Want to be a sales rep? Here’s everything you need to get started [+ tips]

I remember what it felt like when I first considered a career in sales: a little bit of excitement, a whole lot of “Where do I even begin?” If you’re here, chances are you’re in that same place: curious about the role, the path, and whether you’ve got what it takes.

Here’s the good news: You don’t need to have years of experience, a fancy degree, or be born with a silver sales tongue to break into this world. I’ve seen people from all walks of life crush their first quota, not because they were perfect, but because they were hungry to learn, willing to fail forward, and knew how to connect with people.

Sales can be one of the most rewarding careers out there: financially, professionally, and personally. It teaches you how to think on your feet, communicate clearly, and solve real problems for real people. And once you build that foundation, you can take your skills anywhere: startup to enterprise, SDR to CEO.

In this post, I’ll walk you through everything I wish I had known when I was getting started as a sales rep. From what the job actually involves, to the skills that matter (spoiler: it’s not just about talking), to how to land your first role, I’ve got you covered. I’ll also share a few hard-earned lessons and real-world tips to help you show up like a pro from day one.

Let’s get into it.

Table of Contents

• What is a sales representative?
• What exactly does a sales representative do?
• Sales Representative Requirements
• Sales Representative Skills
• Sales Representative Salary and Pay
• How to Become a Sales Representative
• How to Become an Independent Sales Representative

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What is a sales representative?

A sales representative (or sales rep) is someone who connects products or services with people who need them. Whether you’re selling software, sneakers, or solar panels, your job is to understand what your potential customer is struggling with and help them see how what you’re offering can make their life easier, better, or more efficient.

At its core, this role is about building trust and solving problems. You’ll reach out to potential buyers, learn about their needs, and offer solutions tailored to them. That can mean B2B (business to business) or B2C (business to consumer), depending on the company and industry. And while the channels may vary (phone, email, video, in-person), the goal is always the same: connect value with a real human need.

When I first got into sales, I thought it was all about convincing people to say yes. But the deeper I got, the more I realized: The best reps aren’t pushy. They’re curious. They ask great questions, listen hard, and earn trust. And in doing so, they become a critical part of their customers’ decision-making journey, not just another email in the inbox.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, sales reps make up more than 13 million jobs across the country, spanning industries from tech to pharmaceuticals to manufacturing. So if you’re getting started as a sales rep, you’re stepping into a field that’s diverse, in-demand, and packed with room for growth.

What exactly does a sales representative do?

When I coach or onboard new reps, I often say: Your calendar tells the truth. Not your KPIs, not your talk track — your calendar. Because the structure of your week reveals whether you’re actually building a pipeline, influencing deals, and driving revenue, or just staying “busy.”

At its core, a sales representative is responsible for guiding prospects from initial contact to final purchase. But that simple sentence hides a whole world of nuance. Every day, you’re juggling psychology, strategy, and communication, often all within the same 30-minute call.

And while the CRM might make it look like a clean funnel, the reality is messier. Each stage (prospecting, pitching, handling objections, negotiating, and closing) is not a one-and-done step. They’re living, breathing skills. Muscles that require training, feedback, and yes, a bit of failure to build.

Even more telling: Salesforce’s State of Sales report found that nearly 70% of high-performing sales teams invest in structured sales training, making it clear that top companies don’t leave this job to chance. They treat it like a discipline, not a personality trait.

Most people outside of sales assume a rep’s job is just to “convince someone to buy.” But in my experience, the best salespeople don’t sell in the traditional sense: they guide.

That means understanding a buyer’s pain before pitching a solution. It means knowing how to diagnose a problem even when the buyer can’t articulate it yet. And it means having the emotional intelligence to push when needed, and pull back when trust is at risk.

Each of the five core responsibilities reflects that complexity. Prospecting is part research analyst, part detective. Pitching is part teacher, part storyteller. Objection handling? That’s straight-up emotional jiu-jitsu. Negotiating and closing require calm, confidence, and clarity under pressure.

1. Prospecting

Prospecting is the lifeblood of sales — and also the part most people avoid. But I’ve found it’s where confidence is built.

When I was starting out, I thought prospecting meant sending a hundred generic emails a day. That never worked. What did work was learning how to spot real buying signals, personalize outreach, and build a rhythm I could actually sustain.

These days, effective prospecting looks like hunting down ICP-aligned leads using trigger events, intent data, tech-stack signals, and reaching out in a way that doesn’t scream “template.” Whether it’s cold calls, LinkedIn messages, or one-to-one videos, the key is relevance. Your job isn’t to “book a meeting.” It’s to spark curiosity. And you only ignite that when you respect your prospect’s time and context.

According to RAIN Group, top-performing sellers secure 52 sales meetings per 100 target contacts, compared to just 19 for others — a testament to how sharply effective prospecting can impact outcomes.

