Sales career path
4 roles in sales, ordered from entry level to executive. Each guide covers what the role owns, the skills employers screen for, and what the next step looks like.
The ladder
Progression is rarely strictly linear, but this is the common shape of a sales career.
Sales Development Representative
The Sales Development Representative is responsible for generating qualified pipeline for the sales team through disciplined outbound prospecting and rigorous inbound lead qualification. This role serves …
Account Executive
The Account Executive is responsible for managing the full sales cycle from qualified opportunity through close, building deep relationships with key stakeholders, and consistently achieving or …
Sales Director
The Sales Director leads a team of account executives and frontline sales managers to achieve regional or segment revenue targets. This role bridges executive sales strategy …
VP of Sales
The VP of Sales is responsible for defining and executing the overall sales strategy, building a world-class sales organization, and driving predictable, scalable revenue growth. This …