Careers In Sales
The process of convincing a buyer to purchase a product or a service requires knowledgeable sales people who can explain the benefits of the product or service. Sales professionals need to have in-depth knowledge of the product or service they are selling in addition to the people skills and selling skills that are more general to the profession. Incomes in this field vary considerably but at the high end of the spectrum can be significantly above average.
Those who are considering a career in sales will benefit from attending college programs in business or in a field that is relevant to the industry they plan to work in. For instance, a computer services company may prefer to hire salespeople with some education in computers while a pharmaceutical company may look for those with a degree in a science field.
The sales jobs below are those identified by BrainTrack as commonly requiring higher education either for entry or for advancement. Hyperlinked jobs go to detailed profiles, including lists of schools with relevant programs.
| Occupation | Jobs | Growth '08-'18 | Low - Median - High | Some College | Bachelor Degree+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 4,210,000 | 8% | 36% | 25% | |
| Product Sales Representatives | 1,410,000 | 7% | 31% | 47% | |
| Supervisors Of Retail Sales Workers | 1,163,000 | 5% | 36% | 25% | |
| Technical Products Sales Representatives | 406,000 | 10% | 31% | 47% | |
| Sales Managers | 329,000 | 15% | 24% | 66% | |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 326,000 | 12% | 36% | 45% | |
| Telemarketers | 308,000 | -10% | 39% | 16% | |
| Securities And Financial Services Sales Agents | 272,000 | 9% | 24% | 65% | |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | 152,000 | 16% | 38% | 45% | |
| Sales Engineers | 72,000 | 9% | 24% | 70% | |
| Real Estate Appraisers | 65,000 | 5% | 38% | 49% | |
| Real Estate Brokers | 48,000 | 9% | 38% | 45% |
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