman.  Having done this myself there are alot of things that are included in this job.  Just like with any sales job, you have to believe in what you are selling.  If you don’t like cars, this is definitely NOT the job for you, but if you love cars, look forward to seeing the new models, and if you love features this job is absolutely for you!  As a salesman you are on the front lines so to speak.  You are the first person a client meets so you really represent the dealership as a whole.  Used car dealers have a horrible stereotype of being greasy lying cheats.  As a car salesman you can start to change this public opinion of car salesmen.  It is very easy to become a car salesman and there are many jobs available.

What do you need to become a car salesman?  The process is very easy to be a salesman for an auto dealership.  Most state governments require the salesman to register with the state, get fingerprints on file, and take a basic automotive sales class to obtain a state salesman license.  Once you have this license you can work for any car dealership in the state.  Each state has it’s own specific rules so make sure you double check with your state legislative requirements before soliciting dealerships to work for them.

How much do you get paid?  You can really make some decent money as a car salesman.  When i was in the business i made $400 dollars per car sold.  Every dealership runs a little differently.  Some dealers give you a flat fee per sale of car, while others give you a percentage of the overall sale price on the final contract.  Try and find a big dealership that gets a lot of business as you will have the greatest opportunity of making the most money possible.  When i worked at a dealership this last summer i sold about 5-10 cars a month which turned out to be pretty good money.  The nice thing is that a car sale only really takes a couple of hours at the most, so when you look at hours spent selling, its an awesome payout!

The other type of salesman job is to be a car sales manager.  Usually you cannot get hired for this type of position without already have been a regular salesman.   The car sales manager motivates and keeps track of regular salesman numbers.  If a salesman encounters a problem, it is usually the managers job to clear up a big issue with a client and also work closely with the financing department to ensure the sale goes through smoothly.  Sales managers also have authority to change sales prices on cars and sweeten deals for clients. 

What does it take to be a salesman?  Perseverance and patience are the key to succeeding in this type of job.  Some days you will sell 3 cars, then then you may not sell a car for a week.  Even though it may not be as consistent as you would like, you can still make a very big payday when the cars sell.  A salesman has the primary responsibility to show the car to the client.  This includes explaining features and answering client questions.  Once the client picks out a vehicle it is the salesman’s job to fill out proper sales contracts and make sure financing is either arranged through the dealership or through a third party financier.  This job is not for everyone, but if you love cars and love to talk to people and do honest business, this is definitely the job for you!