We can help you set your course for a successful sales career, and equip you to answer important questions:
At QuotaPath, we’re devoted to helping salespeople navigate the path to achieving their sales goals.
Congratulations on choosing to explore the opportunities of a career in sales, how exciting! A sales career will offer you constant, unique challenges and put you in charge of your own success. Plus, the sales department is typically one of the highest paid departments in a company.
Whether you’re just starting to think about a career in sales, or you’re eyeing that open Sales Manager position, we’re here to help you understand the lay of the land. Here’s a glimpse into our free guide to help you navigate various paths, set career goals, and build the career you want.
Let’s take a look at a few of the most common sales roles, what’s involved in each one and what kind of skills are needed to succeed.
We’ll start with a sales development representative (sometimes called a market, business or lead development representative or a lead generation specialist). These reps are in charge of researching, finding and reaching out to new prospects and qualifying them for other sales reps. It’s not uncommon to include quite a bit of cold calling, so someone who is personable and organized is likely to succeed in this role.
An inside sales role is a great place to start for those transitioning from an SDR role to a sales job. There’s plenty of opportunity to grow by working closely and learning from sales managers and more seasoned reps. Inside sales reps work in an office and sell remotely, so you should have strong technical skills, rounded product knowledge, and feel comfortable using customer management (CRM) software.
The counterpart to an inside sales rep is the outside sales rep or, field sales rep. Out in the “field,” these reps focus on building relationships face-to-face. Someone who thrives on personal interaction, uncertain situations, and can self-manage and organize will be successful in this role.
Last but not least, there’s the sales manager. As the title suggests, they’re in charge of managing the performance and day-to-day activities of sales professionals, including SDRs and sales reps. To be a sales manager, it’s best to have a few years of experience under your belt. You’ll need to have strong communication and analytical skills since it’s important to evaluate your team’s performance and identify what they need to be successful. Their success will be yours as well.
The beginning of your career is all about trying different things and discovering what you like, and equally important, what you dislike. To map your career goals, ask yourself questions like:
