Info on Sales Manager/Business Developer/Key Account Manager

wixfjord

Im in third year of a level 8 Business and Management course and am currently looking my options. I would ideally like to own my own business, but am also looking at the above areas. I would like a position where I am in contact with people (ie liasing with clients), have the ability to make decisions (ie some power over what happens) and can use my skills in sales, marketing etc. Is there anyone on here who works in these areas and would like to give me some advice?

What do they entail, salary, possibility for promotion etc?

All replies appreciated

wixfjord

Is there anyone who could give me some advice or info?

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

wixfjord

Cheers for the info man. Great stuff. Is there that much cold calling involved? Didnt realise this. Has anyone else any input?

Mrs OBumble

wixfjord wrote: »

Im in third year of a level 8 Business and Management course and am currently looking my options. I would ideally like to own my own business ...

Your own business doing what, exactly?

Unless you're some kind of entrepreneurial genius (and if doubt it, those who are don't usually bother with finishing third-level courses), then you need to get some real business experience in other companies first, learning a specific business rather than just marketing/selling in general.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

wixfjord

JustMary wrote: »

Your own business doing what, exactly?

Unless you're some kind of entrepreneurial genius (and if doubt it, those who are don't usually bother with finishing third-level courses), then you need to get some real business experience in other companies first, learning a specific business rather than just marketing/selling in general.

Thats one of the most ill informed and plain stupid responses ive read on boards. Cheers for the help, Ill pm you in a couple of years when Im a successfull businessman

MagicMarker

wixfjord wrote: »

Im in third year of a level 8 Business and Management course and am currently looking my options. I would ideally like to own my own business, but am also looking at the above areas. I would like a position where I am in contact with people (ie liasing with clients), have the ability to make decisions (ie some power over what happens) and can use my skills in sales, marketing etc. Is there anyone on here who works in these areas and would like to give me some advice?

What do they entail, salary, possibility for promotion etc?

All replies appreciated

You won't be any of the above with just a degree, you're a student with no experience so you start off where everyone else starts off, at the very bottom earning **** money along with people who don't have a degree.

Get a job in sales or something, work your way up. You won't be in any position of power for quite a while. If you're lucky you might get a position as a trainee manager when you graduate, but even these types of roles require extensive experience.

As for salary, max 25k starting off if you're lucky, your possibilities for promotion are good because of your degree, but it could take a while.

wixfjord

Cheers for the reply. Dont agree with some of your points however.

MagicMarker

wixfjord wrote: »

Cheers for the reply. Dont agree with some of your points however.

Such as?

wixfjord

MagicMarker wrote: »

You won't be any of the above with just a degree, you're a student with no experience so you start off where everyone else starts off, at the very bottom earning **** money along with people who don't have a degree.

Get a job in sales or something, work your way up. You won't be in any position of power for quite a while. If you're lucky you might get a position as a trainee manager when you graduate, but even these types of roles require extensive experience.

As for salary, max 25k starting off if you're lucky, your possibilities for promotion are good because of your degree, but it could take a while.

Max 25k- I have been told by numerous sources that I should be looking at min 24k.

The bit about progression- From looking at graduate jobs, quick progression in this area seems very possible.

I understand I cannot walk into one of the above positions I mentioned, but for example a trainee sales manager would be a better opportunity than starting off "where everyone else starts off, at the very bottom earning **** money along with people who don't have a degree". I would hope that my degree (though I know a degree doesnt guarantee you a job and theres more to being good at a position than having learned about it for 4 years) would entitle me to a higher footing on the ladder.

I understand where your coming form though and again cheers for the reply. Do you work in the area? Any words of wisdom?

DTTfan

Hi Wix,,
well i think you need to look at a new career,,,, all the fancy titles mean nothing,, BDM is cold calling, sales rep is cold calling and account exec is cold calling. Whether you are looking at retail or outside, any employers are only looking for business developers at the moment. They want to increase their business due to the current climate. i have been in fmcg / retail as rep, exec, NAM and sales manager for 20 years and have always been working , the business was broken down usually 75 service existing and 25% develope. now it is almost 100& bus dev.

Salary wise, starting off you can expect anything between 21k to 26k tops with an ote of maybe between 6 and 10K. If it is purly a bus dev role then dont expect any strong bonus.

At present the market is crap, i was let go 2 weeks ago and cannot get a job, never been unemployed in my life and it is very much an employers market. they can pick and choose who the want and these days will go for the cheaper option with the least experience.

If you want to get into this game, contact some of the contract agencies and see what they have, it would give you a feel of the market. Although there is not much there at the moment.

one word of warning, there are a few companies outthere who advertise fantatsic salarys and great opportunities, research well.

