Sales Managers
Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams.
Career Details
Duties/Responsibilities: Sales managers set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for the organization’s sales representatives.
Average Hours/Working Schedule: Most sales managers work full time. Long hours, including evenings and weekends, are common
Working location(s): Many sales managers travel to national, regional, and local offices and to dealers’ and distributors’ offices.
Salary/Wage Potential: The median annual wage of sales managers was $98,530 in May 2010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $49,960, and the top 10 percent earned more than $166,400.
Education Needed
Most sales managers have a bachelor’s degree, although some have a master’s degree. Educational requirements are less strict for job candidates who have significant experience as a sales representative. Courses in business law, management, economics, accounting, finance, mathematics, marketing, and statistics are advantageous.
Skills Needed
Analytical skills: Sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising areas and determine the most effective sales strategies. Communication skills: Sales managers need to work with people in other departments and with customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly. Customer-service skills: When helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs. Managerial skills: Sales managers must be able to evaluate how sales staff perform and develop ways for struggling members to improve
Job Outlook
Employment of sales managers is expected to grow 12 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Advancement Opportunities or Related Jobs
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