Prospecting is also where many of us stumble. In a HubSpot report, 40% of salespeople agreed that prospecting is the most challenging part of the job, even ahead of closing or qualifying. Yet, sharpening that skill is what separates the solid performers from the rest.

So if you’re just getting started, don’t underestimate prospecting. It’s not about volume. It’s about vision. The reps who lean into it, with focus and authenticity, build pipelines, build skills, and build careers.

2. Pitching

If prospecting is the spark, pitching is how you fuel the fire. Pitching is about presenting value in a way that lands with the person in front of you.

I still remember watching early-career reps unload bullet-point features like they were reading off a spec sheet and watching deals stall. When I coach reps today, I emphasize narrative structure: What’s the customer wrestling with, how does your solution help, and why act now? It’s storytelling, not a presentation script.

The most powerful pitches I’ve delivered weren’t polished slides. They were conversations where the prospect saw themselves in the challenge and the solution. That’s where transformation happens.

Harvard Business Review supports this. Their recent article “A Great Sales Pitch Hinges on the Right Story” explains that persuasive storytelling in sales requires stepping into the customer’s world, suspending your judgments, and reshaping your narrative to meet their real needs, not just what you assume they should want.

3. Handling Objections

Objections aren’t roadblocks, they’re roadmaps. Early in my career, I used to tense up when prospects said things like, “Our budget’s tight,” or “We’re already working with a competitor.”

Now? I lean in.

Objections are signals. They tell you where the buyer’s hesitation lies. Instead of fighting back, I acknowledge the concern, then dig deeper. In role-play training, I don’t teach rebuttal scripts. I teach curiosity: “What’s the real hesitation here?” “What do they believe to be true?” The most successful reps treat objections like coaching moments, not combat.

But you’re not just hearing this from me. Outreach blog on objection handling lays out a dozen proven steps to take a “no” and nudge it toward a “yes” — by acknowledging emotion, reframing context, and asking the right questions to keep things moving.

And the data backs this up. A recent analysis covering 224,000 sales calls found that win rates jumped nearly 30% when prospects voiced objections, not because they were saying “no,” but because the rep responded effectively. That kind of insight changes how you handle pushback: It becomes an opportunity, not a setback.

4. Negotiating

You can’t fake confidence in a negotiation. Early in my career, I cringed through price discussions. I didn’t believe in what we were offering, and my hesitation showed. So I chipped away at the margin too quickly, often offering discounts that destroyed value before the buyer even raised the issue.

What changed everything was flipping the narrative. Instead of defaulting to concession, I began asking questions like, “What would make this truly compelling?” or “If budget weren’t a barrier, would this be the right fit?” Those questions reframed the conversation. I wasn’t pushing price; I was rediscovering value.

Negotiation isn’t a tug-of-war. It’s a collaborative dance. The best negotiators I know don’t cave — they align. They protect margins not by insisting on a number, but by protecting narrative and context. They know which parts of the deal can flex and which are immovable. As RAIN Group research shows, top-performing sellers are 12.5x more satisfied with their negotiation outcomes and 3.1x more likely to meet their pricing targets, simply because they lead the conversation, rather than reacting to it.

That’s not by accident. It’s intentional. It’s knowing your BATNA (your best alternative to a negotiated agreement) and helping the buyer recognize theirs, too. It’s negotiating with purpose, not panic. And when reps master that delicate balance (understanding boundaries, owning value, and guiding alignment), they don’t just close deals. They close the right deals.

5. Closing Deals

Ah, yes, the mythical “close.” Folks often treat it like that shining curtain call at the end. But in reality, closing isn’t a moment. It’s a process that begins in the very first conversation.

When deals close smoothly, it’s rarely about a clever closing technique. It’s because the rep asked the right questions early, confirmed who makes decisions, and kept that deal warm from message one through the paperwork. Miss a beat (budget, authority, timeline, or urgency) and all your work can unravel in the last stretch.

I always tell new reps: “Don’t ask for the sale. Earn it. Then guide it to the finish line.” That mindset shift isn’t fluffy, it’s strategic. Research supports this: An article on modern closing strategies emphasizes that effective closers understand that closing starts with the first interaction and continues through every touch point.

There’s also a study that frames the close not as a single act, but like building a house. If the foundation is solid (through prospecting, qualification, discovery, and objection handling), the close becomes almost seamless. Trying to rush it without proper prep is like skipping the foundation and wondering why the walls crack.

Sales Representative Requirements

If you’re serious about getting started as a sales rep, you don’t need a perfect résumé or a traditional background. But you do need the basics and the mindset.

I’ve hired reps from hospitality, customer support, teaching — you name it. Sales isn’t just about where you’ve been. It’s about how fast you learn, how well you listen, and whether you can earn trust fast. These are the five things I look for when someone says they’re ready to sell.

