Sales Managers

Overview

Sales Managers has a national median salary of $148,270 per year, with +4.5% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

Work Values

• Independence
• Working Conditions
• Achievement

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
• Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
• Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
• Confer with potential customers regarding equipment needs, and advise customers on types of equipment to purchase.
• Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.

Work Activities

• Selling or Influencing Others
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Developing and Building Teams
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Coaching and Developing Others
• Training and Teaching Others
• Getting Information

Detailed Work Activities

• Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a master's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Master's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a bachelor's degree.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Sales Managers:

Video Resources