Get a Job in Sales

A friend once gave me advice about résumés: your first few jobs should be a server and a sales associate. For me, I was a server at my first job in a panini restaurant, and having experience in a fast-paced restaurant setting helped me have a greater appreciation for servers. I became more aware of what servers go through on a daily basis like knowing how to politely respond to unhappy customers. More importantly, being a server was a stepping stone to my sales associate job at Brooks Brothers, and my employers were looking for someone with strong customer service skills. When I worked for Brooks Brothers, I learned a very important, versatile skill: how to sell with confidence. To get a sale, I was taught to sell the benefits of a product, become the customer’s friend by making small talk, and be approachable by smiling and asking how you can help them.

I wanted to share that my time in sales has paid off because my dad, who is an oil painter, won a $1000 award with my help. This past weekend I helped my dad set up his booth at the Lake Mary Heathrow Festival of the Arts, and on Saturday judging began. I was helping to watch the tent while my dad was away for a break and the final judge arrived to survey my dad’s paintings, and during that time I conversed with her and explained the stories behind the paintings and about my dad’s career as a Disney animation artist. The things I told the judge were about how he goes on location to take reference photos of his models in South Dakota, that his favorite painting was about an actor friend who collected antique guns and cowboy costumes, and the movies my dad worked on like Mulan, Pocahontas, and other big names. The judge liked my storytelling so much and decided to return a few hours later with all the other judges who awarded my dad with an award of excellence. The final judge thanked my dad for his wonderful work and repeatedly said, “You should thank your daughter.” I don’t wish to sound conceited but if I wasn’t there at the festival or if I decided to take a break, then we wouldn’t have won $1000. My dad is not comfortable with expressing his creative thought process in English, which makes him feel less confident in selling his paintings with words, and this was one of the main reasons I attended the festival and I’m glad I did. We are still new to the sidewalk art festival scene and this was the second show my dad attended, so not bad for achieving an award on the second try.

I believe what turned the tables in our favor was:

1. The striking realism and detail

2. Nobody did western/cowboy paintings

3. I knew how to sell because of my time at Brooks Brothers

Links to my dad’s paintings and his animation portfolio