1. An aspiring sales representative should have some form of education.

Nobody’s expecting you to have a PhD in prospecting, but some evidence that you can commit to and finish what you start still matters. When I interview or mentor aspiring reps, what catches my eye isn’t a polished degree, it’s that spark: the drive to learn, to finish what you start, and to grow deliberately.

From my experience, a high school diploma or an associate degree can get you in the door to most SMB sales roles. And yes, a bachelor’s, especially in areas like business, marketing, communications, or psychology, can be a helpful signal. According to O*NET data, about 39% of sales representative roles formally require a college degree, leaving the majority open to non-degreed candidates.

What’s shifted in recent years, though, is that many organizations are beginning to value skills and adaptability over formal credentials. A report by the Burning Glass Institute shows that 53% of hiring managers eliminated degree requirements for some roles, with a large portion being entry-level or mid-level. And firms leaning into skills-first hiring often see happier employees with longer retention and comparable promotion rates to degree holders.

Still, credentials or the ability to earn them can speak volumes. For example, finishing the HubSpot Inbound Sales Certification, a Coursera specialization, or a coding bootcamp can show me two powerful things: that you take self-learning seriously and that you’re willing to invest time and effort for your own growth.

I hired a rep from retail who had no degree but had completed an intensive sales bootcamp and read Fanatical Prospecting, Hunter, and New Sales. Simplified. She applied those tactics daily, and she outpaced her peers from top-tier schools. That told me everything I needed to know.

To me, what’s required is curiosity, follow-through, and intellectual hustle, not a piece of paper. Show me that, and I see your education, whether it’s traditional or self-made.

2. An aspiring sales representative should have a combination of soft and technical skills.

Sales is equal parts art and science. I’ve interviewed reps who could light up a room with charm but still miss quota week after week. Why? Because something as basic as tracking their pipeline slipped through the cracks.

I learned that the hard way. My early deals fizzled, not because I couldn’t persuade, but because I couldn’t manage my time or build repeatable rhythms. So I pivoted. I made myself fluent in CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce, learned to pull simple analytics, and built time-bundled routines. But I didn’t let the tech side drive me. I matched it with empathy, curiosity, and active listening. That’s what grows deals, not dashboards.

An analysis found that 71% of sales job listings now require CRM proficiency, and 62% highlight data analysis skills as key qualifications. Simultaneously, businesses are leaning into “durable” human capabilities (empathy, resilience, critical thinking) because no amount of automation replaces a meaningful connection.

Now, when I coach reps, I don’t separate “people skills” from “systems skills.” I teach them that being able to connect — with questions that land and listening that honors context, is just as critical as knowing how to set up email sequences or update pipeline stages. The sales development reps I trust most are the ones who can pull up a contact record, then read between the lines of what the prospect really needs and adjust on the fly.

If you’re getting started, dive into the toolkits (HubSpot, Salesforce, even LinkedIn Sales Navigator). But don’t ignore the intangibles: mastering your tone, staying calm under rejection, and asking open-ended questions that get to the heart of a problem.

Those soft skills? They’re what keep the conversation and the deal moving forward.

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3. An aspiring sales representative should have some sales experience (don’t take this too literally … just stay with me).

This is where a lot of new reps get stuck mentally. I remember hearing it countless times: “But I’ve never worked in sales!” And here’s the reality I’ve learned: If you’ve ever had to sell anything, even just an idea, you’ve already been in sales.

Think back. If you’ve worked in a restaurant, persuaded your team to volunteer for a weekend event, led a side hustle, or helped mentor someone, those experiences are your raw materials. You negotiated timelines, persuaded stakeholders, hit (or missed) targets, and learned to navigate objections. That’s sales experience in real-world clothes.

The truth? Industry-specific background rarely tops my priority list. A case study from Sistas in Sales clearly states that “Success in sales doesn’t come from one set path, it comes from leveraging the full range of experiences that shape who you are.”

Long before I hired reps from tech backgrounds, I hired bartenders, coaches, and teachers — and they were as sharp, if not sharper, than others because they already knew how to read people and influence decisions.

And here’s more: Indeed lays it out plainly in their job descriptions, many outside sales roles don’t even require previous sales experience. They prioritize someone who has “impeccable customer service skills, a strong drive for results, and the ability to navigate a complex conversation to close the deal.”

Let me share a personal win: I once hired someone who managed a community theater’s ticketing desk. No CRM, no pipeline, but she could sell out Friday nights without discounts, because she was a listener, she built rapport, and she handled objections (“My seat won’t be good!” → “Tell me what storytelling moment you’re most excited for.” That’s persuasion.) She outperformed many with solid resumes.

So, here’s the real requirement: Don’t get hung up on the label “sales experience.” Show me how you handled goals under pressure, negotiated time or resources, or even persuaded someone to take a chance. We can teach the product, the CRM, and the playbook, but we can’t teach heart or hunger.

