Sales Careers

Sales is an important function in all businesses and it can make a great undergraduate job. Without someone to buy your products or services, your business will not last. All businesses need salespeople who are familiar with their product and who can sell it effectively to consumers and businesses. Sales careers can be found in any industry, including department stores, car dealerships, real estate, insurance, technology and product manufacturers. Although sales careers in retail primarily require on-the-job training and not much formal education, salespeople who work in the technology sector may need at least a bachelor's degree in a scientific field.

Sales careers can include jobs with fancy titles such as merchandiser, broker, representative or account executive. No matter the title, those in sales careers need to have expert knowledge in the products and services they sell. They need to be excellent communicators who can persuade someone to purchase their services or goods instead of buying from a competitor. Salespeople need to understand why a consumer would want to use their products and must be flexible to customers’ needs. Those in sales careers also need to develop and maintain a relationship with their customers because many companies depend on business from repeat customers.

The salaries of sales careers can vary, depending on the industry and company. Although most companies offer a minimal base salary, some salespeople work strictly on commission, meaning they don’t get paid until they make a sale. However, many successful people in sales careers can make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

Sales careers often don’t require any advanced education. Companies are looking for motivated, outgoing professionals who have a track record in sales. Even those with little sales experience can impress employers by learning about the company’s products and services, as well as by proving that they have excellent communication skills and are willing to learn.

Sales careers, for the most part, are expected to grow as fast as the average career. Business services are expected to grow more quickly than other areas. Sales careers in the insurance industry are expected to grow slowly, while travel agent positions are expected to decline.