Sales background image

Sales

Discover how you can step into the world of sales by getting to grips with different career areas in sales, the skills needed for success, application and interview tips and how you can secure yourself a job in the sector.
Search jobs

The wide scope of sales

Every business involves an element of sales and promotion, even if it is not always obvious. Take a bank, for example: you might not immediately think of it as an organisation with a sales function, but bank accounts and related commercial services are products that need to be sold. That’s the reason why you are offered incentives to switch bank accounts! Sales typically fall into two main categories: business-to-business (B2B) sales, where salespeople sell to another business, and business-to-consumer (B2C) sales, where the salesperson sells directly to the public. Your potential product range is vast. You could, for instance, sell advertising space through a job in media sales or properties as an estate agent. It can be a lot to take in, so we’re here to break down everything you need to know – including tips on making your sales CV stand out, common interview questions and the key skills you need to succeed in sales. But if you’re ready to go straight to the job search, head here .

sales job

Landing yourself a sales career

Getting a sales job

Large employers across various sectors offer graduate schemes specifically for sales, or you could join a commercial graduate programme in which you rotate around different functions within a business (including sales), but it is also common to apply for individual entry-level sales vacancies with a while range of employers. But what else goes into getting yourself a sales job? Read our article to gain insight into the qualifications and skills that can boost your career prospects in this sector and learn more about the recruitment process for sales jobs.

sales skills

Succeed in sales

Sales skills

You might think that to do well in a sales job, all you need is a positive attitude and the gift of the gab. Well, not quite. There are five key skills that can bolster your sales CV. Find out what these are and how to talk confidently about them at interview in our key skills article.

sales cv

Selling your sales skills

CV and application tips

The first test of your sales skills is actually how you sell yourself on your CV. This is your chance to demonstrate to employers that you have the fundamental qualities needed for a career in sales. Ensure that you do this well by following our four top tips (five if you include our bonus tip) by checking out our article on how to stand out in your sales CV and application.

pathways

Access online learning

Build your personal brand

Our free online mini-courses, known as Pathways, are designed to help you proactively develop your job-hunting skills. We have a Pathways specifically for developing a strong personal brand (and why you need one in the first place). We take you through what a strong personal brand looks like and how to create and improve yours. By the end of the course, you’ll learn how to create a ‘professional’ personal brand that is authentic to you while also supporting your career ambitions

sales interview

Prepare for your sales interview

Interview tips

In a sales interview, the interviewer will be figuring out if you are the whole ‘sales package’: someone with the skills, attitude, knowledge and outlook that suit the role and the employer. they’ll also be assessing your understanding of what would be expected of you in the role (‘how would you sell this product?’ for example). Learn how to answer this question, and seven others, in our advice article on the common sales interview questions.

Employers in Sales

All employers

Our top employers

Industry leaders with a large annual graduate intake.

Featured employers

Active employers looking for graduate talent all year round.

And many more

Other employers who are active on targetjobs , regularly posting new opportunities and events during peak seasons.

Kloeckner Metals UK

FAQs in sales

Latest advice

More careers advice

Browse by category

Advice for school leavers

Discover the world of options open to you on finishing school or college and get tips on how to make the right decision for you.

CVs, applications and tests

Find the tools and tips you need to help you apply for graduate jobs or internships. We cover every aspect of the application process, from writing a CV to answering online application questions and sitting psychometric tests.

Career ideas

Find advice for figuring out your dream career, including what options are available to you after graduating and how to choose the right graduate role.

Finding a job

Finding a job isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Here we help you to jump potential hurdles, giving essential advice for home and international students: from applying in tough economic times to getting a top graduate job with a 2.2.

Internships

Completing an internship allows you to sharpen your skills, improve your CV, prepare for the world of work and potentially land yourself a graduate job. Discover what internships actually involve, how to apply for them and how to make the most of them.

Interviews and assessment centres

You impressed on paper; now it’s time to show the employer in person that you’re the right hire. Learn how to do this with our expert advice for answering interview questions, developing interview techniques and acing assessment centre exercises.

Job descriptions

Discover the qualifications, skills and experience you’ll need for more than 300 job roles and find one you’ll love.

Job offers and working life

Job offers, rejection emails and stepping into the working world with your first graduate job can pull you in a million directions. Fortunately, we’ve curated advice on how to accept job offers, bounce back from rejection and make an impact in your first job.

Skills for getting a job

Discover the skills that major graduate employers seek and how you can demonstrate them on your application form, and at interviews and assessment centres.

University life

Wanting to leave uni with a degree is a given. But what do you want from the other bits of student life? Discover how to combine study, rest, work and play with our insights from students and graduates.

advice by sector

Which career interests you?

undefined background image

We've got you

Get the latest jobs, internships, careers advice, courses and graduate events based on what's important to you. Start connecting directly with top employers today.