Working with leading professional bodies and industry experts, Inside Careers brings you the most authoritative information for your career in Sales.

Career Advice

Inside Careers brings you the most authoritative information for your career in Sales. Read in depth articles on the profession from recent graduates and senior professionals.

Why Sales?

The profession
An Introduction to sales
Salaries and starting out Graduates entering sales can expect somewhere in the region of £18,000 - £23,000 with the median salary being £18,000 (AGR). In addition to this, they can also expect to earn commission, which potentially increases earnings considerably – especially for the top
Careers in Sales - the industry sectors
Sales Representative This is a common entry point, with graduates working to promote their company's goods or service to new or existing clients. As well as your degree, you will need confidence, excellent communication skills and a full driving license. You should be prepared to spend a large
The Different Roles in Sales
Take a look around you. The room you are in, the walls, lighting, furniture, window glass, doors, flooring, the clothes you are wearing, the style of your hair. Everything around you has been sold and bought, in some way or other. Some people look down on sales people, yet what have Tony Blair,
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a degree? Increasingly those going into sales are entering at a graduate level. For some of the bigger companies, graduate schemes are used and into these the top graduates will be recruited. It is possible however to work your way into sales with the suitable experience without a
Recent graduates
Pharmaceutical - GlaxoSmithKline
Having found out about marketing at university as part of my degree course in management studies, I was keen to pursue a career in this field. Through placements and internships I was exposed to media marketing and fast moving consumer goods and finally came across pharmaceutical marketing. The
Technology/Telecoms - BT
Honestly, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I started university, nor did I have any better clue whilst I was on my course! I knew I wanted variety and the ability to work with different people, but beyond that I couldn’t think what specifically I wanted. This changed when I visited the BT
Retail Sales - Kraft Foods
I have always had a passion for people and, combined with my enthusiasm for selling, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in sales. Since joining Kraft Foods in September 2006 on the Retail Sales Graduate programme I have had the opportunity to work with different departments on some iconic
FMCG - Nestle
I joined Nestlé in September 2006 after studying Marketing BSc Hons at Lancaster University. I knew I wanted to take on a Marketing and Sales role within FMCG as I felt the dynamic, competitive and aggressive nature of the industry could offer me a challenging and exciting career. Through
Commercial - Cadbury
I joined Cadbury in 2004 and I have just embarked on my 4th and final placement on the commercial graduate scheme. This has made for a varied two years and an incredibly steep learning curve, both in terms of business and personal development. One of the most rewarding experiences so far, was
Career paths
Director of Sales and Marketing - JW Marriott Cairo, Egypt
Marriott has Sales Force efforts on a number of levels, on-property based at the Hotel, Market and National Sales based in a region or country concentrating on Account Management, Alliance Account Sales looking at Mega Account Management and also a Global Sales Organisation specialising in
Sales Director of Garnier/Maybelline - L'Oreal
How did you get started at L’Oréal? After I graduated I travelled and so it was not until a year later that I was on the milkround. Initially I was interested in going into a Marketing position but during one of the rounds of interviews at L’Oréal, it was suggested to me to go into account
Head of Customer Business - Rolls-Royce
A Change in Direction Although I started my career in a specialist position, the opportunity arose to move into a more business-orientated role. I had started to see myself as a generalist rather than a specialist and felt this was the right move for me. It was where I felt my talents lay and
Finding the right job
Key Skills and Minimum Requirements
Obtaining your first job in sales is unlike a lot of other industry sectors in that education is by no means the key skill requirement. Very few people have degrees in sales, the reason being that the skill set needed is far more competency and personality based than anything else. You do still,
Graduate Sales Employment Trends
If you want a challenging, financially rewarding and highly transferable career path that can lead to senior management, then graduate sales is the career path to follow. Sales professionals are the key staff members within any commercial organisation. All companies employ sales executives or
Personal Qualities for Business Success
People skills Whether it’s dealing with customers, colleagues, board members or consultants, being able to effectively create and sustain relationships is the most important quality you can garner. Leadership – You need to be clear on objectives, value the contributions of your colleagues and
Researching the Industry
There are three main areas that you should get an insight into – the role, the company and the industry. Having knowledge about these areas will show any employer that you are committed and enthusiastic. The Role This is probably the easiest part, as a brief job remit should have been included in
Methods of Applying
“The application form is your chance to sell yourself and tell us what you have to offer, including work experience you may have done, as well as giving examples of the skills you have.” Neil Cox, National Recruitment Manager, Baker Tilly. The application process varies from company to company
CV Surgery
Honing your CV to perfection is, without doubt, the most important (if not a little tedious and time consuming) element to the job process. Employers will receive hundreds of CVs for the position you are applying for. It is your chance to make this document 100% perfect. To be a distinctive CV, it
25 Tips for Interview Success
Before the big day 1. Do your homework. Always research the company beforehand. Find out what they do and how they do it, who their competitors are and what is their company philosophy. Most of this information should be available on the company’s website. Also try to take a look at any of their
Education, training and development
Professional Qualifications
Companies recognise that a qualified candidate has specific skills and experiences, rather than just academic or theoretical knowledge and so the demand for qualifications, especially on the sales field has become more apparent on job descriptions. The benefits to you Sales qualifications are
Making the Most of Your Summer
When I started on my degree course, I soon realised that there were lots of like-minded students with similar qualities to offer employers. However, if you ask graduate employers what they look for in their prospective candidates, amongst the list will be experience. After some research I found a
Bridging the Gap
Today employers are placing more emphasis than ever on the importance of ‘soft skills’, those key skills which demonstrate your own personal strengths, whether you shine as a team player or a problem solver. The CBI/Edexcel Education & Skills Survey 2008 revealed the majority (86%) of employers
Postgraduate Study
Whilst some of you may have binned the revision notes and booked the next flight to some far flung destination, some of you remain at home researching your next route of study. With graduates earning less than their debts, taking on postgraduate study can seem a promising option, eventually
Key issues
Sales professionals' pay outstrips colleagues
Sales professionals’ average basic pay exceeded that of their colleagues in marketing, finance and HR across most levels. The average basic salary for a middle manager in sales is just over £38k – 5.6% higher than the national average for this level. Average pay for a Head of Sales is £57,060,

The comprehensive career guide to the profession

Working with leading professional bodies and industry experts, Inside Careers brings you the most authoritative information for your career in Sales.

Career Advice

Why Sales?

The profession

An Introduction to sales

Careers in Sales - the industry sectors

The Different Roles in Sales

Frequently Asked Questions

Recent graduates

Pharmaceutical - GlaxoSmithKline

Technology/Telecoms - BT

Retail Sales - Kraft Foods

FMCG - Nestle

Commercial - Cadbury

Career paths

Director of Sales and Marketing - JW Marriott Cairo, Egypt

Sales Director of Garnier/Maybelline - L'Oreal

Head of Customer Business - Rolls-Royce

Finding the right job

Key Skills and Minimum Requirements

Graduate Sales Employment Trends

Personal Qualities for Business Success

Researching the Industry

Methods of Applying

CV Surgery

25 Tips for Interview Success

Education, training and development

Professional Qualifications

Making the Most of Your Summer

Bridging the Gap

Postgraduate Study

Key issues

Sales professionals' pay outstrips colleagues

Sales

Career advice contents

Related specialisms

The comprehensive career guide to the profession