What do you do in a sales job? Our ultimate career guide

CAN you sell yourself? Then sign up for a career in sales.

Essential to every industry, sales is one of the most inclusive jobs around, open to anyone with the right skills, ability and drive to succeed.

Over 900,000 people work in sales roles nationally and there are over 100,000 vacancies across the UK too.

Successful salespeople can earn six-figure salaries without a degree, so if you want to be in the money, here’s how to get started with Sun Jobs.

What exactly is a sales job? 

A sales job is simply a role where you sell your company’s products or services.

You might be required to meet with customers face-to-face or sell over the phone or via online meetings.

Some firms offer ‘warm leads’, which are lists of potential customers who have already expressed an interest in your product while others may ask you to ‘cold call’ and find new customers yourself. 

In most sales jobs, you will be given a sales target to reach and earn extra money if you hit or surpass it.

It’s also likely you’ll have to deliver presentations, demonstrate the use of a product and negotiate a price and contract with the buyer.

What salary do sales jobs pay? 

Most sales roles work on a basic salary plus commission.

The average basic is around £35,000 but commissions vary enormously.

Specialist tech sales or high-end estate agents can make over £200k a year.

What skills will I need in a sales role? 

Whatever it is that you are selling, being successful at sales is all about making connections, building trust and understanding your client’s needs.

While you will need to be confident in talking and presenting, it helps to have the ability to deeply listen to your client’s problem and then position your product as the solution.

Other helpful skills are an aptitude for maths and finance, sound admin skills and an upbeat attitude.

What qualifications will I need for a sales job?

If you are selling in a specialist area such as pharmaceuticals, you may be asked to have a related degree.

Otherwise, it’s possible to get into sales with basic GCSEs. Some firms offer apprenticeships or you can work your way up from an entry-level role.

You can find out more at: nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/sales-representative.

If you want to move into management, check out the professional courses from the Institute of Sales Professionals at the-isp.org.

How can I progress my career in sales? 

Sales are vital to almost every firm so the role offers the opportunity to work in a sector that interests you.

Think about a product you are passionate about as it will be easier to sell if you have a genuine interest in it.

From cars to beauty to eco products, there will be a job which inspires you.

Entry-level jobs include trainee salespeople or sales administrators who support the sales team with contracts and making appointments with customers.

Once you have gained enough experience, you can move up to become a sales manager then an area manager or director.

Many sales experts go on to be C-suite staff too.

Ready to close the deal on your new role? Here are the top three jobs this week, from Sun Jobs.

Sales Advisor, CareCo, Stevenage

Make the move to this caring sales role.

The Job: As a Sales Advisor you will be the face of the CareCo business and provide the very best customer service at all times in the new Stevenage branch.

What You’ll Do: You’ll join a brand-new team of mobility experts all working together to help CareCo Stevenage make the best possible impression from day one. Day-to-day your duties will include solving a customer’s mobility difficulties, assisting in qualifying customers for products that best suit their needs, processing orders and identifying any upsell opportunities when serving customers. You will also need to be able to demonstrate the products on offer.

What You’ll Need: Previous retail experience in a fast-paced environment (experience in the mobility retail sector would be a plus but not essential) along with the ability to meet sales targets through proven relationship selling techniques and excellent customer service skills. You will also need to be proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly in Outlook, Word and Excel and have GCSE English and Maths at Grade C/4 as a minimum.

Apply Now: See all the other requirements for this job here or check out additional opportunities at CareCo.

Sales Executive, Zuto, Manchester

Go full throttle with this exciting automotive job.

The Job: Car financing company Zuto is hiring a Sales Executive to join its team in Manchester.

What You’ll Do: As the main contact between Zuto and its customers you will help to support them in their car-buying journey from start to finish. This will involve managing your pipeline effectively to maintain contact with your customers, proactively making calls to qualified customers, dealerships and lenders daily and keeping your customers fully informed.

What You’ll Need: To apply for this role you will need at least 18 months of sales experience, be a strong communicator and be able to manage multiple stakeholders both efficiently and effectively. You should also have a consultative sales approach and the desire and hunger to learn, develop and progress within the business—80% of sales managers have been promoted internally.

Apply Now: Get more details here or see what else is on offer at Zuto.

Sales Executive, Fuel Card Services, Burnley

Power up your selling technique in this entry-level role.

The Job: Fuel Card Services has an opportunity for a Sales Executive to join its fun, supportive and growing sales team in Burnley town centre.

What You’ll Do: In this telesales position, you will be responsible for generating business by cold calling new customers on the phone and informing them of the benefits of fuel cards and additional products. You will become a subject matter expert in these products, listening to customer requirements and highlighting the advantages of Fuel Card Services.

What You’ll Need: While no formal educational requirements are needed, applicants should have a willingness to learn about call techniques, have a desire to talk on the phone in a confident telephone manner and have the confidence to cold call new customers. Previous sales experience is a plus but not essential.

Apply Now: Check out additional info here or see all jobs at Fuel Card Services here.

Discover thousands of open vacancies for jobs all across the UK now on The Sun Job Board.