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Sales Managers

Sales Managers

Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Job Training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Examples

Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.

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.

Salary Salary

Salary at 10th Percentile: $63K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $89K
Median Salary: $132K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $185K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $208K

Demand
Career Demand by State Career Demand by State Legend
Core Tasks

Direct and coordinate activities involving sales of manufactured products, services, commodities, real estate or other subjects of sale.

Confer with potential customers regarding equipment needs and advise customers on types of equipment to purchase.

Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.

Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.

Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.

Determine price schedules and discount rates.

Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.

Prepare budgets and approve budget expenditures.

Assess marketing potential of new and existing store locations, considering statistics and expenditures.

Direct, coordinate, and review activities in sales and service accounting and record-keeping, and in receiving and shipping operations.

Plan and direct staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales and service programs.

Visit franchised dealers to stimulate interest in establishment or expansion of leasing programs.

Direct clerical staff to keep records of export correspondence, bid requests, and credit collections, and to maintain current information on tariffs, licenses, and restrictions.

Advise dealers and distributors on policies and operating procedures to ensure functional effectiveness of business.

Confer or consult with department heads to plan advertising services and to secure information on equipment and customer specifications.

Direct foreign sales and service outlets of an organization.

Represent company at trade association meetings to promote products.

Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Accounting software
Tax software
Analytical or scientific software
SAS
Business intelligence and data analysis software
Tableau
Calendar and scheduling software
Scheduling software
Computer aided design CAD software
Bentley MicroStation
Customer relationship management CRM software
Salesforce software
Data base management system software
Teradata Database
Data base reporting software
SAP Crystal Reports
Data base user interface and query software
Yardi
Data mining software
Google Analytics
Desktop communications software
Eko
Desktop publishing software
Microsoft Publisher
Development environment software
Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA
Document management software
Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
Electronic mail software
Microsoft Outlook
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
SAP Business Objects
Enterprise system management software
Splunk Enterprise
Financial analysis software
Oracle E-Business Suite Financials
Graphics or photo imaging software
SmugMug Flickr
Human resources software
Oracle Taleo
Information retrieval or search software
LexisNexis
Internet browser software
Web browser software
Inventory management software
Inventory software
Map creation software
Geographic information system GIS software
Object or component oriented development software
R
Office suite software
Microsoft Office
Operating system software
Microsoft Windows
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Project management software
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
Sales and marketing software
Marketo Marketing Automation
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Transaction security and virus protection software
Symantec
Video conferencing software
Zoom
Video creation and editing software
YouTube
Web page creation and editing software
Social media sites
Web platform development software
Hypertext markup language HTML
Word processing software
Microsoft Word
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Computer Equipment and Accessories
Desktop computers
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Sales and Marketing
94%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Customer and Personal Service
90%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

English Language
87%
Importance

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Administration and Management
80%
Importance

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Education and Training
67%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Communications and Media
64%
Importance

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Computers and Electronics
64%
Importance

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Mathematics
62%
Importance

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Personnel and Human Resources
61%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Clerical
59%
Importance

Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Top 10 Skills
Persuasion
83%
Importance

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Active Listening
80%
Importance

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking
80%
Importance

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Coordination
78%
Importance

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Critical Thinking
78%
Importance

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Negotiation
78%
Importance

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Reading Comprehension
78%
Importance

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Service Orientation
78%
Importance

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Social Perceptiveness
78%
Importance

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Active Learning
75%
Importance

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
80%
Importance

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression
80%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Comprehension
80%
Importance

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Deductive Reasoning
78%
Importance

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Speech Clarity
78%
Importance

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition
78%
Importance

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Written Expression
78%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Fluency of Ideas
75%
Importance

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Inductive Reasoning
75%
Importance

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Problem Sensitivity
75%
Importance

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Top 10 Work Activities
Selling or Influencing Others
94%
Importance

Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Thinking Creatively
88%
Importance

Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
87%
Importance

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
87%
Importance

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
87%
Importance

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Coaching and Developing Others
86%
Importance

Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Interacting With Computers
86%
Importance

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Developing and Building Teams
85%
Importance

Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Training and Teaching Others
85%
Importance

Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
84%
Importance

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.

Detailed Work Activities

Direct sales, marketing, or customer service activities.

Resolve customer complaints or problems.

Analyze financial records or reports to determine state of operations.

Supervise employees.

Determine pricing or monetary policies.

Approve expenditures.

Prepare operational budgets.

Conduct opinion surveys or needs assessments.

Evaluate employee performance.

Manage human resources activities.

Advise others on business or operational matters.

Confer with organizational members to accomplish work activities.

Represent the organization in external relations.

Advise customers on technical or procedural issues.

Evaluate potential of products, technologies, or resources.

Establish interpersonal business relationships to facilitate work activities.

Work Context
Electronic Mail

How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Contact With Others

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Deal With External Customers

How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

Face-to-Face Discussions

How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Work With Work Group or Team

How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Responsibility for Outcomes and Results

How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?

Coordinate or Lead Others

How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?

Letters and Memos

How often does the job require written letters and memos?

Freedom to Make Decisions

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

Education
Majors
Major
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
Business/Commerce, General
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Marketing
Interests
Enterprising
100%
Importance

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Conventional
67%
Importance

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Social
53%
Importance

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Realistic
43%
Importance

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Artistic
29%
Importance

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Investigative
29%
Importance

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Top 10 Work Styles
Initiative
96%
Importance

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Integrity
93%
Importance

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Adaptability/Flexibility
92%
Importance

Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Dependability
92%
Importance

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Leadership
92%
Importance

Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Stress Tolerance
91%
Importance

Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Persistence
90%
Importance

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Achievement/Effort
87%
Importance

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Cooperation
87%
Importance

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Independence
86%
Importance

Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values
Independence
81%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Working Conditions
79%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Achievement
77%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Support
77%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Recognition
67%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Relationships
58%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.