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Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that

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Bunuel
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Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that [#permalink] New post   04 Oct 2021, 06:00
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Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that person has been in sales for at least three years. This is because to succeed as a salesperson, one must first establish a strong client base, and studies have shown that anyone who spends at least three years developing a client base can eventually make a comfortable living in sales.

The reasoning in the salesperson’s argument is vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it fails to consider the possibility that

(A) salespeople who have spent three years developing a client base might not yet be successful in sales
(B) some salespeople require fewer than three years in which to develop a strong client base
(C) a salesperson who has not spent three years developing a client base may not succeed in sales
(D) it takes longer than three years for a salesperson to develop a strong client base
(E) few salespeople can afford to spend three years building a client base
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Bunuel
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Re: Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that [#permalink] New post   09 Oct 2021, 06:00
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Bunuel wrote:
Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that person has been in sales for at least three years. This is because to succeed as a salesperson, one must first establish a strong client base, and studies have shown that anyone who spends at least three years developing a client base can eventually make a comfortable living in sales.

The reasoning in the salesperson’s argument is vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it fails to consider the possibility that

(A) salespeople who have spent three years developing a client base might not yet be successful in sales
(B) some salespeople require fewer than three years in which to develop a strong client base
(C) a salesperson who has not spent three years developing a client base may not succeed in sales
(D) it takes longer than three years for a salesperson to develop a strong client base
(E) few salespeople can afford to spend three years building a client base


EXPLANATION FROM Fox LSAT



Rearranging the argument, it goes like this: To succeed as a salesperson, one must first establish a strong client base. And studies have shown that anyone who spends at least three years developing a client base can eventually make a comfortable living in sales. Therefore, all successful salespersons have been in sales for at least three years.

I’m not buying it. The problem with this logic is that it has confused a sufficient condition with a necessary condition. According to studies, it is sufficient that if you spend three years developing a client base, you’ll make a comfortable living in sales. But that doesn’t mean that every successful salesperson has spent three years developing their client base. It’s not necessary.

Why isn’t it necessary? Well, imagine what will happen to Tim Tebow as soon as he inevitably washes out of the NFL. You know that guy is going to be selling cars, don’t you? Of course he is going to be selling cars. And he’ll probably be quite successful right off the bat, selling gigantic trucks to his built-in fan base of homeschooled Christian college football nut jobs in central Florida. He won’t need to spend three years developing a client base. They’ll come flocking to him.

The flaw in the argument was confusing a sufficient condition (spending three years) with a necessary condition.

A) The argument doesn’t claim that you’ll be successful immediately as soon as you put in your three years, just that you’ll “eventually” be successful. And anyway, this isn’t what we’re looking for. We’re looking for, “Fails to consider the possibility that someone might be successful in sales without spending three years building a client base.”

B) Tebow! This is our answer.

C) The argument actually assumes this. If you’ve assumed something, you haven’t “failed to consider” it.

D) The argument mistakenly assumed that everyone needs at least three years. The argument didn’t fail to consider that salespeople need more than three years.

E) This just isn’t relevant.

Our answer is B, because it points out the possibility that Tim Tebow might be a successful car salesman without needing three years to build his client base.
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Re: Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that [#permalink] New post   12 Mar 2023, 20:32
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The second sentence of the salesperson’s argument begins with “this is because,” which clearly sounds like evidence. So the first sentence, which says that any successful salesperson has been in sales for at least three years, must be the conclusion. The evidence tells us that a solid customer base is necessary for success, and anyone who spends at least three years developing that customer base will make a comfortable living. But that evidence just indicates that spending three years in sales is sufficient for success, not necessary, as the conclusion says. What if there was another way to build a solid customer base, a way that didn’t take three years? This is the possibility the salesperson is overlooking, and (B) restates this possibility.

(A) The conclusion is that salespeople who are successful have necessarily spent three years developing a client base. But even in that conclusion, there is still the possibility that some other necessary condition for success hasn’t been met, so (A) is not a possibility that the argument overlooked.

(C) The author argues that a salesperson that has spent three years developing a client base will eventually succeed in sales and concludes from that that three year is necessary for success. So, the author does not fail to consider (C). He just gets the
relationship between duration and success is wrong.

(D) The salesperson notes three years as a minimum amount of time to develop a client base. This certainly includes the possibility that salespeople will need longer than three years to develop that client base.

(E) The difficulty of spending three years building a client base is not an issue in this argument. No matter how difficult it is, the author argues that it’s necessary. The argument doesn’t need to consider the number of salespeople who can actually accomplish it.
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Re: Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that [#permalink] New post   05 Oct 2021, 15:37
ARGUMENT: Success means person has been in sales for >= 3 years
REASONING: Establishing a client base is necessary to be successful, and one who spends >=3 years developing a client base can eventually make a comfortable living.

