This Working Mom Has a Ton of Trust and Freedom at Her Job Heres How

This Working Mom Has a Ton of Trust and Freedom at Her Job Heres How Working in sale can be intimidating it requires persistence, energy, and sometimes a thick skin. But Carly Shipley, a Key Account Manager at Continental, advises anyone whos considering a career in ausverkauf to go for it. It can sound scary, but its super rewarding in the end, she says.Of course, bedrngnis all schlussverkauf jobs are created equal. Shipley is fortunate to work at a company that wholeheartedly trusts its employees, which has allowed her to flourish throughout her career. In addition to having the freedom to make her own decisions, shes able to schedule her time with flexibility which is especially helpful for her as a mom of a 2-year-old and 4-month-old.No one questions what youre doing if youre performing well, Shipley explains. Its a very self-driven culture.How long have you been in your current role, and what were you doing previously?I joined Continental straight out of college as a field sal es representative and have been with the company for nine years. I majored in Professional Sales and Marketing at the University of Toledo and found out about Continental at career fair. I welches drawn to the company because of the wide range of products and industries it touches. I also knew there would be lots of opportunity and liked the idea that I wouldnt be stuck working on one product for my whole career.My first role was a travel position, which was nice right out of college not having to pay rent I worked with dealers across the U.S., (I had several months of training, and then got my own territory to manage.)What does your typical work day look like?Now, that I am a key account manager, my typical day involves traveling to see customers or conducting customer meetings over Skype. Working with customers is the best part I dont do well sitting still and could never work a standard 8-to-5 job.Whats the best part of working at Continental?The best part is that I have the free dom to make my own decisions and schedule in fact, Freedom to Act is a core value of the company.If I need to go to the doctor or if my daughter is sick, I know I have the flexibility to do so and that no one is judging me for it. Theres a lot of trust here no one questions what youre doing if youre performing well. Its a very self-driven culture.Im also energized by the work itself, and I love seeing how my efforts can positively impact customers. One of the most exciting projects I worked on recently was a project for a customer who was developing a new product. It was a fun project to be a part of from start to finish, and I enjoyed helping them work through their challenges and theyre now the largest account I haveWhats the most unique opportunity youve received as a sales professional at Continental? Traveling abroad my first business trip was just two weeks out of college, and I got to travel to our Corporate Headquarters in Hanover, Germany. It was my first time in Europe. We usually have an annual global sales conference in a different location each year. Its fun to reconnect with colleagues from all over the world. Im from a small town in Ohio, so getting that global experience and working with people from different cultures has been really cool.Whats the No. 1 piece of advice you have for women who travel for work?Before taking on a job that involves travel, know what the expectations are and what you should expect yourself. Utilize the tools you have, such as Skype. Now that I have mora established customer relationships, I ask myself if I absolutely need to travel or if I can Skype. My husband also travels for work, so we have a shared Google travel calendar which helps us balance work and family life.Whats something you think most people dont know about working in sales that you think they should?People think sales is simple, fun and glamorous, but the highs are very high and lows are low. Rejection is always difficult. You may need a thick ski n to handle it. Being a female in sales can be tough, especially in certain industries. Some customers seem to always question first what you know, and you may have to work harder to prove yourself than your male colleagues do. But use your strengths, listen, be organized, and be confident.Whats the one career move youve made that youre most proud of?My jump from field sales to key account manager. It was my first manager role, and I relocated to our tire headquarters in South Carolina for it. I miss living near my family, but I also love living in the Carolinas.I went through leadership development training to prepare me for the new role Continental is good at preparing employees for their next steps and really invests in the development of their employees.Whats your No. 1 piece of advice for women who are looking for jobs in sales right now?Be confident in yourself and the fact that you can do it. A lot of women dont see sales as something they can do, but I think women are natura lly good salespeople because we listen and are organized. Sales isnt what most people envision it is. You dont have to be pushy. You just need to listen to your customers needs and provide them with the right information.--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Continental. Find a job there today