We surveyed 20,090 sales managers to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical sales manager. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as a sales manager?
Low
High
Working as a sales manager typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.
Can I learn to become a sales manager?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as a sales manager typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as a sales manager?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically difficult to find a job as a sales manager. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for sales managers.
Do sales managers work full-time or part-time?
89% of sales managers work in full-time roles while 11% work part-time.
Is being a sales manager stressful?
Low
High
Stress is very commonplace for sales managers, contributing negatively towards career satisfaction.
Is being organized important as a sales manager?
Low
High
Organization is considered a very important trait for sales managers, and is critical to success in the field.
How competitive is the workplace for sales managers?
Low
High
Sales managers tend to see lots of competition in the workplace, with desire to get ahead of co-workers being common.
Does being a sales manager require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Sales managers will see frequent time pressure on the job, likely contributing to an occasionally stressful work environment.
Are sales managers allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Sales managers are afforded a certain level of ability to express themselves creatively, compared to other careers.
Do sales managers have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
While sometimes the direction is set, occasionally sales managers will have some flexibility over the direction of their work.
Is being a sales manager physically demanding?
Low
High
Being a sales manager may occasionally require demanding physical activity, which may make it not a suitable career choice for everyone.
Are sales managers exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
The workload of a sales manager changes frequently, with their day-to-day rarely being the same.
Does being a sales manager require attention to detail?
Low
High
As in many careers, attention to detail is quite helpful for sales managers.
Does being a good sales manager require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
Being compassionate and empathetic is considered helpful to those looking to pursue careers as sales managers.