(A) salespeople who have spent three years developing a client base might not yet be successful in sales
WRONG - we are trying to figure out whether salespeople can be successful without having been in sales for 3 years. We don't care about those who aren't successful.

(B) some salespeople require fewer than three years in which to develop a strong client base
TRUE- argument basically says there is a 100% chance a successful salesperson has been in the business for 3+ years. This choice invalidates that.

(C) a salesperson who has not spent three years developing a client base may not succeed in sales
WRONG - this agrees with the argument

(D) it takes longer than three years for a salesperson to develop a strong client base
WRONG - we don't care about how long it takes, we only care about whether they are successful under the 3 year mark.

(E) few salespeople can afford to spend three years building a client base
WRONG - this doesn't matter. We are trying to figure out whether those who spend less than 3 years can still become successful.

Let me know if this is correct.
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Re: Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that [#permalink] New post   05 Oct 2021, 16:24
Conclusion:

If: one is successful in sales ———> then: it is certain that the person has been in sales 3 or more years

Why?

Studies show:

If: one spends 3 or more years developing a strong client base ———> then: can EVENTUALLY make a comfortable living in sales

And

A strong client base is a prerequisite to succeed as a salesperson.

But what about if a person does NOT spend at least 3 or more years developing a strong client base? In such a case, the studies/facts do not indicate that a person is unable to meet the requisite “strong client base” to succeed. It is still possible for a person to build that strong client base in fewer than 3 years.

Based on the studies, we can not tell with certainty JUST from a person’s success in sales that the person has been in sales for at least 3 years.


B points out this exact possibility.

Some people may require fewer than 3 years to develop a strong client base ———> thereby meeting one of the prerequisites for success in sales.

Nothing in the facts or studies prevents this possibility.

And, in such a case, we can not conclude that EVERYONE who is successful in sales has spent at least 3 years in sales.

B points out the logical flaw.

A similar argument would proceed as follows.

Studies have shown that if anyone spends at least 1 year working out every day, then that person will lose 10% of his or her body fat.

And losing 10% body fat, according to US Weekly, is a prerequisite to looking good on the beach.

Can we conclude that just because a person looks good on the beach and has lost 10% body fat that the person spent 1 or more years working out every day?

No, there are other paths to US Weekly’s ridiculous beauty standard (maybe the person is naturally athletic).

Bunuel wrote:
Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that person has been in sales for at least three years. This is because to succeed as a salesperson, one must first establish a strong client base, and studies have shown that anyone who spends at least three years developing a client base can eventually make a comfortable living in sales.

The reasoning in the salesperson’s argument is vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it fails to consider the possibility that

(A) salespeople who have spent three years developing a client base might not yet be successful in sales
(B) some salespeople require fewer than three years in which to develop a strong client base
(C) a salesperson who has not spent three years developing a client base may not succeed in sales
(D) it takes longer than three years for a salesperson to develop a strong client base
(E) few salespeople can afford to spend three years building a client base


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Re: Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that [#permalink] New post   09 Jan 2023, 08:17
Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that person has been in sales for at least three years. This is because to succeed as a salesperson, one must first establish a strong client base, and studies have shown that anyone who spends at least three years developing a client base can eventually make a comfortable living in sales.

The reasoning in the salesperson’s argument is vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it fails to consider the possibility that

(A) salespeople who have spent three years developing a client base might not yet be successful in sales
(B) some salespeople require fewer than three years in which to develop a strong client base
(C) a salesperson who has not spent three years developing a client base may not succeed in sales
(D) it takes longer than three years for a salesperson to develop a strong client base
(E) few salespeople can afford to spend three years building a client base

The three aspects around which this is based are:
1. Sales
2. 3-year period(this is where the passage revolves)
3. Client base

One must know that conclusion is highlighted text. Any fault in identifying that results in a disaster. One may misjudge and conclude as follows as well:
1. More than 3 years may be required(D).
2. Salesperson skill are not honed well in 3 years(A and C somewhat).
3. Strong client base is confirmed in 3 years(D).

All the above are irrelevant. What if the salesperson can develop base in less than 3 years period? E is altogether wrong.

Answer B.
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Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that [#permalink] New post   16 Mar 2023, 09:05
Hey Bunuel

Just a Question here

Argument says " When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that person has been in sales for at least three years."

from the argument I understood 3 years experience as necessary condition but not sufficient

Successful Person = 3 yrs of sales experience + (____________)

Considering Option A "salespeople who have spent three years developing a client base might not yet be successful in sales"

Option A states 3 Years sales experience is OKAY (he has built the client base) but did he actually succeed .... what is the measure of success here?

Please reply your view
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Salesperson: When a salesperson is successful, it is certain that that [#permalink]
16 Mar 2023, 09:05
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