A sales trainee prepares to become a salesperson who will sell a company's products or services. His goal is to learn about the products and services he will sell and become the best salesperson possible. If he meets this goal, he can potentially make a lot of money for the company that hires him and secure a good deal of money for himself in the form of commissions, wages, and bonuses. As such, most sales trainees learn how to generate leads, make effective sales pitches, and close sales. They may also learn how to get past the most common reasons potential customers give for refusing to purchase a product or service.
There are many different ways in which a sales trainee can prepare to become a salesperson. Some companies provide sales training classes in person or online. Many provide manuals or videos a trainee can study as well. In some cases, tests are involved. For example, a sales trainee may have to study a company's product descriptions, processes, and specifications and then take a test of his knowledge before he begins selling on his own.
A sales trainee may also spend a significant amount of time watching experienced sales people in action. For example, a trainee may follow a salesperson when he assists customers or sit with him as he makes sales calls. By doing so, he can learn how to make a sales pitch and communicate with customers. In time, he may begin to interact with customers on his own, and sometimes the more experienced salesperson will then observe the trainee. After this occurs, the more experienced salesperson may make suggestions on how the trainee can improve his sales technique.
In many cases, a high school diploma is required when a person wants to become a sales trainee, but most people don't need college degrees. Most employers are more interested in a candidate's abilities as a salesperson than his educational background. Some exceptions to this, however, are in situations that require a person to sell a highly technical or specialized product or service. In such a case, a prospective employer may give preference to an individual with a degree in a related major, such as engineering or medicine; marketing and business degrees aren't usually necessary but may interest some employers as well. Even in the case of technical products, however, many employers are willing to hire individuals who have experience in the industry rather than a formal education.