If you are interested in how to get a job in tech sales, the information we have assembled in this article can guide you through the process. In this guide, we’ll look at the highest-paying tech sales jobs and discuss the tech sales skills you need to succeed in the field.
Awesome tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple are examples of companies that hire tech salespeople. We’ll examine jobs at these companies, look into the average base salary for these jobs, and give you tips on where and how to get a job in tech sales.
What Is Tech Sales?
Tech sales representatives promote and sell a wide range of tech-related products for businesses or sales agencies. The products tech sales representatives sell could be in the medical, pharmaceutical, or tech industries. These experts must represent a tech company with comprehensive technical knowledge of the products they promote.
Using sales strategies, tech sales professionals connect clients with advanced products to meet their requirements. To complete the sales process, they provide after-sales service as a part of building long-lasting, trusting business relationships. Professional career advancement for a tech sales rep could enable them to become head of sales or a commercial equipment salesperson.
Tech Sales Job Outlook
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) foresees a five percent increase in the job outlook for wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives. Unfortunately, this means that job growth for tech sales reps is slower than the average growth of eight percent across all professions.
What Education Do I Need to Become a Tech Sales Representative?
There is no formal education requirement needed to become a tech sales rep, although having a degree can help. Degrees you can consider for this career path include engineering, marketing, or business bachelor’s degrees. Bootcamps and online courses can help you acquire certification in tech sales skills.
Can I Get a Tech Sales Job Without a Degree?
Yes, you can get a tech sales job without a degree. There is no formal degree for a tech sales job. Courses and bootcamp certifications for sales skills and tech-related topics can positively impact your candidacy. Having previous sales experience in other sales roles is something that can also give you an edge over traditionally educated candidates who lack sales experience.
Can a Coding Bootcamp Help Me Get a Job in Tech Sales?
Yes, attending a coding bootcamp can help you get a job in tech sales. Bootcamps help people pick up tech skills in a relatively fast time. Also, they are usually cheaper than college degrees, and can be completed within a few intense weeks or months. Bootcamps offer programs that are highly focused on specific roles within the tech industry education.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Job in Tech Sales?
Getting into a tech sales career can take a few months to four years, depending on the path you choose. Opting to complete a degree will take up to four years. However, opting for bootcamp training or other courses will take between a few months and a year to complete, then you can start your entry-level job in tech sales.
Common Tech Sales Education Paths
Although there are no official requirements for higher education paths to get a career in tech sales, most employers like to see credentials on your resume. Let’s look at tech sales bootcamps, community college courses, and engineering, marketing, or even business degrees.
Tech Sales Bootcamps
Tech sales positions may become available to you after attending a bootcamp to learn technical sales within 12 to 24 weeks. An impressive 91 percent of graduates from bootcamps accepted a position in their fields of study within less than 180 days of graduating, according to General Assembly’s 2018-2019 Outcomes Report.
Community College
You can consider an associate degree program that takes about two years to complete at a community college, or a bachelor’s degree that will take around four years to complete at a university. Some colleges even offer accelerated programs that will save you costs and reduce the time to completion.
You can also consider doing sales courses in marketing and business programs. Many of them offer online classes, meaning remote study is possible. These courses and programs will increase your soft and hard skills to help you land these types of sales positions.
Engineering, Marketing, or Business Degrees
Bachelor’s degrees in engineering, marketing, or business are favorable to hiring managers and will put you ahead of other candidates for sales positions. An engineering degree would help you acquire an education of a technical nature relating to tech products and the tech industry.
A marketing degree will help with your marketing, promotion, and advertising education. A business management degree in technology will help you acquire knowledge in business management. These are all areas that can benefit tech sales professionals.
Key Tech Sales Skills to List on Your Resume
Entry-level tech salespeople should make sure to have some crucial tech sales skills on their resumes. They should also have a deep understanding of SaaS or be willing to learn about it.Below we will expand on some of the most important tech sales skills to have on your resume.
Sales, Promotion, and Advertisement Skills
A successful tech sales professional will have promotion, advertising, and solution-oriented sales skills. They need to know how to sell based on the prospective customers’ needs to overcome objections and close the deal.
