Sales is one of the few well-paid careers you can enter without a specific degree. Employers care most about attitude, communication and resilience, which can come from almost any background: hospitality, retail, customer service, teaching, sport or the military.
The entry-level roles
- Sales Development Representative (SDR) or Business Development Representative (BDR): books meetings for account executives through calls, emails and LinkedIn. The most common first role in B2B sales.
- Inside sales representative: sells by phone and video, often smaller deals from start to finish.
- Retail or field sales: face-to-face selling, a good path into B2B later.
- Customer success or account management: looks after existing customers and grows them.
After 12 to 24 months as an SDR, many people move to account executive, where they own the full sale and the higher commission.
How sales pay works
Most sales jobs combine a base salary with commission. The total you earn when you hit 100% of target is called on-target earnings (OTE). A typical split is 50/50 or 60/40 base to commission. Try the commission calculator to see how different plans pay out.
What employers look for
- Curiosity: you ask good questions and listen to the answers.
- Resilience: you handle rejection and keep going.
- Coachability: you take feedback and improve quickly.
- Organization: you manage a list, follow up and keep notes.
- Clear communication: in writing and on the phone.
Show examples from your past. "I handled 60 customer calls a day and had the highest satisfaction score in my team" is exactly what a sales manager wants to hear.
Prepare for the interview
- Research the company: what they sell, who buys it and who the competitors are.
- Prepare stories for rejection, a target you hit and feedback you acted on.
- Expect a role-play. Many interviews include a mock cold call or a "sell me this pen" exercise. The trick is to ask questions before you pitch. Practice with the sales call trainer.
- Ask good questions: "What separates your best SDR from the average?", "How is the team trained?", "What percentage of the team hit target last quarter?"
- Close the interview: "Based on our conversation, is there anything that would stop you from moving me to the next round?"
Free training to start with
You don't need to pay for a course to get your first role. Start with free options such as HubSpot Academy's sales courses and the guides on this site, then consider a certificate if you want something for your résumé. The course finder suggests options by budget and goal, and the course directory lists the main ones.
Your first 90 days
- Learn the product and the customer better than anyone expects.
- Shadow the best people on the team and copy what they do.
- Do the activity: calls and emails are the part you control.
- Ask for feedback every week.