4. An aspiring sales representative should have licenses and certifications (if applicable).

While most entry-level sales jobs don’t ask for a license, certifications can also be your secret weapon, even when not strictly required.

I’ve seen it time and time again: A rep with zero formal degree but with HubSpot’s Inbound Sales Certification under their belt. It tells me they’re proactive, coachable, and buyer-centric. That matters because it’s one thing to say you’re excited about learning, and another to prove it with action. Per Coursera, HubSpot is massive too — nearly 34% market share among marketing automation platforms in 2024 — so knowing it is relevant in sales teams everywhere.

Even beyond HubSpot, badges in Salesforce administration, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, or a methodology like MEDDIC don’t just make you look polished; they show that you speak the tools-first language that modern B2B orgs run on.

So if you’re breaking into sales and have no license to your name, no sweat. But pick one certification, get it done, and flaunt it. It signals you’re not waiting for permission — you’re ready to jump.

5. An aspiring sales representative should have a strong understanding of the sales process.

When I interview reps, I’m not just listening to industry buzzwords. I test whether you can guide someone from cold outreach through to qualification, discovery, proposal, negotiation, and, finally, close.

A recent guide to B2B operations reveals that companies with a formal sales process see 28% higher revenue than those without one. That kind of difference has kept me religious about understanding — not just following — the steps.

In my early days, I treated sales like improv — just winging it. I’d rush into demos before really understanding who I was talking to, and then wonder why deals crumbled. It wasn’t until I slowed down and asked myself, “What signals matter here?” — like identifying decision criteria and understanding the buyer’s journey. After that, my win rate doubled. Now I look for reps who can reliably name the stages of qualification frameworks like BANT or MEDDIC, not just spout acronyms.

Knowing what makes a lead qualified, how to spot buying signals, and when to pivot or push — that’s what being process-aware looks like. And it translates into speed to quota. Statistics back this up: Well-defined processes don’t just grow revenue; they improve win rates, forecast accuracy, and onboarding speed.

Sales Representative Skills

If you’re just getting started as a sales rep, don’t let the job descriptions fool you. It’s not just about making calls and sending follow-ups. It’s about developing a real set of muscles that, when trained the right way, can take you further than you might think.

Over the years, I’ve learned that there are a few core skills that separate the reps who just survive from the ones who consistently overdeliver. And spoiler alert: most of them aren’t what you’d expect to find in a sales handbook. Let me walk you through them.

1. Familiarity With Sales Methodologies

There’s a difference between winging it and working a proven system. I remember when I first came across frameworks like SPIN Selling, MEDDIC, and Challenger, my gut reaction was skepticism. I figured sales was more about charisma and hustle than checklists and acronyms.

But once I started applying these methodologies, the change was undeniable. Suddenly, conversations flowed with more purpose. My discovery calls uncovered real leverage points. Deals that used to stall? They started moving. Not because I was smoother or louder, but because I finally had a strategy.

These frameworks don’t turn you into a robot. They give you structure — a way to diagnose problems, guide the buyer, and stay focused under pressure. For example, MEDDIC helps you qualify deeply instead of just chasing logos. Challenger teaches you how to reframe the buyer’s thinking and lead with insight. SPIN gets you listening more and pitching less. And when you internalize that kind of structure, you stop hoping for lucky closes and start engineering predictable outcomes.

I’m not alone in this realization. The Sales Enablement Benchmark Report from Sales Enablement PRO confirmed it: Sales reps who consistently follow a defined methodology are 33% more likely to hit quota than those who don’t.

So if you’re just getting started, don’t ignore frameworks, thinking they’re for “advanced” reps. Learn one. Apply it. Master the rhythm of how buyers think and move. Because structure, when used with empathy and intent, doesn’t make you rigid— it makes you dangerous.

2. Experience With CRMs

You can’t manage what you can’t track. I’ve worked with reps who had the gift of the gab, who could charm just about anyone in a room, but their pipeline looked like a pile of Post-it notes tossed into a drawer. There was no structure, no visibility, no pulse. And eventually, no predictability.

When you’re flying blind, you don’t just miss deals: You misread reality. That’s why CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Outreach aren’t just nice-to-haves. They’re the nerve center of every serious sales team. They show you the truth, whether you like it or not.

But a CRM on its own doesn’t solve anything. It’s like a gym membership: powerful only if you use it. I’ve seen reps log notes that sounded more like fiction than follow-up. They weren’t recording what the buyer actually said; they were documenting what they wanted to hear. That’s where the discipline kicks in. When I train reps, I focus less on the mechanics of the tool and more on the mindset behind it. A CRM should reflect reality, not fantasy. It should be a mirror, not a wish list.

And when it’s used that way, the impact is massive. According to HubSpot’s Sales Trends Report, teams that leverage CRM automation to guide pipeline reviews are 41% more likely to forecast accurately. That stat hits home for me. When I shifted my approach and started treating my CRM like a coach instead of a chore, everything changed. My follow-ups got sharper. My pipeline became more strategic. And my close rate? It didn’t just go up, it became consistent.

