What are tech rep jobs like?

If you enjoy low pay, econo lodge, long hours, little sleep, lots of travel by car/van. Then great! This is the job for you. And forget about running, it will end up in the pot. Hubby was a rep.

Bump

They get paid between $30-$40k, depending on the brand. They are treated very well by the brands, since they know they are their front line of defense and offense, working the grind. Stores love 'em because they bring knowledge and execute marketing promotions.

It's a great job if you want to be in the industry of running.

And your running will thrive because you will be able to get in as much running as your heart desires. You are your own boss, managing a territory.

wtf does a tech rep do, go to the stores and re-sew the poorly stitched shoes?

Cross out the 9 and write 8.5 when the shoes run smaller than sized?

Eocl wrote:

And your running will thrive because you will be able to get in as much running as your heart desires. You are your own boss, managing a territory.

patti wrote:

If you enjoy low pay, econo lodge, long hours, little sleep, lots of travel by car/van. Then great! This is the job for you. And forget about running, it will end up in the pot. Hubby was a rep.

Who to believe

The former pro runner or the guy I don't know?

You don't get to run "as much as your heart desires".

It's a grind, depending on your territory. Much of your time is spent driving or behind a table at run shops/races/events talking about your product.

Also, you'll get very good at cheesy pub runs, candy runs, etc at running stores as your promote your brand while running 9min "shakeout runs".

All that... it's a good gig and a great foot in the door to the industry.

Eocl wrote:

They get paid between $30-$40k, depending on the brand. They are treated very well by the brands, since they know they are their front line of defense and offense, working the grind. Stores love 'em because they bring knowledge and execute marketing promotions.

It's a great job if you want to be in the industry of running.

No one caught this?

$30k and a great job? Interesting. Isn't $30k near poverty level in 2014?

Patti is pretty much right on. I would also add literally cleaning out toilets as one of the job requirements for one major company. Some running store employees make more than tech reps. There is chance for advancement but the industry overall is very low paying for all but a few big wigs at the top. Anyone with any ambition gets boreded with the job after about a year.

The dream of "I'm going to make a living off my running" dies hard..

I would also add dressing up in silly costumes at major marathon expos as another job requirement. If you would feel good about yourself running into a college classmate while dressed in a toga trying to sell running shoes then go for it.

I had my best running years as a tech rep because I was inspired from the work I was doing and the accounts and runners I was servicing. You make what you want out of it. I wanted to eat, live, and sleep the lifestyle, running sub-24:00 for 8 km while a tech rep and PR'ing in every imaginable distance from 5km to 50 km.

It is not for everyone. Many reps get sucked up in the party life, the life on the road, and allow for laziness to creep in and cause one to move away from running, putting on tons of weight.

To be very successful as a tech rep, you have to be massively organized and a self-starter. Being a tech rep changed my life, but it is a commitment and lifestyle and would recommend it to anyone wanting to get into the industry.