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What Is The Perception Of Economics Students About A Career In Sales?

Author

Listed:
  • Vlad Diaconescu

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

Students’ perception regarding a career in sales has long been studied, especially in the US, but with fewer studies in Europe. There is less research in Romania. The present paper questions students from five faculties within the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, the number of valid answers being 167. The main research results show that although they do not have a negative perception on the field, as it was generally indicated by the previous studies carried out in the Anglo-Saxon countries, students are not very attracted to a career in sales as a first professional option. The situation changes to some extent if there is a firm job offer that many more would accept. Another important aspect is the influence of socio-demographic variables on the decision to pursue a career in sales, with particular regard to differences between boys and girls and income levels. Although in general, they believe that the subjects studied in college would be of use for them in order to work in sales, most of the students do not intend to make this professional choice. The overall conclusion of the study is that students from Bucharest University of Economic Studies do not have a deepened knowledge of the field, and the lack of interest in a sales job is the result of the unawareness of this field rather than a negative perception.

Suggested Citation

  • Vlad Diaconescu, 2019. "What Is The Perception Of Economics Students About A Career In Sales?," Cactus - The tourism journal for research, education, culture and soul, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 1(1), pages 12-21.
    • Handle: RePEc:bum:cactus:v:1:y:2019:i:1:p:12-21
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Moncrief, William C. & Babakus, Emin & Cravens, David W. & Johnston, Mark W., 2000. "Examining Gender Differences in Field Sales Organizations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 245-257, September.
    2. Oh, Hyunjoo & Weitz, Barton & Lim, Jeremy, 2016. "Retail career attractiveness to college students: Connecting individual characteristics to the trade-off of job attributes," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 345-354.
    3. Banjo Hassan & Olufemi Ogunkoya, 2014. "Demographic Variables and Job Performance: Any Link? (A Case of Insurance Salesmen)," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 10(4), pages 19-30, August.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sales; career; students’ perception; curricula; willingness to work in sales;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
    • L84 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Personal, Professional, and Business Services

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