Communication, Presentation, and Public Speaking Skills
Communication is critical in sales, whether written, spoken, or even relating to what your grooming communicates about you. Your customer will form an opinion about whether they like or trust you within seconds of meeting you. In reality, customers will mentally buy you before they buy your product. In terms of public speaking, you may need to practice presentations or sales pitches to become more comfortable doing it.
Product knowledge, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Research
Product knowledge is vital for introducing a product, field queries, and dealing with objections when selling in any industry. Knowledge of CRM software and sales enablement software is essential to help you when searching for leads, as well as researching, analyzing, and retaining a range of customers as you cultivate solid business relationships with them.
Where to Find Tech Sales Jobs
There are a lot of places to find work, just by searching on the Internet. The Daily Job Hunt, Indeed, and LinkedIn are the best places to start looking for tech sales work. More options like networking, internships, or dropping a resume in-person also work.
The Daily Job Hunt (TDJH)
TDJH will teach you how to market yourself effectively, optimize your search, and turn the job hunt into a sales pitch that will surely help your employment search. This site is mainly for information technology (IT) professionals and it offers a daily email with job-hunting tips.
Indeed
Indeed is a renowned job board with thousands of job listings across all kinds of industries. Many companies have company profiles on Indeed, with reviews by staff. Job listings include salaries, locations, responsibilities, and other details.
On LinkedIn, you can create a profile, then add your resume, certifications, and experience. You can engage in valuable interactions with industry leaders, decision-makers, and hiring managers on LinkedIn. Many people have secured their dream jobs by using LinkedIn.
How to Prepare for Your Tech Sales Interview
Interview preparation can be daunting. It is worth it, though, as acing the interview can land you your dream job in tech sales. You can prepare your answers beforehand to communicate clearly during the interview. Below are a few questions you will likely get asked in a tech sales interview.
Tech Sales Interview Questions
- What is your background and experience in tech sales?
- What do you know about our company and products?
- What is your greatest failure so far, and how would you avoid that now?
- How do you deal with and overcome rejections during the sales process?
The Five Highest-Paying Tech Sales Jobs
| Tech Sales Jobs | Average Salary | Projected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Technology Sales Vice President (VP) | $161,634 | 7% |
| Technology Sales Director (SD) | $129,875 | 7%* |
| Technology Sales Manager (SM) | $89,729 | 7%* |
| Technology Sales Operations (SO) Manager | $80,952 | 7%* |
| Technology Account Executive (AE) | $59,995 | 8% |
*All job growth statistics have been sourced from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Technology Sales Vice President (VP)
- Salary: $161,634
VP is a senior-level role that requires travel, experience, certifications, and a proven track record in sales. The VP creates the sales strategy and implements it through sales managers and sales teams. The VP also keeps marketing teams informed, so that marketing and sales stay aligned for maximum success.
Technology Sales Director (SD)
- Salary: $129,875
The SD manages sales campaigns and proposal development. They also support contract negotiations and presentations for top-level management and clients. The SD is part of upper management and requires travel, experience, certifications, and a successful background in tech.
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Technology Sales Manager (SM)
- Salary: $89,729
The SM is usually an excellent salesperson, overseeing a sales team or teams. They execute, monitor, drive, and report on the VP’s sales strategies. Travel is expected from time to time and this is primarily a management role.
Technology Sales Operations (SO) Manager
- Salary: $80,952
The SO makes sure sales are in great shape, providing the marketing materials for teams to utilize, utilizing evaluation processes, and reporting to sales management. Sometimes, travel is expected, but the salary is good, and some SOs earn commission.
Technology Account Executive (AE)
- Salary: $59,995
An AE liaises with potential clients and closes deals by utilizing trusted professional relations with clients, facilitating the fulfillment of the clients’ needs and growing the business. This position provides a good salary with loads of opportunities for advancement.
Tech Sales Career Path
As a tech sales representative, you’ll have various paths of advancement. Here, we list tech sales career paths from entry-level to senior-level, so you can see how you can progress in this career as you increase your experience in sales.
Entry-Level Tech Sales Jobs
- Sales Development Representative (SDR) – The SDR sells products and services to potential clients, through product demonstration and product knowledge.
- Team Leader (TL) – TLs are responsible for driving and supporting sales teams to stay on track to achieve sales targets.
