Back to Dashboard Week 4
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Week 4 • Module 4

Choose Your Lane. Make Your Plan.

This is where it gets real. Not theory. Not someday. Right now, this week, you're going to make decisions and take specific actions. Let's build your plan.

The Gap Between Knowing and Doing

A lot of people finish a course like this and feel inspired—then do nothing. Not because they don’t want to. Because they don’t have a clear next move. Everything feels big and vague.

This module exists to close that gap. By the time you finish this page, you’ll know exactly which lane you’re targeting, what your income goal is, what you’re doing each week to get there, and how to walk into an interview ready.

Part 1: Choose Your Lane

You’ve seen the landscape in Week 3. You’ve thought about the questions. Now commit—even tentatively. You can change direction. What you can’t do is move forward without one.

Write your answers:

The lane I’m targeting first:

SDR / BDR

Best entry point

Account Executive

Closing lane

Customer Success

Retention lane

Inside Sales / B2C

Volume + speed

1099 / Independent

Full flexibility

Still deciding

That’s okay

The industry I want to be in (first preference):

Your experience in any industry is a targeting advantage. You already speak the language.

Why I chose this lane (be honest with yourself):

Part 2: Set Your Income Targets

Vague goals produce vague results. “I want to make more money” is not a target. A target is specific, time-bound, and tied to real numbers. Set three levels.

🏁 Entry Target — What I need to feel the difference

This is the income level that would meaningfully improve your situation right now. Be honest.

Monthly target:

Annual target:

Reference: Entry-level comp varies widely by industry, company, and region. Use Week 3’s Real Numbers module as your guide to understand how income structures work at each level.

🎯 Growth Target — Where I want to be in 12–18 months

Once you have experience and results, where do you want to be?

Monthly target:

Annual target:

As you advance into mid-level and senior roles, total comp grows significantly. Strong performers who promote within 2–3 years see meaningful income increases. Research ranges for your specific industry and region.

🚀 Ceiling Target — The number I’m building toward

What does this career look like at its best for you? Write the number.

Monthly target:

Annual target:

At the senior and enterprise level, total comp can be substantial. The ceiling depends on your lane, your company, your performance, and how long you stay consistent.

Part 3: Your Weekly Action Plan

Three things move the needle when you’re breaking into sales: applying to roles, networking with people who can help you get there, and practicing the skills. Every week should have all three. Not perfectly—but consistently.

The Apply → Network → Practice Loop

📋

APPLY

5–10 quality applications per week. Targeted, tailored, strategic.

  • → Research the company first
  • → Customize your headline for each role
  • → Write a note that shows you did your homework
  • → Track every application in a simple spreadsheet

Where to search:

  • • LinkedIn → “SDR remote” or your lane + remote
  • • Indeed / Glassdoor → entry level + remote filter
  • • Company career pages directly
  • • We Work Remotely, Remote.co

🤝

NETWORK

5 new LinkedIn connections per week—people in the role you want, or hiring for it.

  • → Sales recruiters in your target lane
  • → SDRs/AEs who recently made a similar transition
  • → Sales leaders at companies you’re applying to
  • → Women in sales communities on LinkedIn

Connection note template:

“Hi [Name], I’m transitioning into [lane] and your background caught my attention. Would love to connect and learn from your experience.”

🎤

PRACTICE

3–4 sessions per week. 20–30 minutes each is enough. Consistency beats intensity.

  • → Record yourself answering interview questions
  • → Refine your 60-second “why sales” story
  • → Practice objection responses out loud
  • → Role-play a discovery call with a friend

What to practice first:

“Tell me about yourself” and “Why sales?” These come up in every first interview. Know them cold.

Your Weekly Commitment:

___

applications per week

___

new connections per week

___

practice sessions per week

Part 4: Your Interview Prep Checklist

Most people walk into interviews hoping they’ll “do fine.” Strong candidates walk in having already answered every question in their head. The difference is preparation.

Before the Interview

Research the company thoroughly

Read their About page, recent news, Glassdoor reviews. Know what they sell, who they sell to, and what their values are.

Research the person interviewing you

LinkedIn. Their background, how long they’ve been at the company, what they did before. Genuine connection starts with knowing who you’re talking to.

Understand the product or service they sell

Who is their customer? What problem do they solve? Can you speak to why their product matters? Reference something specific from their website.

Prepare your “Tell me about yourself” answer

60–90 seconds. Where you’ve been → skills you’ve built → why sales now → why this company. Practice out loud at least 5 times.

Prepare your “Why sales?” answer

The most important question. Make it personal and true. Not “I’m a people person.” Something that shows you understand what the job is and why it makes sense for you specifically.

Prepare 2–3 stories using Before → After → Bridge

One about persuading someone. One about handling conflict or a hard conversation. One about going above and beyond for someone. These cover most behavioral questions.

Prepare 3–5 thoughtful questions to ask them

Not salary. Not vacation days. Ask: “What does success look like in the first 90 days?” or “What separates top performers from average ones here?”