What’s more, we’re not just talking about tracking deals anymore. Modern CRMs are evolving fast. A review by TechRadar showed that CRMs now leverage AI to recommend next steps, highlight at-risk deals, and even prioritize outreach based on buyer behavior. That’s no longer just a database. That’s intelligent pipeline management.

HubSpot’s recent updates include predictive forecasting, trendline visualization, and even workflow automations that can move deals across stages without manual input. And when used right, it’s like having a second set of eyes: a system that notices things you might miss during a hectic week of back-to-backs.

But none of that matters if the rep behind the screen is just going through the motions. A CRM only works when it’s treated with intention. If your pipeline is a mess, it’s not the tool’s fault. It’s a reflection of how you think. That’s a hard truth I had to face early in my career. Back then, I logged the bare minimum: call outcomes, vague notes, half-finished next steps. And I paid for it in missed follow-ups and deals that went cold for no good reason. The moment I changed that habit, the results followed.

So yes, I believe in CRMs. Not as software, but as systems of truth. When I see a rep who updates their deals in real time, who logs objections word-for-word, who tracks buyer behavior with the same intensity they track commissions, that’s someone I know will win. Not because of the CRM, but because they’ve learned to use it like a compass, not a crutch. And in a profession where clarity is rare, that kind of rigor is a competitive edge most people overlook.

3. Adaptability

In sales, the only constant is change. Yesterday’s playbook can feel flat today because buyer behaviors shift, messaging evolves, and tools upgrade while you’re not looking. I’ve learned this the hard way, watching deals fizzle because I was stubbornly clinging to a script that once worked, and turning things around mid-call simply by daring to experiment. That willingness to change on the fly separates the reps who coast from the ones pushing the pipeline forward.

Gartner’s research underscores this, revealing that sales organizations designed around adaptability are up to three times more likely to grow. Adaptive sellers, the ones who pause to recalibrate the moment something feels off, are better equipped to unstick stalled deals. It’s a discipline as much as a skill, being present, noticing what’s happening in the moment, and being willing to pivot, even mid-call.

When I coach, I ask reps: Are you reacting or recalibrating? That difference is everything. Because when you embrace adaptability, change stops being disruptive and becomes your advantage.

4. Comfort With Data Analysis

Gut instinct can carry you only so far. The reps who consistently outperform aren’t making blind leaps, they know their numbers by heart: their conversion rates, where deals tend to falter, and how long their average sales cycle runs, without ever glancing at a dashboard. That’s not because they’re spreadsheet gurus (though a little spreadsheet love never hurts), but because they treat data like a flashlight, showing where to dig deeper, what to refine, and where to fall back when a tactic’s going nowhere.

Forrester’s research makes it crystal clear: Sales teams that lean into performance analytics outperform their peers by 36% in revenue growth. When your decisions are backed by analysis rather than guesswork, you’re engineering success, not hoping to win.

I’ve seen it firsthand. Early in my career, I followed the same gut-based approach I’d seen my mentors use. It worked, sometimes, but not reliably. When I shifted to tracking stage‑to‑win ratios, noting when prospects froze or sped through the funnel, everything became easier. I could spot when a deal stalled because we’d skipped discovery, or knew ahead of time when to nudge harder or when to cut bait. It’s like having a sales coach whispering in your ear, telling you where you’re strong and where you’re leaking value.

The truth is, data doesn’t replace your judgment; it sharpens it. It quiets the self-limits and helps you answer the right question at the right time: “Should I double down on this deal?” or “Is this dragging on for a reason?” When teams use data as guideposts instead of alibis, they don’t just sell — they scale. And that’s how you transform intuition into insight and turn the numbers in your favor.

5. Persuasive Communication

This is the heartbeat of sales, not the superficial stuff like talking louder or smiling more. I’m talking about real persuasion. The kind where your words feel like they belong to the buyer. Where you articulate something they’ve felt but never said out loud, and suddenly, they’re leaning in, not pulling back.

I learned early on that persuasion isn’t about delivering the perfect pitch, but building a shared story. I remember a deal I almost lost because I was too focused on proving value. I kept presenting use cases and ROI slides, hoping something would click. It didn’t. What changed the dynamic was a simple shift: I stopped talking about what the product did and asked, “If this worked exactly the way you wanted it to, what would change for you?” That one question flipped the conversation. They started telling me their story. All I had to do was listen and mirror it back.

That moment stuck with me. Because persuasive communication isn’t a monologue, it’s a collaboration. It’s built on active listening, on picking up the buyer’s exact language and using it to frame your solution.

Harvard Business Review nailed it when they said persuasive communicators don’t just present; they co-create the narrative with the buyer. That rings true. When buyers feel like the story is theirs, not yours, they stop resisting and start participating.

