How do you handle a full commission sales job???

[cristina47454]

DH has an interview on Tuesday. He is excited about it bcs he feels like there is a lot potential for earning. I'm not so sure. Currently he has cobbled a bunch of side jobs together and we are (somehow) paying all of our bills - even though this months expenses were $1000 (!) higher than usual (oil bill, life ins., orthodontist). But these side jobs can't last forever, and we won't survive if he has to get back on a roof for $20/hr.

We've done full commission before. I HATED not knowing how much money we could be expecting from month to month and felt like we were constantly having to stockpile in case he had a lean month which makes it IMPOSSIBLE to pay off debt. I'm just feeling very nervous. Seems like it's not the economy to be in a sales position, esp. of building products!

I also hated that previously he was mostly working nights and weekends, which of course is manageable, but not ideal. His current plan is to try to get this job, keep his side jobs going, and look for a better job somewhere in there. HOw many hours are there in a day?? He's already on the verge of burnout. We've been at this for a long time! Ugh.

Any insight? Any full commission sales people out there that are doing ok? Questions he should ask at the interview? It's for Anderson windows (if that makes a difference) in a fairly "good" territory, and all of his leads would be generated for him, apparently.

[BetsyS]

My stepfather owns his own business, so in effect, he's full comission. He has a window and door business.

It's hard. I won't lie. It's hard. But, somehow they make it and do okay. But, I know that my mom stays out of the money because it just makes her worry.

My dh on the other hand also sells building materials, but wholesale. He's 50/50 salary/comission. It completely stresses dh out that we're unable to live completely on the salary part, and we need him to make a certain amount of comission. Comissions haven't been that great in the last year or two or three. We're choosing to downsize our housing, for instance, to keep me being a SAHM. He always says his next job will be 100% salary.

Some of this has to do with personality. Dh is incredibly risk adverse. My stepdad loves the risk and thrives on it. It's just a matter of knowing what will work for you, imo.

[bobandjess99]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

Some of this has to do with personality. Dh is incredibly risk adverse. My stepdad loves the risk and thrives on it. It's just a matter of knowing what will work for you, imo.

This totally. *I* personally couldn't do it. I have ZERO ability to live with the constant unknown, the stress, the worry. I would take a minimum wage McDonalds job over a commision job, even if the "potential" was 6 figures. Other people thrive on it.

[philomom]

In this economy... I think its a very bad idea.

[angelcollector1]

I have never been willing to take a commission only job due to knowing that I needed the $ to support my kids once I was widowed. They are grown now, so that's no longer an issue and 80% of the companies that do what my profession is are Straight commission or draw from commission... I still won't consider it - especially in this economy and the rate of unemployment at this time. For the record I'm a recruiter/headhunter.