During the Interview

Treat it like a discovery conversation, not an interrogation

Ask questions. Listen fully. Show curiosity about their team and challenges. The best candidates make it feel like a dialogue.

Use specific examples, not generalities

“I’m great with people” means nothing. A specific story with a real outcome means everything. Use your Week 1 self-assessment answers here.

Don’t apologize for your background

You don’t have sales experience. Don’t lead with that. Lead with what you DO have: communication ability, work ethic, coachability, and the specific life experience that prepared you for this.

Confirm the next step before you leave

Ask: “What does the process look like from here?” Then ask: “Is there anything you heard today that gives you hesitation about me for this role?” This is a closing question. It’s appropriate and it shows you’re serious.

After the Interview

Send a thank-you email within 24 hours

Not generic. Reference something specific from the conversation. Reiterate your interest in one sentence. Keep it short. Most candidates skip this. You won’t.

Follow up if you haven’t heard back by their stated timeline

One follow-up is professional. Two is fine. Three starts to feel desperate. Brief: “I wanted to follow up—I’m still very interested and wanted to check on the status.”

Log what you learned in your tracking sheet

What questions came up that you weren’t prepared for? What would you answer differently? Each interview is practice for the next one. Only if you pay attention.

Keep applying—even if this one felt perfect

Don’t pause your pipeline waiting for one decision. Keep the funnel active. That’s not disloyalty—it’s how professionals operate.

Common Sales Interview Questions & How to Approach Them

“Tell me about yourself.”

Where you’ve been (brief) → Skills you’ve built → Why sales, why now → Why this company. 90 seconds max. Practice it until it sounds natural—not memorized.

“Why do you want to work in sales?”

Make it personal and true. Not “I’m a people person.” Something like: “I’ve been doing the work of sales my whole life—helping people make decisions, navigating hard conversations, figuring out what someone actually needs. Now I want to do it professionally, where it can pay me what it’s worth.”

“Tell me about a time you convinced someone to do something they were hesitant about.”

Use your Before → After → Bridge format. Pull directly from your Week 1 self-assessment. You documented these moments. Use them.

“How do you handle rejection?”

Be real, not robotic. “I don’t love it—nobody does. But I’ve learned that no isn’t usually a no forever. It’s usually ‘not yet’ or ‘not with this information.’ I use rejection as feedback.”

“What do you know about our product/company?”

This is where your research pays off. Reference something specific. Most candidates say “you seem like a great company.” Be better than that.

“Sell me this pen.” (or similar)

Don’t immediately describe the pen. Ask a question first: “Before I do—can I ask, how often do you write things down by hand?” Then use what they say. You’re showing them you listen before you pitch. That’s the whole test.

You’re not hoping for this anymore. You’re planning for it.

You have a lane. You have targets. You have a weekly rhythm. You have a preparation system.

The only thing left is to start. Starting doesn’t mean being ready. It means moving even when you’re not sure. That’s what this entire course has been building toward. You’ve been ready this whole time.

Your Job Search Strategy

Applying for jobs without a strategy is like cold calling without a list. You'll burn time, get frustrated, and wonder why nothing is working. Let me show you exactly where to look, how to evaluate postings, and what red flags to watch out for. This is the system that actually works.

Where to Find Remote Sales Jobs

Primary Platforms:

  • LinkedIn Jobs: The number one platform for sales roles. Set up job alerts for your target titles. Apply through LinkedIn when possible since it auto-fills your profile.
  • Indeed: Great for volume. Filter by "remote" and sort by date to find fresh postings.
  • Glassdoor: Not just for job postings. Read company reviews and salary data before you apply.

Hidden Gems:

  • Company career pages: Many companies post jobs on their own site before listing them on job boards. Go directly to companies you admire.
  • AngelList / Wellfound: Perfect for startup sales roles that often have faster hiring processes.
  • We Work Remotely & Remote.co: Curated remote job boards with higher-quality listings.
  • Referrals: The most effective way to get hired. Tell everyone you know you're looking.

Red Flags to Watch For

Not every job posting is legitimate. Here's what to watch out for:

  • "Unlimited earning potential" with no base salary mentioned: If they won't tell you what the base is, it's usually because there isn't one. Proceed with extreme caution.
  • Vague job descriptions: If you can't tell what you'd actually be doing day-to-day, that's a sign the company doesn't have its act together.
  • Required upfront investment: Legitimate companies never ask you to pay for training, leads, or your "starter kit." That's a scam.
  • Extremely fast hiring process with no real interview: If they want to hire you after a 10-minute chat with no questions about your background, they're desperate. Good companies have a process.
  • 100% commission with no ramp period: New sales reps need time to learn. Ethical companies provide a base salary or guaranteed draw during your ramp.

How to Evaluate a Job Posting

Before you spend 30 minutes applying, ask yourself these questions:

  • Can I clearly understand what the role involves day-to-day?
  • Is the compensation structure transparent (base + commission breakdown)?
  • Does the company have a real product or service with actual customers?
  • Do current employees on LinkedIn look happy and stay for more than a year?
  • Is there a clear path for growth or advancement mentioned?
  • Do the "requirements" feel reasonable, or are they a wish list? (Apply if you meet 60-70%.)