- Account Manager (AM) – AMs manage sales while maintaining client relationships. As an AM, you must use your excellent people skills to persuade clients to buy more products and services.
Mid-Level Tech Sales Jobs
- Territory Sales Manager – Territory sales managers work in an assigned specific geographical area and are responsible for hitting sales targets.
- Regional Sales Manager (RM) – The RM ensures the achievement of sales targets through education, training, development, marketing, promotion, and deployment.
- Technology Sales Operations (SO) Manager – This manager oversees several departments and coordinates operations for the organization.
Senior-Level Tech Sales Jobs
- National Accounts Sales Manager (NA) – The NA sales manager draws on sales experience to identify prospective clients and build solid professional relationships. They manage sales activities and report to the director of sales.
- Technology Sales Director (SD) – The SD leads a team’s success while managing sales tasks, planning new launches, and more. Strategic thinking is an essential skill needed within this role.
- Technology Sales Vice President (VP) – The VP increases productivity through implementing sales strategies. They identify prospective clients, increase sales generated via follow-ups, and integrate sales programs that yield an excellent return on investment (ROI).
Tech Sales Certifications
To gain access to employment opportunities, you may consider boosting your soft and technical skills. The Certified Sales Professional, CompTIA A+, and Certified Information Technology Professional certifications will help you start your active sales development representative career.
Certified Sales Professional (CSP)
The CSP program will give you a thorough understanding of consultative selling, business creation, improved time management, goal setting, prospecting, and more. These are all valuable tools to start your entry-level role in tech sales, and skills you can use when you progress to an accounting manager role.
CompTIA A+
Additional education with a Comp TIA A+ will help develop your computer and Internet skills and learn about standard hardware and software used today. Gaining this certification is an excellent place to start increasing your understanding of more complex IT technologies, as a technology sales professional.
Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP)
A CITP is a public accountant, certified to mine business insights and leverage their professional relationships to sell supporting technologies and products. Getting this certification, alongside honing your soft skills, can increase sales, boost your industry knowledge, and open up more job opportunities.
Tips on How to Get a Job in Tech Sales
Your access to employment opportunities will depend on your dedication, experience, and determination. Some of the best ways to establish your tech sales career are certification, internship experience, an excellent resume, networking, and continuous learning.
Certification
Acquiring industry-related certifications will validate your ability to perform in this competitive market. Increasing your market awareness or analyst skills will undoubtedly help you hone your sales skills and performance in this role.
Internship Experience
Attending an internship helps you acquire valuable experience in the field, which is something that almost all employers look for in a tech sales candidate. Internships also represent an opportunity to network with tech and tech sales professionals who are already in the industry.
Excellent Resume
Your professional tech sales resume will create a good impression, deciding whether get an you interview. Make sure you set up your resume strategically to bag as many interviews as you can, so you can start considering offers. Remember, at this stage, you are selling yourself.
Networking
A career in sales always means networking. Every encounter could be a prospective client, an opportunity for a referral, or a career opportunity. So make sure you practice these essential networking skills and use them to your advantage.
Continue Learning
Continuous learning is paramount, whether you are learning about new products and services, acquiring a new skill for success in sales, or enhancing your technical skills. Take advantage of free courses, as well. This will show employers you are proactive.
Should You Get a Job in Tech Sales in 2022?
Yes, you should get a job in tech sales in 2022, if you enjoy using soft skills to sell technical products and you’re looking for a good average starting salary, with the opportunity for commission and great potential for advancement. Tech sales representatives can also start their entry-level careers with little additional education and cost.
The best tech sales bootcamps can help you get a job in tech sales in a short time so you can start increasing your tech sales skills and work on getting a high-paying tech sales job. The best bootcamps even help with valuable career services, like mock interviews.
Tech Sales FAQ
Yes, the sales representative role is a high-paying sales job you can get without a degree.
No, it isn’t hard to get into tech sales if you have the drive, determination, and a desire to learn on the job. Increasing your technical skills would also be highly beneficial for securing employment in a tech sales position.
Yes, many sales positions offer the opportunity to earn commission, but it varies from employer to employer. Sometimes, commission-earning positions can mean a lower base salary.
Yes, experience is essential to employers, so use every opportunity to acquire as much sales experience as possible.
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