Most commonly reported Work Activities

•   Selling or Influencing Others Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
•   Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
•   Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
•   Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
•   Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
•   Coaching and Developing Others Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
•   Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
•   Developing and Building Teams Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
•   Training and Teaching Others Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
•   Communicating with Persons Outside Organisation Communicating with people outside the organisation, representing the organisation to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Working Life

This career can present quite varied challenges as employers include manufacturers and wholesalers, insurance, finance and banking companies, as well as a host of service organisations as diverse as suppliers of electricity and gas, car rental firms, transport companies, hotel and catering organisations.  
 
Essentially, sales representatives are concerned with promoting their employer's business, obtaining orders for company products or services within their allotted areas and, maintaining liaison with customers to ensure satisfaction. They also give information about new prices, offers and products.  
 
They may be required to travel extensively and with some concerns this may include travel abroad. They may be expected to collect accounts and to make daily or weekly reports of their activities to the Sales Manager. A competent Sales Representative will take note of trends and developments in the market and alert the company of these.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Direct and coordinate activities involving sales of manufactured products, services, commodities, real estate or other subjects of sale.
• Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
• Review operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability.
• Oversee regional and local sales managers and their staffs.
• Determine price schedules and discount rates.
• Prepare budgets and approve budget expenditures.
• Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
• Plan and direct staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales and service programmes.
• Direct, coordinate, and review activities in sales and service accounting and record-keeping, and in receiving and shipping operations.
• Direct clerical staff to keep records of export correspondence, bid requests, and credit collections, and to maintain current information on tariffs, licenses, and restrictions.

Further Information

• Sales executive- from: GradIreland
• Sales Promotion Executive- from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Sales Representative- from: N.C.S. [UK]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

 Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

 Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

There are many pathways into Sales roles and sales rep careers. There are often excellent opportunities for progression within sales. Sales Executive is often seen as a ‘step up’ from sales representative, and some businesses employ account managers for key clients.

You can look for supervision and management roles when you have built up some experience as a sales rep. You will also develop transferable skills which open up a wider range of career opportunities in retail, business and marketing for example.

Both experience and qualifications can help you progress and there are courses in languages, business and marketing, for example, at all levels in the education system, from further education courses to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research. 

Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.

Example search terms include: sales, marketing, digital marketing.

Search for FET Courses

PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.

Example search terms include:

Search for PLC Courses

Apprenticeships: 
Apprenticeships are structured work-based training programs that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. They run from 2 – 4 years and are open to individuals of all ages, including school leavers, those seeking a career change, and existing employees who wish to upskill.

Examples: Sales, Auctioneering and Property Services Apprenticeship.

Search for Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate) 
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.

Example search terms include: business, sales, marketing, languages.

Search for CAO Courses

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €30k - €60k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
Brightwater / Lincoln / Sigmar/ Morgan McKinley/ Abrivia/ Excel/ Azon/ Osborne

Last Updated: March, 2024

Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Sales accounts and business development managers.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment levels remained unchanged between 2021 and 2022 for this occupation. Employment was spread across many sectors with none large enough to report. Like business sales executives, the ICT sector appears to be the main beneficiary of employment permits issued in 2022 for this occupation. The difficult-to-fill mentions in the Recruitment Agency Survey related to sales/marketing managers and lead category managers.

Employers (Skills for Growth and Spotlight on Skills) identified sales account managers, key account managers and business development managers as being difficult to fill; key skills in demand included project management, relationship management and presentation skills. Nonetheless, the number of job adverts has fallen. Although employment levels remained stable, digitalisation and new business processes are likely to impact on the skills mix required for these roles.

• Marketing Institute of Ireland (MII)

  • Marketing House, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18
  • (01) 295 2355
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• The Executive Institute

  • 30 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2,
  • (01) 662 6904
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Retail Ireland

  • Click Here