I’ve made it a practice now to record not just what buyers ask for, but how they say it. Their metaphors, their phrasing, the way they describe success or risk, that’s gold. When I bring those exact words back into the conversation later, it’s like a signal flare: “I heard you. I understand you.” And that creates alignment faster than any demo or deck ever could.

Great persuasion isn’t about being slick. It’s about making people feel seen. That’s what moves conversations forward — not pressure, but resonance. And in my experience, that only happens when you stop trying to win the call and start trying to understand the person.

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• 30/60/90 Day Goals
• People to Meet
• Feedback/Review Process
• And More!

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Sales Representative Salary and Pay

Up to this point, I’ve talked a lot about what you’ve got to bring to the table to become a sales rep. However, it’s finally time to switch gears and give you some insight into what you can expect after landing your dream sales position.

According to Indeed, the average base salary for business development representatives (BDRs) is about $64,000. That said, I already know what you’re thinking: In today’s economy, a $64,000 salary isn’t the most appealing. But before you write off the role entirely, here are a few things you should keep in mind about earning potential in sales:

Source

• Like every other job, what you get paid as a BDR/sales representative is determined by where you live and how much knowledge, skills, and experience you have.
• BDRs/sales representatives are likely to receive bonuses and commissions on deals (sometimes, vested bonuses are integrated into BDR/sales rep roles).
• BDR roles are high-growth roles (meaning that there’s tons of potential for folks to get promoted very quickly).

To help you better gauge what the sales representative job landscape currently looks like, have a peek below at the various job listings I found from real-life employers.

There’s a ton to learn from these postings, not just about what you’ll do but how much you’ll get paid for it:

1. Business Development Representative at Adobe

Source

Adobe posted this Business Development Representative job. The pay range for this position is $70,200 – $112,900. This role emphasizes the following responsibilities and qualifications:

• Collaborating with Adobe’s Marketing teams to improve demand-generation strategies.
• Performing prospecting and qualifying activities to hit and exceed performance goals.
• Previous experience at an Enterprise SaaS (B2B) business.
• Excellent communication skills (specifically written and verbal).
• Experience using a CRM.

2. Outbound Business Development Representative at HubSpot

Source

HubSpot posted this Outbound Business Development Representative job. The base salary for this position is $49,910 (with an on-target commission of $21,090). This role emphasizes the following responsibilities and qualifications:

• Making daily cold calls and emails.
• Qualifying outbound-sourced leads based on criteria and scheduling qualified leads for follow-up discovery meetings.
• Conducting high-volume outbound prospecting activities through cold calling, email outreach, and social media scouting.
• Experience with/willingness to learn HubSpot Sales Hub, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and other sales tools.
• Previous successful sales or BDR experience OR have a strong desire to begin a sales career path as a BDR if new to sales.

3. Business Development Representative at Impact.com

Source

Impact.com posted this Business Development Representative job. The base salary for this position is $76,500 (with on-target commission earnings included). This role emphasizes the following responsibilities and qualifications:

• Educating and qualifying prospects about Impact.com’s technology.
• Participating in team meetings and networking efforts.
• Tracking and managing prospects as they go through the sales process.
• Must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience in any customer-facing service industry (retail, telesales, etc.).
• Hungry, humble, smart, and passionate about marketing and technology.

4. Sales Development Representative at Webflow

Source

This Sales Development Representative job was posted by Webflow. The base salary for this position is $90,300 (with on-target commission earnings included). This role emphasizes the following responsibilities, experience, and qualifications:

• 1+ years of sales experience minimum (ideally in a SaaS company).
• Comfortable learning CRM and other sales engagement platforms.
• Establishing rapport with all levels of buyers, including senior executives.
• Working cross-functionally with partners (like Marketing & Ops) to iterate processes and ideas for successful lead-generation campaigns.
• Evaluating and improving Webflow’s sales processes with an emphasis on building to-scale.

How to Become a Sales Representative

There’s no linear path into sales, and that’s what makes it so dynamic. I’ve seen people break into sales from every walk of life: teachers, baristas, engineers, and even musicians.

But if you‘re starting from zero and wondering how to become a sales representative, let me walk you through what I wish someone had told me when I was starting out. These steps won’t just help you land a job. They’ll help you build real momentum from day one.

1. Challenge yourself to read (or listen to) some sales books.

When I first jumped into sales, I treated every sales book like a masterclass delivered by someone who had already been exactly where I was. I wasn’t just absorbing theories, I was mining for experience.

Daniel Pink’s To Sell Is Human shifted something in me. He uses deep behavioral science to argue that selling isn’t sleazy but human, embedded in every interaction we have. It pulled me out of the old trope about “pushy salespeople” and made me realize that influencing anyone starts with empathy, not pressure.

