We've all heard the jokes about car salesmen, especially used car salesmen. We have a picture in our minds of these shady characters we wouldn't trust with our pencils let alone with selling us an automobile. The truth is, car salesmen have a tough job. Think you want to sell cars for a living? You might want to read what follows first.

In spite of what most people think, selling cars is not as simple as just showing somebody an automobile and getting them to sign on the bottom line. The car selling process for a salesman is actually quite involved with many steps along the way.

For starters, most of the large car dealers have a sales force. This sales force is broken up into teams and shifts. Because most dealerships are open late, one shift takes the morning and afternoon while another shift takes the afternoon and evening. A dealership may have as many as 25 salesmen working for them, not counting finance people.

When a customer comes in, the salesmen take turns approaching them for help. This way each salesman has the chance to close a sale. If it's slow, this puts everyone on equal footing. If it's busy, then the salesman who closes his sales the fastest will make out the best. This is because if he is done and everyone else is with a customer, then he gets the next customer that comes in regardless of who's "turn" it is. Customers are never supposed to wait more than 30 seconds to be waited on.

The first thing the salesman does is ask the customer what they're looking for. After getting this info, he'll show the customer several models in the price range or class that he wants. This is probably the lengthiest part of the process as the customer may have a number of questions and even ask for a demo drive. If a demo drive is asked for the salesman has to check in with the manager to get the keys. This is to make sure that a salesman doesn't just hop into a car and drive off with it.

If after the demo ride and all the questions are answered the customer decides he wants to get the car, the salesman's job isn't done. Not by a long shot. The next thing he has to do is bring the customer to the finance office to work out the financing of the vehicle. While this is going on the salesman has to go to the prep department with the car. Here he tells the prep guys what needs to be done to the car, such as if any extra equipment needs to be added. It's the salesperson who coordinates this whole process, making sure that the prep department gets the car ready for delivery and also making sure that the finance office takes care of financing.

After the car is prepped and the finance papers are all filled out, the salesman then gets the car from the prep department and drives it to the pickup area. After the customer is all done with the paperwork, the salesman escorts the customer out to the new car, hands him the keys and gives him his business card. He tells the customer to call if he has any questions.

The salesman then has to go back inside and fill out a report on the sale and submit it to his manager.

Yes, selling a car is not just selling a car.