Sales Trainee

Shepherd Electric Company•SES Richmond, VA

14d•$28 - $30•Onsite

About The Position

Why This Role Matters Sales is where Shepherd's reputation is made and kept — one relationship at a time. The Entry Level Sales Trainee is the starting point of a structured, 12-month development path designed to build the skills, product knowledge, and business acumen you need to carry a territory with confidence. You are not going into a job. You are entering a program built to make you ready. When trainees complete the program ready to execute — to build dealer relationships, present solutions, and close with confidence — Shepherd grows. This role is an investment in the next generation of sales professionals who will drive that growth. It is also an investment in you, and we take that seriously. How This Role Connects to Our Compass We Keep Our Promises You represent Shepherd to every customer you contact during training. That means follow-through on commitments, honest communication, and showing up prepared — every time. Customers experience Shepherd through you before you ever close a deal. We Stay Hungry You are in a 12-month learning program. You take what you hear in training and test it on the phones — you do not wait for someone to tell you what to do next. You treat every mentor interaction and customer visit as an opportunity to get sharper. We Grow Together Sales at Shepherd is not a solo act. You learn from your mentor, from branch teams, from counter staff — and you bring what you learn back into the organization. You grow by being coachable, not just competitive. We Own It No one will carry you through this program. You own your development — the gaps you find in your knowledge, the calls you follow up on, the preparation you put in before every customer interaction. Your results are your responsibility from day one. We Go Above & Beyond You do not just show up for work — you show up ready to contribute. You look for ways to add value on all calls, ask questions that go deeper than the surface, and build relationships that matter before you have your own territory.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required
Strong time management skills and ability to work independently
Ability to build genuine customer relationships — not just make contact
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Ability to successfully complete pre-employment screening requirements

Responsibilities

Complete all Shepherd-assigned coursework covering electrical distribution, sales technique, product knowledge, and customer engagement
Build working knowledge of Shepherd's product and service portfolio — you can speak credibly about what we carry and why it matters to contractors
Apply learning by accompanying your mentor on live customer calls and observing — and contributing to — the full sales cycle
Observe with counter, operations, and other inside sales employees to understand how Shepherd executes behind the scenes
Work alongside your Sales Mentor throughout training — not as a shadow, but as a developing contributor
Build the skills and judgment needed to manage your own territory: prospecting, qualifying, presenting solutions, negotiating, and closing
Demonstrate increasing independence and readiness for territory ownership as the 12-month program progresses
Use every mentor interaction to learn how Shepherd's most effective sellers operate — and why
Develop a genuine understanding of contractor and electrician business operations so you can speak about the problems Shepherd solves — before you try to sell anything
Build the consultative selling skills needed to earn trust: listen first, connect solutions to real problems, follow through on every commitment
Representing Shepherd professionally at every touchpoint during training — your reputation starts now, not when you get a territory
Successfully complete the 12-month program and transition into an assigned Account Manager
Arrive with your account base prepared — with product knowledge, sales methodology, and relationship-building habits that let you generate early momentum
Approach account ownership from day one as a builder, not a starter