Then there’s SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham. What I love and still return to is how it’s rooted in real-world research: years of observing tens of thousands of sales calls. That kind of evidence-backed insight grounded my instincts in repeatable frameworks rather than hunches.

When I’m coaching new reps now, I still tell them, “Don’t just read a book — apply it.” That’s why Fanatical Prospecting and Gap Selling have a permanent place in my rotation. They taught me two things: how to keep my pipeline churning even when the stress hits, and how to talk to buyers in a way that challenges them, without feeling pushy (and without making them feel attacked).

Some reps jump to flashy bestsellers or hype-heavy titles, but for me, it’s about substance. SNAP Selling by Jill Konrath, for instance, helped me understand how to communicate with overloaded buyers, how to speak in a way that cuts through their noise instead of adding to it.

I went further, too. I’d listen to audiobooks on commutes, replay chapters during long nights, and tag phrases in my notes. The Sales Skills Book by Gerald Zankl gave me the practical script templates and real-world language I still tweak when I coach teams. I wasn’t learning in isolation — I was internalizing habits through repetition.

And I still push myself not just on classics, but on newer titles that cover stress management, mindset, or the psychology behind sales behaviors. Building a habit of reading or listening makes continuous learning feel effortless, not forced.

If you’re serious about getting started as a sales rep, committing time to read the right sales books is the difference between wandering in the dark and walking a path lit by real stories, real research, and real rep energy.

2. Get inbound sales certified. Seriously.

I used to roll my eyes at certifications. They felt like resume padding, something you checked off, stuck on a wall, and pretty much forgot. Then I discovered HubSpot’s Inbound Sales Certification, and everything shifted.

This certification wasn’t fluff. It was a laser-focused, efficient training in about three hours, seven lessons, and five quizzes that taught me how to identify the right leads, engage with them thoughtfully, and structure sales conversations through the lens of modern buyer behavior. And for someone who needed frameworks as much as language, it gave me both.

What I realized walking into my next interviews was this: I wasn’t just someone who’d read a course. I could speak confidently about the buyer’s journey, explain meaningful lead qualification, and use terms like “inbound methodology” without sounding like I memorized a script. And at a time when HubSpot held nearly a 35% share in the U.S. marketing automation market, being able to speak that language carried real weight.

Beyond that, the certification gave me tangible credibility. It’s recognized globally, especially in companies that use HubSpot day-to-day. It signaled two things to hiring managers: One, I’d invested in myself; two, I wasn’t starting from zero.

Most importantly, though, I didn’t view that badge as the finish line. I used it as a jumping-off point. I applied the frameworks to real calls. I found myself naturally asking buyers not just “What’s your budget?” but “What would success look like for you?” I retook the course when new updates dropped, because keeping the certification current means staying sharp alongside the platform’s evolution.

If you’re trying to get started as a sales rep, this is low-hanging fruit with high impact. It’s free, it’s relevant, and it gives you frameworks you can use the moment you hit send on that certification email. But for those who stand out? The ones I’ve mentored who nail their first deals? They didn’t just take the course. They lived it.

3. Find out if you can take introductory courses near you.

I’ve always believed that some of the fastest growth happens when you step into a classroom, because it’s one thing to learn theory, and another to hear it bounce off real people. I remember sitting in that night course on B2B sales: a mix of real estate agents, entrepreneurs, and me. We rolled up our sleeves and role-played cold outreach, ripped apart weak emails, and gave feedback on actual pitches we were struggling with. That hands-on immersion flipped my learning into something tangible.

What I now lean on as validation isn’t just a feeling; it’s backed by data. Organizations that implement structured sales training programs see about a 19% improvement in sales performance, plus the kind of ROI that makes your finance stakeholder nod (on average, a 353% return on training investment). Those aren’t corporate pitch deck numbers; they reflect focused, intentional learning that sticks and scales across teams.

What’s more, role-plays — yes, those occasionally awkward scenes where you pretend to be a prospect or deal with tough objections — are game-changers. They create a safe space to fail, learn the right moves, and get honest feedback. Studies show that they sharpen negotiation skills, build confidence, and boost adaptability faster than many other learning formats.

So here’s what I’d say now, based on my experience and the data: If there’s an introductory sales course, whether at a community college, local continuing-education program, or even a workforce development night class, take it. And here’s how to lean into it:

From my story, you’ll walk in timid and walk out talking differently. You’ll swap “I could try calling again” for “Let me test a new opener based on our strength themes.” You’re no longer theorizing, you’re improving in front of classmates, instructors, even critics who’ll tell you exactly what hit and what felt off.

If you still keep thinking that a course might just be a resume item, stop yourself right there. Personal development happens fastest when it’s lived out loud.

4. Build a sales network.

This step took me the longest to figure out. Early in my career, I treated sales like a solo sport. I didn’t ask for help, I didn’t know who to follow, and I certainly wasn’t active on LinkedIn. That isolation cost me more opportunities than any bad cold email ever could.

