Career Advice for a Sales Manager

Working as a Sales Manager, you will be responsible for managing the sales team, setting work schedules, managing budgets, and ensuring sales targets are met.

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How to Become a Sales Manager

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become a Sales Manager

Should you wish to work as a Sales Manager you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for a Sales Manager

  • A Degree in Communications, Retail Marketing, Sales and Marketing Management, or Business Management.
  • Level 4 Award in Managing a Sales Team.
  • Level 4 Award in Operational Sales Planning.
  • Level 4 Award in Finance for Sales Managers.

Key Responsibilities for a Sales Manager

  • Hiring, appraising, and training staff.
  • Developing sales strategies and setting individual sales targets.
  • Identifying business opportunities.
  • Collecting sales data and reporting to senior managers.
  • Attending sales manager meetings and conferences.
  • Setting daily tasks and administrative duties.

What to expect as a Sales Manager

When you become a Sales Manager, you might work in an office or contact centre. You may be required to wear smart business dress and work regular office hours or on a shift pattern that includes evenings or weekends. Successful Sales Managers are motivational and organised, with excellent communication skills.

Recommended Sales Manager Jobs

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How to get Sales Manager Jobs

Our advice on how to get a Sales Manager job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Sales Manager application. If you have not held a Sales Manager position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Sales Manager role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Sales Manager CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Sales Manager application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become a Sales Manager in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become a Sales Manager 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Sales Manager and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Sales Manager experience.

How to get Sales Manager Experience

What does it take to be a Sales Manager? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Sales Manager jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Sales Manager through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be a Sales Manager Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Sales Manager part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Sales Manager or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Sales Manager freelance work

If you have impressive Sales Manager qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.