Application Mastery for Career Changers

Your application is your first sales pitch. Every resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn message is an opportunity to demonstrate that you already think like a salesperson. Here's how to stand out when you're competing against candidates with traditional sales backgrounds.

Resume Tips for Career Changers

  • Lead with a summary, not an objective: "Results-driven professional with 7 years of client-facing experience transitioning into B2B sales. Proven track record in relationship management, conflict resolution, and exceeding performance targets."
  • Reframe every bullet point around results: Don't say "Answered phones and helped customers." Say "Managed 40+ customer interactions daily, achieving a 95% satisfaction rating and consistently exceeding upsell targets."
  • Include numbers wherever possible: Dollar amounts, percentages, team sizes, customer counts. Numbers make vague claims concrete.
  • Add a "Relevant Skills" section: CRM experience (even if it's basic), communication, negotiation, lead qualification, pipeline management, objection handling. Use the language from your Skills Inventory.

Addressing "No Sales Experience" in Applications

Don't ignore the elephant in the room. Address it head-on. In your cover letter or application notes, include something like this:

"I know my resume doesn't show a traditional sales background. What it shows is seven years of doing the work that sales is built on: building relationships from scratch, having difficult conversations with empathy, and consistently delivering results in high-pressure environments. I'm not coming to sales as a blank slate. I'm coming with a foundation of skills that most entry-level candidates don't have. I'm ready to learn the mechanics and apply the instincts I already possess."

Customize this to your story. The point is: don't apologize. Reframe.

Interview Preparation: The Deep Dive

Here's what most people don't understand about sales interviews: the interview IS the audition. They're not just asking if you can sell. They're watching you sell yourself in real time. Every answer, every question you ask, every follow-up email is a demonstration of your sales ability. Treat it that way.

Role-Play Exercise: Practice Interview

Grab a friend, a family member, or even your phone's voice recorder. Practice answering these five questions as if you're in a real interview. Then listen back. Notice where you sound confident and where you hesitate. That's where you need more practice.

Q1: "Walk me through your background and what brought you to sales."

Use your elevator pitch framework. 90 seconds max.

Q2: "Give me an example of a time you had to persuade someone who was resistant."

Pull from your STAR stories. Be specific.

Q3: "How would you handle hearing 'no' 50 times in a day?"

Be honest and show you understand the reality of sales.

Q4: "What do you know about our company and why do you want to work here?"

This is where research pays off. Be specific.

Q5: "What questions do you have for us?"

Always have 3-5 prepared. Never say "no, I think you covered everything."

The Follow-Up Game: This IS Sales

How you follow up after an application or interview tells hiring managers everything they need to know about how you'll follow up with prospects. This is where you demonstrate your sales skills before you're even hired.

After applying:

Find the hiring manager or recruiter on LinkedIn. Send a brief, personalized note: "Hi [Name], I just applied for the [role] and wanted to introduce myself directly. [One sentence about why you're a fit]. I'd love the opportunity to learn more about the team."

After an interview:

Send a thank-you email within 24 hours. Reference something specific from the conversation. Reiterate your interest in one sentence. Keep it to 3-4 sentences total. If you don't hear back by their stated timeline, follow up once. Be brief and professional.

After rejection:

Send a gracious note: "Thank you for the opportunity. If anything changes or a similar role opens up, I'd love to stay connected." This is how professionals operate. Some people get hired months later because they handled rejection with class.

How This Applies to Your Path

What you just learned shows up differently depending on which sales path you're exploring. Click your path to see how this applies specifically.

B2B (Business-to-Business)

What titles to search for: SDR (Sales Development Representative), BDR (Business Development Representative), Inside Sales Representative, Account Executive (entry-level), Sales Associate. Start with SDR/BDR. These are the most common entry points and most companies provide full training.

Where to look specifically: LinkedIn is king for B2B roles. Search for "[title] remote" and set up alerts. Also check company career pages directly for companies like Salesforce, HubSpot, ZoomInfo, Gong, Outreach, and other SaaS companies. These companies are always hiring SDRs. Check out RepVue.com to see real employee reviews and compensation data for specific sales organizations.

Top B2B companies known for training career changers: Many SaaS companies specifically welcome non-traditional backgrounds. Look for companies that mention "no experience required" or "we train from scratch" in their postings. Startups in particular value hustle and coachability over pedigree.

What B2B interviews focus on: Expect multi-step interviews. Usually a recruiter screen, then a hiring manager interview, then a role-play or mock call exercise. Prepare for all three. The role-play is where you'll stand out or fall flat. Practice discovery calls with a friend until it feels natural.

Knowledge Check

Answer all questions correctly to unlock the next lesson.

1. Which of the following is a red flag in a sales job posting?

2. What is the most effective way to get hired in sales?

3. In a sales interview, why is the follow-up email so important?

4. When you don't meet 100% of a job posting's requirements, what should you do?

5. What is the best closing question to ask at the end of a sales interview?

Complete the Knowledge Check above to unlock the next lesson.