My mother worked in that field. When my parents split up, she went to work for Sears Credit Central in collections. At some point she managed the department. Other than my mother, you are the only person I have ever heard use the word "skiptrace." Since we're taking about sales...Sears did to her what they used to do to lots of folks approaching retirement age...they tried to force her out (because the company had a pension plan back then.) So they transferred her to what was called Contract Sales. This was the unit that would go out in the field to real estate developers (townhouses, apartments, subdivisions) and sell them on installing Kenmore appliances (bathrooms, kitchens, water heaters, etc.) She had never done that type of work. She was in her 50s at the time. But because she (a) was a female in a male-dominated world, (b) had a British accent and (c) was in the booming DC area real estate market, she was Salesperson of the Year for several years running. Not only did she make way better money, she managed her own schedule hitting yard sales and second hand shops as she was out running sales calls. Now, the administrative side of her job was a nightmare, but somehow she knew how to sell.
@John Brunner skiptracing was a lot easier in the 80s and early 90s. There were lots of different types of resources where as today you have to spend money to get information if you lacked creative thinking.
She did this from the mid 60s until the 80s some time. We never talked about the resources she used. I find it interesting you had an easier time before the internet than afterwards. One would have thought the universe of available data would have gotten larger, not shrunk. But back then, I bet there were fewer "consumer rights."
Oh yeah, back then before the internet it was fun but I could still find someone today with the internet but not so much fun.
I did for the entire period of my second career. I received commission income from the sale of insurance, annuities, mutual funds and other investments.
I worked in enough businesses that played with commission rates to never want to put myself in that position. It always seemed to be too unreliable to me. That, and I loved my purchasing career because I liked finding the "best solution" for each unique situation. I could not look every potential client in the eye and tell every single one of them that my product was the best for all of their needs...it's just not possible.