A guide to 15 jobs in sales (and when to hire them)

Hiring for the right sales positions in your business can align your organization and streamline your sales process.

However, knowing which sales positions are right for your business is easier said than done. There are many sales-related roles, all of which require different skills and have different responsibilities.

There are completely different requirements for a part-time entry-level sales rep, a full-time sales director and a freelance consultant.

If you want to grow your sales capabilities, you need to learn the ins and outs of each role.

In this article, we show you 15 different sales jobs, the responsibilities of each job title and when to hire them for your business.

1. Sales development representative (SDR)

A sales development representative (SDR) is in charge of lead generation and moving leads through the sales pipeline. Often, this position is considered an entry-level role and a stepping stone into sales.

SDRs spend a lot of their time looking for potential leads through outbound prospecting, which involves making cold calls and sending cold emails.

During these engagement activities, SDRs can begin to determine whichprospects are most likely move through the sales pipeline and become a qualified lead.

To do this, they find out if your product or service matches the prospect’s budget, needs and timing. If the prospect qualifies, the SDR passes them on to a sales rep to continue the sale and close the deal.

Sales development representatives also have deep product knowledge. They use this knowledge to understand how your product can solve customer problems and accurately assess high-quality leads.

Some skills to look for in a candidate for a sales development representative position include:

• Problem solving

• Effective communication

• The ability to conduct strategic research, lead generation and outreach

• Organization and time management

• Independent working

Candidates may not have all of these skills when you hire them. Aim for a candidate with proficiency in most SDR skills and plan to provide support to help them become more well-rounded.

When to hire an SDR

Your company will benefit from hiring an SDR when your sales reps or executives need more support. Having an SDR frees up their time to close more sales.

Before you hire an SDR, you must already have an ideal customer profile, a compelling value proposition and paying customers with clear pain points your product solves.

From here, SDRs can help you streamline your lead generation, reach a bigger portion of the target market and scale up.

Average salary for an SDR

The average base salary for a sales development representative in the United States is $48,469, according to PayScale.

SDRs can also get bonuses up to $25,000 and commissions up to $26,000.

2. Inside sales representative

An inside sales representative sells products and services remotely rather than face-to-face.

Inside sales, also called virtual sales or remote sales, involves using emails, phone calls and video calls to nurture leads and make a sale.

Inside sales reps generate revenue with as little as a reliable internet connection and a way to make phone calls with solid audio. They can sell to anyone, no matter where they are.

An inside salesperson usually works on a predictable schedule. They can break down their weekly or monthly sales quota into the number of calls they need to make per day and remove distractions that don’t help them hit this number.

Here are some of the common skills listed on job postings seeking inside sales reps:

• The ability to pick up verbal and audible cues on sales calls

• Clear communication with others and the capability to build strong relationships

• The drive to consistently improve their product knowledge

• Task prioritization and time management

When to hire an inside sales rep

Hiring an inside sales rep is helpful if your business has a remote or hybrid work structure and you want your sales team to contact leads and make sales from their home offices.

It’s also a good move for companies that want to increase sales without wasting resources. There’s no need for sales reps to travel or come into the office to make sales, so you save time and money.

Average salary for an inside sales rep

The average base salary for an inside sales representative in the United States is $49,569, according to PayScale.

Inside sales representatives can also get bonuses up to $16,000 and commissions up to $30,000.

3. Outside sales representative

An outside sales representative sells products and services through face-to-face meetings.

Also called field sales reps, an outside sales rep meets potential customers at trade shows, industry events or their offices.

An outside sales rep’s schedule is less structured compared to those of inside sales reps. Their office is their base, but they spend most of their time outside of it. They set their own schedule and adjust it to their prospects’ preferences.

Outside sales reps often have their own territory, such as a state like Seattle or New Jersey, or it may be more specific to a city, such as Chicago or Boston.

