Sales Representative

Typical Salary

£15,000 To £50,000

Typical Hours

38 to 40 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays away from home

How To Become a Sales Representative

You can get into this job through:

a university course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role

College / University

You may need to do a degree in a subject related to your area of sales, especially if you're selling specialist products or services, for example pharmaceuticals.

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

Apprenticeship

You could do an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship in:

sales and telesales
vehicle sales

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

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

Routes into this Career

You could start as an administrator in a sales office. Experience in a retail or customer service role may help you to become a sales rep. You'll also need a good standard of English and number skills.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to sell products and services
customer service skills
persistence and determination
to be flexible and open to change
the ability to work well with others
the ability to use your initiative
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
excellent verbal communication skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

contacting new and existing customers
making presentations to promote new products
agreeing sales, prices and delivery
keeping in contact with customers before and after a sale
recording orders
going to conferences to understand industry trends
meeting sales targets

Working Environment

You could work in an office, from home or in a contact centre.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could become a sales team leader or an area sales manager.

The Institute of Sales Management (ISM) could help you develop your career.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

It will help if you have experience or a background in what you're selling.

Further information

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

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.