Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Inside Sales Representatives
Austin suggests that entry-level candidates in sales should consider "sales development rep or an inside sales rep" roles, which focus on prospecting and building crucial skills like understanding customer needs early on, adding that ideally a role is customer facing so one can understand how products are being used. Austin also mentions some inside sales representatives "fully own their territory," and that building a skillset from outbound prospecting is essential to their sales career.
Sales Development, Inside Sales, Prospecting, Customer Engagement, Entry-Level Sales Roles
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Austin Jacobs
Inside Sales Manager, North America
Integrated DNA Technologies
University of San Diego
Finance, Marketing
Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical
Sales and Client Management
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level sales positions often include Sales Development Rep (SDR) or Inside Sales Rep roles, which focus on prospecting and reaching out to new customers.
2. These roles involve outbound communication (phone calls, emails) and require developing the ability to quickly assess a potential customer's situation and needs to determine if the company's products are a good fit.
3. Gaining customer-facing experience, whether in a field-based role or through direct interaction, is valuable for understanding customer needs and how products are used, which is crucial for career growth in sales.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider?
Within sales, one of the first rungs is either a Sales Development Representative (SDR) or an Inside Sales Representative. This can depend on the organization and its structure. Typically, SDRs and Inside Sales Reps are more focused on prospecting, reaching out to new customers.
This could involve a lot of phone calls and outbound emails. It might also mean having a physical territory. For example, if you were selling copiers 15 years ago, you might have had a dedicated territory where you would walk around, knocking on doors to corporations.
It's definitely a starting point, and can be a hard job. If you have to make 50 calls a day and there are days you wake up not wanting to talk to anyone, it's challenging. However, it's a really good place to start.
The ability to build a skillset in outbound prospecting is crucial. You learn to quickly understand someone's situation, what their company is doing, and whether your company's products fit their needs. This is a skillset you'll need throughout your entire sales career.
Roles like SDRs, or Business Development Representatives (BDRs) as some places call them, are key. Sometimes an Inside Sales Rep is considered the next level up, and sometimes it's the same level. It really depends on the organization.
In my organization, Inside Sales Representatives fully own their territory. They do outbound prospecting and handle the entire sales cycle. Typically, early in your career, you handle the initial portion of the sales cycle, focusing on prospecting and discovery. You may not close many deals, but it depends on the industry and the individual sales team's structure. These are the positions I would look for.
Depending on the organization, you might be able to get a field-based sales role. In this position, you're in front of customers every day, driving to meetings in person within your dedicated territory. If you can get a role like that, the more customer-facing you are, the better you can understand how your products are being used.
This experience is valuable for both you and the company as you grow in your career. Being able to speak to customer needs is essential. At the end of the day, a business can only sell something if there's a need. You buy an iPhone because you have a need. To better understand your customers, you have to talk to them and understand what they're doing.