If your field sales reps cover multiple states or countries, it’s important to consider the different laws and regulations, particularly in industries such as healthcare. For instance, New York has laws that are different from Florida’s and Singapore’s laws are different from India’s.

The different laws will impact the sales process and the questions potential customers may have, so whatever job category a sales rep fits into, they need to be aware of these differences.

Traits to look for in an outside sales rep candidate include:

• The ability to pick up on body language cues

• Feeling comfortable setting their own schedule and working autonomously

• Organizational skills

• Willing to work with fewer leads

When to hire an outside sales representative

Hiring outside sales reps is a great step for companies aiming for larger deals. It’s unlikely that a lot of prospects will spend large amounts of money on a product or service without having met someone at the company first.

Average salary for an outside sales representative

The average base salary for an outside sales rep in the United States is $54,768, according to PayScale.

Outside sales reps can also get bonuses up to $30,000 and commissions up to $48,000.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the differences between inside and outside sales:

4. Account executive (AE)

An account executive (AE) is in charge of the complete sales cycle, from lead generation through to closing the deal.

They also provide after-sales support to boost customer retention and ensure customer satisfaction.

Account executives often collaborate with sales reps, account managers and the customer service team. They build long-term relationships, encourage repeat purchases, expand their customer base and keep churn low.

A strong candidate for an account executive role:

• Understands all parts of the sales process

• Can build and maintain relationships

• Has deep knowledge of the market’s needs and trends

• Keeps diligent notes and tracks details about accounts they oversee

• Uses sales insights and reporting tools

When to hire an account executive

Account executives are essential for companies that want to go all-in on customer loyalty and build relationships with customers from the ground up.

Account executives are highly involved in all parts of the customer journey. They have a good understanding of who their customers are, what they want and how to encourage them to buy.

Average salary for an account executive

The average base salary for an account executive is $63,030 in the United States, according to PayScale.

Account executives can also get bonuses up to $45,000 and commissions up to $56,000.

5. Account manager

An account manager focuses on building and maintaining long-term relationships with a company’s customers. They oversee a specific set of assigned customers, connect with key stakeholders in these companies and look for new sales opportunities.

Account managers are the main points of contact between their company and the customer. They become trusted advisors to customers and offer advice to help them make the most of their purchase.

An account manager candidate should be:

• An active listener

• Confident delivering sales presentations

• A skilled negotiator

• Able to juggle multiple accounts at the same time

• Proficient in sales forecasting and reporting

• Capable of collaborating with the sales team

When to hire an account manager

If your business has a growing customer base, account managers help you manage customer relationships, provide a better customer experience, increase customer lifetime value and reduce churn.

Average salary for an account manager

The average base salary for an account manager in the United States is $61,771, according to PayScale.

Account managers can also get bonuses up to $21,000 and commissions up to $39,000.

6. Sales manager

A sales manager is in charge of leading the sales team to reach its goals. They hire and train sales associates, build a strategic sales plan and evaluate the team’s sales performance.

Sales managers set sales goals based on business goals and objectives. They monitor performance and support team members if things fall behind.

They also motivate sales reps and boost morale, building a trusting relationship with sales reps to push the whole team forward.

Strong candidates for a sales manager role can:

• Recruit, mentor, motivate and influence a team of ambitious sales reps

• Pair effective goal-setting skills with solid planning skills to hit those goals

• Use their knowledge of sales reporting and forecasting

• Communicate effectively with colleagues

• Share valuable presentations

When to hire a sales manager

Any company with multiple sales reps will benefit from hiring a sales manager. It keeps everyone aligned and focused on the same goal and gives sales reps someone to turn to if they have questions or concerns.

Average salary for a sales manager

The average base salary for a sales manager is $70,258 in the United States, according to PayScale.

Sales managers can also get bonuses up to $34,000 and commissions up to $60,000.

7. Customer success manager (CSM)

A customer success manager (CSM) liaises between the company and its customers.

A CSM onboards clients after purchases, ensures their experience is smooth and builds long-term relationships to boost customer retention.

