How to Build a Career in Sales

Developing a career in sales can be one of the most challenging and rewarding career paths out there. Sales is a career anyone can go into and, with hard work, dedication, and the right skillset, you can go a long way.

But what does sales career development really look like in practice? And where can you go after becoming a sales manager?

Working in Sales

Learning how to work in sales might sound easy from the outside but, as anyone who’s been in retail can tell you, there are a lot of skills you have to develop. From the basics of customer services to liaising with company reps and knowing how to upsell without alienating customers sales is a complex role.

In fact, sales is the perfect example of a role that, while it’s considered entry level, requires a lot of mentoring to really create success. This mentoring often takes place within a company and can make or break careers.

This is why good management is crucially important in sales. No matter how dedicated entry-level staff are, without a good manager it can be impossible to pick up everything that needs to be learned. Furthermore, while a good manager can use a competitive environment to inspire a healthy team spirit, a bad sales manager can easily let that competition turn toxic.

All of this being said, if you’re looking to pursue a career in sales, there are some proactive choices you can make even if you’re not getting the mentoring you need.

First of all, finding the right job is important. While the basic sales skills will translate between almost any sales role, knowing your product inside and out makes a huge difference. If you can find a sales role you’re passionate about, then you’re onto a winner.

Secondly, you’ll want to do your research. Even if you’re not lucky enough to sell a product you know all about at first, you absolutely should take the time to become an expert. This will mean sinking some of your own hours into your job but, in the long run this will be more than worth it.

Third and finally, if your company is failing to provide the mentoring you need then you can absolutely go out and find it yourself. If you have friends/family with experience in sales, ask them for help. Ask them questions and get their advice. Alternatively, you could hire a dedicated mentor.

Here at Career Navig8r, you can find mentors in almost any job role who’ll be able to grant you the benefit of their expertise. If you need the best in sales mentorship, then this is the place to find it!

Sales Career Development

Okay, so you’ve become an expert in sales and now you’re looking to get your first sales manager role. What should your next steps be?

Sales career development can be highly competitive but when it comes down to it, success in sales is all about results. If you want to become a manager then you need to be able to prove that you’re hitting your targets, that you’re a reliable and responsible employee, and that you don’t mind going above and beyond for the good of the team.

If you want to develop beyond management, then that team focused attitude will become even more important. The key to good management is the ability to motivate people to work together. You’re a leader and your job is to inspire. That means helping people play to their strengths and pushing your team to do their best.

If you want your skills to be recognised, then the best thing you can do is develop that team-focused attitude all for yourself. Or, to put it simply, start embodying the role of a manager and your company may take note.

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that companies aren’t always eager to promote, so it sometimes helps to give them a reminder of how valuable your skills are. Never be afraid to apply for roles at other companies and if you get a good offer be sure to let your current employer know. That might just be the push they need to give you that promotion after all.

Management & Beyond

So what does a career in sales look like post-management?

One of the best parts of a sales career is just how open-ended it can be. While it can feel like a grind at times, once you work your way up the ranks you’ll have the option to work for all kinds of companies in all kinds of roles. Sales teaches many valuable skills along the way and in time you can build up a seriously impressive CV.

Alternatively, you could monetise your experience more directly by becoming a mentor with Career Navig8r. After all, there are plenty of people out there who’d love to have a successful career in sales and if you’ve got knowledge, then you can earn a lot by passing it on.

Sign up with Career Navig8r today to start your mentoring journey!