by Toni Foyer

Created on: October 04, 2009   Last Updated: October 05, 2009

It's amazing that even with the economy in a downturn, there are still many jobs that can provide a great living and many of these jobs are in sales. According to Managesmarter.com, the executive recruiting firm known as Execunet conducted a survey and found that in July of 2009 sales was the fastest growing field for executive jobs. The increase in sales positions is always a good indicator that many markets are recovering during a recession.

One thing is certain; no matter how the economy is doing, the healthcare industry will always be thriving. So this leads to lucrative sales jobs in pharmaceutical sales and medical equipment sales. According to CNN.Money, pharmaceutical sales representatives have a median yearly earning of $93,000, while 10% of the reps are earning over $120,000. Typically, all is needed is an associates degree with some related experience. Often times these employers look for individuals that have worked in healthcare since their knowledge would be a great asset in the selling process.

Another position in sales that has amazing earning potential is a stockbroker. Although in recent years Wall Street has seen a drastic loss, depending on what you trade, some brokers have been able to not only stay afloat but actually come out of this financial crisis with substantial commissions. The key to success in being a broker is to know what industries or markets will do well especially in this economy. Some areas still unaffected by the recession have been energy, healthcare and biotech companies and foreign owned car companies. Also, stockbrokers are required by law to obtain special licensing in order to sell to their clients

Software industry is another industry that is hot right now. High-tech is not only on the rebound but is exploding with all the new technology that has been introduced to consumers within the last few years. Sales people though need to be tech savvy in order to build a strong reputation and build their business. These sales people need to understand the importance of consultative selling which means to create solutions for their clients needs.

Lastly, an industry that has been steady throughout the years has been insurance. The insurance industry has had a stigma of overselling to customers and its been difficult for many companies to recruit for their businesses. However, many companies are focusing on new hires because of the increase in lines of business for insurance. Insurance no longer deals with just healthcare, home, life and auto these days. Agents are now diversifying themselves by selling products and services for retirement, estate planning, mutual funds as well as securities. Licensing is also required for insurance agents and must be obtained in the state in which they will be working.

These are just a few positions in sales that are considered hot right now and with the economy slowing seeing an upward swing, more companies will start to recruit for their sales teams.

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