CSMs are instrumental in helping sales, marketing and product development teams understand customers’ needs and behaviors. As a result, these teams can maximize their efforts and boost company profits.

A great customer success manager candidate may have the following skills on their resume:

• Experience providing quality customer service and addressing customer concerns

• Leading training and managing a team

• Communicating and collaborating across company departments

• Using their technical aptitude to work toward company goals

When to hire a customer success manager

If your business wants to reduce customer churn, hiring a customer success manager is a good place to start.

Their goals are to drive recurring purchases, track the health of customer accounts, train customers and turn them into customer advocates.

Average salary for a customer success manager

The average base salary for a customer success manager is $74,727 in the United States, according to PayScale.

Customer success managers can also get bonuses of up to $24,000 and commissions of up to $32,000.

8. Sales engineer

A sales engineer sells technical products to businesses. They have unique product knowledge and specialize in complex, advanced solutions.

They help sales executives grasp the technical aspects of the solution they sell so they can explain it to customers and close the deal.

Sales engineers are also great at explaining advanced products and concepts in an easy-to-understand way. They deliver technical presentations and product demonstrations to prospects to show how the product works and why it’s the best solution for their needs.

Experience to look for in a sales engineering candidate includes:

• A relevant technical degree or a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, mathematics, IT or applied science

• Problem-solving skills

• Presentation skills

• The ability to convey complex topics and solutions clearly and simply

• Collaboration skills

• Knowledge of the sales process, including potential bottlenecks and key activities that move prospects forward

When to hire a sales engineer

If your company sells technical products, you’ll benefit from hiring a sales engineer. They can pitch your product, provide a demonstration and take care of any setup and onboarding for your customers.

Average salary for a sales engineer

The average base salary for a sales engineer is $77,686 in the United States, according to PayScale.

Sales engineers can also get bonuses up to $26,000 and commissions up to $44,000.

9. Sales operations manager

A sales operations manager is in charge of the processes, tools and technologies used by the sales team. They reduce friction in day-to-day sales activities, which helps salespeople improve efficiency and increase productivity.

Sales operations managers often simplify and streamline complex workflows with a CRM. Using this software, the sales team can better manage their sales.

For example, they can instantly see the number of deals in their workflow, the average deal size and value, how many deals the team wins and how long it takes to close a deal.

A solid sales operations manager candidate will have:

• Experience using your CRM tool of choice, from optimizing processes to building dashboards to running reports

• The ability to turn a sales strategy into processes, automations and systems for your sales team

• Communication and leadership skills

• Techniques to teach, motivate and incentivize sales reps

When to hire a sales operations manager

If you want to increase productivity and streamline your sales process, hiring a sales operation manager can help. They’ll integrate useful tools, build a useful tech stack and help sales reps manage their leads as efficiently as possible.

Average salary for a sales operations manager

The average base salary for a sales operations manager is $87,801 in the United States, according to PayScale.

Sales operations managers can also get bonuses up to $20,000 and commissions up to $30,000.

10. Regional sales manager

A regional sales manager oversees sales activities, operations and performance in a specific area. They know their region in-depth and understand how different factors can influence demand and sales numbers. They can adapt to patterns and trends and hire new sales reps if needed.

Regional sales managers also support sales managers and teams in their territory.

They train and motivate the teams they oversee, work with them to hit their sales goals and report on regional sales results.

Here are some qualities to look for in a regional sales manager candidate:

• A wide knowledge of the local target market and competitors in their territory

• The ability to motivate, lead and coach sales managers and reps

• Confidence creating sales reports and forecasts

• Report presenting skills

• Experience building a clear sales strategy and hitting sales objectives

When to hire a regional sales manager

You should hire regional sales managers when your global reach becomes wide enough to divide it into territories.

For example, a real estate agent firm can split a single country into territories. A software company may divide its sales operations into EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and the United States.