J

DTTfan

The bit about progression- From looking at graduate jobs, quick progression in this area seems very possible.

I understand I cannot walk into one of the above positions I mentioned, but for example a trainee sales manager would be a better opportunity than starting off "where everyone else starts off, at the very bottom earning **** money along with people who don't have a degree". I would hope that my degree (though I know a degree doesnt guarantee you a job and theres more to being good at a position than having learned about it for 4 years) would entitle me to a higher footing on the ladder.

Wix, only read this bit now.


Quick progression could take 2 - 5 years if your looking to get to a management position but you have to prove yourself within the industry first.
Everyone in sales started off at the bottom, generally a merchandiser, then relief sales then sales rep and maybe sales manager. All depends on how you see management, are you looking for a people management role, NAM role, Business dev manager role, catergory manager role???

Your degree will only help you get into a company, it will not make you a manager. Do not think you are above everyone else because of your degree, it means diddly,,, selling in ireland is simple, you either have it or you dont, i have seen too many ex college grads fail in sales because theu had no people skills, cop on, and felt they were better than everyone else.

Do you know what role of manager you want.

Best of luck anyway

MagicMarker

Unfortunately, a degree doesn't entitle you to anything. Employers prefer experience first and foremost. A trainee sales manager would be great, but you have no experience in sales, no employer in their right mind would hire a trainee sales manager if they haven't sold anything before.

Any ads I've seen for trainee managers generally ask for a few years experience along with a degree.

As for minimum pay, I don't have a degree but my experience alone would generally demand a min wage of 25k (which is by no means a lot). I am not currently earning this much, that would not change if I had a degree, I'm lucky to be earning anything right now.

I've worked in telesales, retail sales and field sales. Personally, I fúcking hate sales, it's a cut-throat business full of tossers, but it's something I fell into and at the moment have no choice but to stick it out. The only advice I can give you is take whatever job you can get, keep your head down and work your ass off, it won't be easy, selling can be a stressful job, you're constantly under pressure to meet your targets. Personally, I don't think I'd want to be in any position of authority in sales, more stress than it's worth.

Mrs OBumble

wixfjord wrote: »

Thats one of the most ill informed and plain stupid responses ive read on boards. Cheers for the help, Ill pm you in a couple of years when Im a successfull businessman

I've worked with, interviewed, hired, and trained a whole bunch of people. Some with degrees, some without. I can say that one or two of the with-degree'd ones were the stupidest people I've ever met, even including some with intellectual disabilities who I worked with 20+ years ago in the oh-so-wonderful fast-food industry.

I'll ask again: you say you want to start your own business - so the question is, doing WHAT exactly?

wixfjord

JustMary wrote: »

I've worked with, interviewed, hired, and trained a whole bunch of people. Some with degrees, some without. I can say that one or two of the with-degree'd ones were the stupidest people I've ever met, even including some with intellectual disabilities who I worked with 20+ years ago in the oh-so-wonderful fast-food industry.

I'll ask again: you say you want to start your own business - so the question is, doing WHAT exactly?

Actually Id like to open my own...wait a minute maybe you think Im one of the "one or two of the with-degree'd ones were the stupidest people I've ever met" and when I tell you your going to rip off my idea. :P

Ive plenty of good ideas and have two solid business plans completed already, I dont feel the need to validate myself to you. Please dont comment if you dont want to offer help.

Your first response was just idiotic, I found our second offensive.


Back OT Im currnetly doing a bit of research on the enterprise rent a car graduate programme and it seems a great opportunity. Has anyone any experiences of this?

Mrs OBumble

wixfjord wrote: »

Actually Id like to open my own...wait a minute maybe you think Im one of the "one or two of the with-degree'd ones were the stupidest people I've ever met" and when I tell you your going to rip off my idea.

If you don't want to tell us even what industry you want to work in, then the best anyone can do is give you very very generic advice (like lose the attitude).

I could give you advice about IT and about civil-service jobs with the titles you mentioned. It's quite different from the advice about FMCG and telesales in general which others here have given you. But frankly, I'm not going to waste the keystrokes.

wixfjord

JustMary wrote: »

If you don't want to tell us even what industry you want to work in, then the best anyone can do is give you very very generic advice (like lose the attitude).

I could give you advice about IT and about civil-service jobs with the titles you mentioned. It's quite different from the advice about FMCG and telesales in general which others here have given you. But frankly, I'm not going to waste the keystrokes.

You asked me in which area did I want to own my own business in, not what area of sales I was looking at ( which by the way is retail ie clothing, food and drink and services like, as I mentioned above car rental). Your mixing your arguments, and I am definitely not the one with an attitude, anyone who has given me helpful advice I have been more than courteous. Please dont waste any more of your keystrokes.