Today I was interviewing candidates for an accounting position in Zambia. One had the shiniest CV I mean, the kind that looks like it was designed by an angel in Microsoft Word. But the moment the interview started, it was game over.
I asked, “You’re asking for K10,000. How much are you currently earning?” He said, “K12,000.” I paused. “So… why are you lowering your salary?” He said, “Umm… with added allowances.”
At that point, I realized the problem wasn’t the CV. It was communication. Confidence. Presence. The ability to sell yourself.
We underestimate sales so much in Africa that we don’t even have a degree for it! We have degrees for things you’ll never use, but not for the one skill you’ll use every single day of your life selling.
Let’s be honest:
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To be a politician, you must sell your ideas to citizens.
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To be a pastor or prophet, you must sell hope and faith to your congregation.
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To get a job, you must sell yourself to the interview panel.
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To be a CEO, you must sell your vision to your managers and investors.
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To get married, you must sell your charm to your partner.
If you’re still single… maybe, just maybe, your sales pitch isn’t converting.
Even engineers will need to sell when they start their own firm. Doctors need to sell bedside confidence. Teachers sell understanding. Parents sell discipline and dreams to their kids.
Sales is not just about money it’s about *influence.
- The art of making others see value in your ideas, your product, or your presence.
So I’m proposing something radical: Sales should be taught from ECD. Yes from the same time we teach ABCs and 123s, we should also teach “How to greet confidently,” “How to ask questions,” and “How to present your idea.”
Because while we are producing graduates with distinctions, we are also producing adults who can’t even sell themselves in an interview.
Africa doesn’t need more degrees it needs more salespeople who can think, communicate, and influence.
After all, the world doesn’t pay you for what you know it pays you for what you can sell.
If you want to elevate your communication and sharpen your sales skills. Sales is the one skill that guarantees opportunities, promotions, and progress. For sales training, corporate workshops, staff development or one-on-one coaching, contact us now. +263 77 961 9739 | +260 972 936 033Invest in the skill schools forgot to teach sales.
By The Chartered Vendor
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