Average salary for a regional sales manager

The average base salary for a regional sales manager is $87,501 in the United States, according to PayScale.

Regional sales managers can also get bonuses up to $38,000 and commissions up to $50,000.

11. Sales director (director of sales)

A sales director, or director of sales, is a high-level management role that oversees and directs sales teams. They train sales managers, create annual sales targets and build key sales strategies to hit company targets.

The director of sales has a birds-eye view of where the company is now and where it needs to be. They work with the marketing team, sales operations managers and financial managers to align sales activities with the bigger picture.

Here are some of the skills and experience to look for in a sales director:

• Outstanding sales record

• Proven history implementing changes and strategies that boost a company’s growth

• The ability to develop streamlined sales processes to improve company-wide efficiency

• Sales forecasting and reporting skills that inform sales strategies

When to hire a sales director

It’s the right time to hire a sales director when the company is growing fast. A director of sales will keep this growth in sync with the company’s overarching goals.

Average salary for a sales director

The average base salary for a director of sales is $101,345 in the United States, according to PayScale.

Directors of sales can also get bonuses up to $50,000 and commissions up to $68,000.

12. Vice president (VP) of sales

Vice president (VP) of sales is another senior management role. They set sales goals and objectives and work with the director of sales to create successful sales strategies.

The VP of sales has a varied role, with responsibilities that change based on the size and structure of the company. Their responsibilities often include reporting to the board of directors, analyzing current revenue figures to understand the company’s trajectory and planning the company’s strategic direction.

A candidate for a VP of sales role should have:

• Multiple years of experience in sales leadership (C-level leadership a bonus)

• An extensive track record of setting and hitting an organization’s sales goals

• Communication, mentorship and relationship-building skills

• A strong strategic mindset and creative thinking skills

When to hire a vice president of sales

The sweet spot for hiring a VP of sales is when your company catches strong momentum with leads, sales and revenue growth. At this point, a VP of sales can keep the sales organization aligned with the market, the company’s goals and its vision.

Average salary for a vice president of sales

The average base salary for a VP of sales is $152,023 in the United States, according to PayScale.

VPs of sales can also get bonuses up to $85,000 and commissions up to $99,000.

13. Chief sales officer (CSO)

A chief sales officer (CSO) is in charge of leading and managing the sales function of a company. They manage the company’s VP of sales and oversee all sales activities of the company, making them the highest sales position in an organization.

A CSO’s main focuses are leadership, strategy and evaluation. They assess the effectiveness of sales, operations and customer support to ensure the company hits sales targets and achieves its business goals. Tasks may include analyzing sales channels, competitors, the market and the company’s sales initiatives.

Here are some of the skills you’ll want to look for when hiring for a chief sales officer position:

• Deep analytical skills, including performance and competitive analysis

• Exceptional communication and leadership skills, with the ability to move a group of diverse people with different skill sets in the same direction

• The ability to manage change as the company grows and scales

• Business acumen and in-depth understanding of market complexities

When to hire a chief sales officer

If your business is growing and your sales leaders need support, it may be time to add a chief sales officer. They’ll oversee all sales operations and provide support to your sales managers, helping them keep their sales reps on track to reach your sales targets.

Average salary for a chief sales officer

The average base salary for a chief sales officer is $180,521 in the United States, according to PayScale.

Chief sales officers can also get bonuses up to $101,000 and commissions up to $140,000.

14. Business development manager

A business development manager is responsible for identifying new business opportunities. They focus on how to generate more revenue, improve profitability and help your business grow.

A lot of the role involves strategic planning with the sales team. The business development manager will use the sales strategy to inform their research and find the best areas for growth and opportunity.

Some of the qualities to look for in a business development manager include:

• Analytical skills to spot areas for improvement

• Effective research skills to identify new business opportunities

• Good reporting and forecasting skills

• Market analysis skills (to see where your company sits within it)

• Confident communicating with colleagues and customers

When to hire a business development manager

If your business performs well but you haven’t seen significant growth in a while, consider hiring a business development manager. Their role is to pinpoint areas of opportunity to help your business grow.

