Mihaylo Career Services
SGMH 1409 • mihaylocareers@fullerton.edu • (657) 278-8738 • business.fullerton.edu/careerservices
Career Resource Guide: Marketing - Sales
Are you competitive and outgoing? If so a career in sales might be a great
field to go into. Going into sales is more than a job, it is a lifestyle.
There are two types of sales workers in the wholesale industry: those who
work in an office and those who do most of their work on the road. Inside
sales workers usually work by phone, taking and soliciting orders. They
also monitor inventory levels for their customers and process orders.
Outside sales workers call on retail store owners and try and persuade them to buy their products. They make periodic calls on
regular customers; inform customers of new and old products,
availability of supply, and prices; help with inventory control;
arrange for delivery or installation; handle customer complaints;
check on the competitors' activities and products; attempt to lure
customers away from other companies; and in general, do all they
can to most effectively represent their companies.
For current list of career
path advisors please visit:
business.fullerton.edu/stude
ntservices/careerpath.html
Source: Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center—Sales
Sales is a great way to get a start in business because the ability
to sell, whether it’s a product, service, idea, or yourself, is the
foundation for all business activity.
Sample Job Titles:
Entry-Level
� Sales Representative
� Account Coordinator
� Sales Assistant
� Assistant Account Executive
Mid-Level
� Sales Manager
� Account Executive
� Account Supervisor
� Business Development Manager
Skills/Experiences Required:
� Strong Interpersonal Skills
� Ability to Build Rapport
� Articulate
� Good Time Management
� Self-Motivated
� Excellent Negotiation Skills
� Competitive
Professional Associations/Certifications:
� National Association of Sales Professionals
� The Sales Association
Pinnacle
� Director of Sales
Business Development
� VP of Sales
Business Development
� SMEI – Sales and Marketing Professional Association
� Cal State Fullerton Sales Leadership Center
Mihaylo Career Services
SGMH 1409 • mihaylocareers@fullerton.edu • (657) 278-8738 • business.fullerton.edu/careerservices
Career Resource Guide: Marketing - Sales
Starting Salaries/Trajectory*:
NACE 2012 average starting salary: $62,000 (Marketing and Sales Managers)
BLS 2011 average salary: $101,640 (Sales Managers)
Supplemental Data:
Salaries for entry-level positions in sales vary based on what industry a person is working in. For example,
according to Salary.com a Sales Representative working in the Bio-Medical Equipment industry makes a median
salary of $63,321 a year. In the banking industry, a Direct Sales Representative makes a median salary of $56,222
a year.
Often companies offer a commission plan for their sales representatives, where employees earn a percentage of
what they sell. This makes sales salaries highly variable and can often fluctuate from month to month.
Source: http://www.salary.com
*Note: Salaries are highly dependent on location, company type, and candidate experience/education. For the purposes of this guide, we are
providing average starting salaries as determined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), overall average salaries as
determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as well as supplemental information found from various industry-specific sources.
Industry Research and Tools:
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Saleshq.monster.com
Sales.about.com
bls.gov/ooh/sales/home.htm
entrepreneur.com/sales/index.html
Job and Internship Search Sites:
� salesjobs.com/
� salescareersonline.com/
� managementhelp.org/sales/sales.htm
Employers Hiring Our Graduates:
About this guide: This resource guide is intended to provide an introduction to the industry and relay a sampling of the resources
available to candidates. It is by no means comprehensive, nor intended to replace individual research based on specific job targets
and/or recommendations from an advisor.