EE at work wanted: Sales reps with EE degrees: A walk on the commercial side of engineering reveals opportunity, diversity, and perks to match the challenge of the job

They were once known as masters of the “glad hand and the glib tongue,” and their plaid jackets and loud ties caused many to exclaim in mockery, “Would you buy a used car from this man?” Today, however, used-car salesman jokes are going out of style as a new corps of sophisticated sales representatives in gray flannels, pin-striped blues, and highly paid jobs is quickly descending on corporate America. The change in image is so dramatic that today 75 percent of the people in top management positions have come up through the ranks in sales and marketing. In technology-intensive fields, particularly in the “high-tech” area, being a sales rep is becoming even more prestigious, for these reps need to have successful salesmanship attributes as well as technical competence. This technical fluency often means an engineering degree, since sales engineers are often involved in the specs and design of a product. They also must feel comfortable with high technology and be able to communicate with prospective customers in the same language.