Average salary for a business development manager

The average salary for a business development manager is $80,827 in the United States, according to PayScale.

A business development manager can also get bonuses up to $32,000 and commissions up to $42,000.

15. Sales consultant

A sales consultant is an experienced sales representative. They have a successful track record and a deep knowledge of the marketplace. You can hire them as a full-time team member or as a part-time freelance consultant.

Their responsibilities include sourcing quality leads, building customer relationships, pitching your product or service and nurturing leads through the sales funnel.

Here are some of the skills to look out for when hiring a sales consultant:

• Lead identification and qualification

• Industry knowledge

• Impressive communication

• Strong sales record

• Presenting and pitching products

When to hire a sales consultant

Companies will often hire a sales consultant when they need an expert on hand. If your sales are dropping or your target market has changed, a sales consultant can help you align your sales activity to increase your sales.

Average salary for a sales consultant

The average salary for a sales consultant is $61,246 in the United States, according to PayScale.

A sales consultant can also get bonuses of up to $41,000 and commissions of up to $73,000.

How do you know when to expand your sales team?

Let’s take a look at some situations where, as a business owner or sales leader, you might expand your sales team to support the growth of your business.

You have a strong (and growing) sales record

Has your company seen consistent growth over the last year or so? If the answer is yes, you may want to think about growing your sales capabilities.

Expanding your sales team can help you scale your sales capabilities and continue growing your strong sales record.

For example, if you hire a business development manager, you’ll find new ways to grow your sales and expand your business.

Hiring a sales manager might also be a good option at this stage. Having a managerial figure in place gives you someone to create a sales strategy that promotes growth. They can look at your pricing strategies or find partnerships you can put into place to grow your audience and revenue.

Once this strategy is in place, you can break out of your existing rut and (hopefully) see more sales.

You struggle to keep up with demand

If you have too many prospects and leads coming into your pipeline and not enough people to handle them, it’s time to expand your sales team.

Bringing more sales reps on board will help you manage all these leads without letting any slip through the cracks. You can offer a better customer experience and increase your ability to nurture leads from initial contact to closing the deal.

An inbound sales representative could also be a good choice in this situation. Adding this role would allow you to improve your lead management without increasing your outgoing costs too much. You’ll have to pay a salary for your new inbound sales executive but you won’t have to pay for them to travel anywhere to meet new prospects.

You plan to launch a new product or service

Whenever you launch a new product or service, you need to review your resources and capacity. Take a look at who’s on your sales team, what their roles are and how they can support the new product going to market.

In many cases, you might find that your business needs more sales professionals to launch a new product.

For example, you might want to bring in an expert (like a sales consultant) to guide the launch and ensure it’s successful.

You might also consider hiring more sales development reps to handle existing leads while other sales executives focus on launching and promoting the new product. Doing this ensures your existing customers won’t suffer while most of your sales reps are busy elsewhere.

Your business is expanding or moving into new territories

Another time it’s worth considering hiring more sales reps is when you want to expand into a new location or you’re moving a local business to a different area.

For example, a real estate agent with a brokerage in California may wish to set up a new brokerage in Texas, requiring new licensing and new reps (or agents).

Likewise, a solar panel company in Oregon may wish to start selling in Arizona. They may not need to get re-licensed but local knowledge will certainly help.

Bringing new people on board allows you to tap into local trends that only a field sales representative based in that particular location can really understand.

Final thoughts

Hiring for the right sales roles can make or break the success of your sales team.

Understanding what each sales job type is, the responsibilities it carries and how it fits within your company puts you in a much better place to hire for the right ones – and attract the right candidates to your job post.

To manage the hiring process, take a look at Pipedrive’s recruitment CRM. Use our software to manage applicants, track applications in real time and streamline your recruitment process.