Sales manager

You could do a degree before joining a company as a graduate sales management trainee. Employers recruit graduates from most subjects. Particularly relevant ones include:

• sales and marketing management
• business management
• retail marketing
• digital marketing

For some jobs, like selling hi-tech scientific or engineering equipment, employers may prefer you to have a qualification in that field.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
• university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/

You could apply to do a Sales Executive Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship to join a company as a trainee manager.

For management roles selling to businesses, you could do a Business to Business Sales Professional Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.

These can take between 2 and 3 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

You could work as a sales supervisor or assistant manager and complete professional qualifications , whilst you work. This could help you to move into sales management positions.

Qualifications cover all aspects of sales at different levels of responsibility, and include:

• market research and sales planning
• managing team performance
• strategic sales leadership

You'll need experience in sales and a record of achieving targets. Employers will often consider your sales and management experience, market knowledge and track record to be more important than your academic qualifications.

You could also apply for jobs in specialist sales management, if you have a background in designing or manufacturing the products your team is selling, for example, medical technology or construction equipment.

Career Tips

The ability to speak a second language may be useful if you're employed by an international sales company, or one that requires overseas travel to meet clients.

Further Information

You can find out more about careers in sales management from the Institute of Sales Professionals.

As a sales manager, you could:

• recruit and train sales staff
• allocate geographical areas to sales reps
• identify new business opportunities
• develop sales strategies and set sales targets
• provide feedback and coaching to team members
• monitor team performance and motivate staff to reach targets
• analyse and present sales figures and forecasts to senior managers
• keep up to date with products, market trends and competitors

You could work at a store, in an office, at a client's business or in a contact centre.