The turning point came when I started immersing myself in what real salespeople were doing — how they were navigating objections, experimenting with AI tools, and refining outreach in real time. I began to engage, and when I shared my lessons, wins, and yes, my failures, that’s when the DMs started rolling in. That’s when opportunities followed.

I realized I wasn’t just selling products, I was building a living ecosystem. That’s exactly what modern networking looks like. Studies show that effective sales networking gives you access to decision-makers, market insights, and partnerships that would otherwise stay off your radar. And get this: Organizations whose employees are well-connected within their professional communities outperform their peers consistently.

It wasn’t just about tick-boxing LinkedIn requests. I learned that networking with intention (asking questions, offering help, following up) was where the real value lived. That’s backed up too: When people network with purpose and authenticity, they build trust, credibility, and long-term connection, not just connections that vanish once they leave a conference.

Here’s what I’ve learned to do differently and you can borrow this approach:

• I started simple, following a handful of sales pros who were a step ahead and genuinely engaging with their content.
• I began publishing reflections on my own failures and breakthroughs. The first time someone messaged to say, “Me too,” I realized I’d hit something real.
• I asked for introductions. Whether it was an instructor, a course mate, or someone I admired on LinkedIn. I sent a simple ask: “I’m new to sales, could I hear how you got started?” People responded. They want to help, they just need the nudge.

Let me tell you, the network you build doesn’t just amplify your deals. It amplifies your learning, your confidence, and your opportunities. You’ll start to think less in terms of quota and more in terms of your growing community. And in a profession where people say “it’s who you know,” the smarter truth is: It’s who’s behind you, telling your story, helping you level up.

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How to Become an Independent Sales Representative

You may want to pursue independent sales once you’ve gained adequate sales experience.

As this section title suggests, an independent sales rep works for a company but is independently in charge of its operations (marketing, customer service, bookkeeping, etc.) and business practices. Independent reps sometimes contract for multiple companies at once. Kinda dope, right?

There are two critical factors for becoming an independent sales rep:

• Having sales experience, preferably in-house. It’ll be challenging to succeed in the role if you don’t understand how the sales process works, so developing solid selling experience is essential before embarking on a more independent journey.
• Being comfortable working for yourself and able to work for yourself. This means that you don’t struggle if there isn’t anyone standing over your shoulder monitoring your progress because you can monitor your progress and get your work done. It’s important to note that you still have to report back to the business you work for; they’re just not likely to monitor your everyday progress.

Pro tip: Having in-house sales experience opens doors to new opportunities. It’ll help you develop a network of contacts and relationships that can help you when you start working independently, whether by introducing you to potential clients or giving you credibility within the sales industry.

Still, there’s more to the story. Becoming an independent sales rep isn’t just about having experience — it’s about knowing what you need to handle the responsibilities of working for yourself. All of this said, here’s what it takes to thrive as an independent sales rep.

1. Start with your goals.

If you’re learning to sell, start from the very end and work backward. Knowing your goals and measuring your performance against them (more on that later) is the best way to lay a foundation for success. You can anchor yourself in this reflection process by asking yourself questions like:

• How many customers do you or your company need, and in what time?
• How many leads do you need to close that many customers?
• How many connections do you need to generate that many opportunities?

Once you’re done, multiply your customer goal by the average sale price of your company’s product to get the revenue you should aim for.

Make sure you set personal sales goals as well. You can always tell when a salesperson is in the top 2% of their organization: They command attention, work at their craft, provide a consistent experience, and execute. These behaviors and actions typically precede results.

Aim to be in the top 2% of your organization. It won’t happen tomorrow and it won’t be easy, but I recommend always striving for the top.

2. Recognize that sales is a process.

Sales is not an art. It is a science and a technology that is changing rapidly, but simultaneously, it has a standard formula that will always be the same. To get customers, you’ll have to establish their needs and interest in your product, address inertia in their business, and determine a timeline to sell.

However, here’s the caveat for your consideration: How your company (and every company, honestly) moves through the sales funnel will be unique. You have to understand that every business has its playbook for a reason.

Before you get on the phone with a prospect, sit down with your managers and get all the information needed to thoroughly understand your company’s process. By doing so, you’ll learn the following (and then some):

• How to position your product.
• Strategies for speaking with prospects.
• Understanding your key value propositions.
• Discovering what your ideal customer looks like.

Pro tip: Pete Caputa, CEO of Databox and former VP of sales at HubSpot, and Harvard Business School professor and former HubSpot CRO, Mark Roberge, are some of the most successful sales executives (and scientists) I know of. They’re scientists and excel at making the classic sales process scalable. Follow them both on LinkedIn, pay attention to their content, and get as much as possible from engaging with any insights they share.

3. Identify business pains.

You must identify and distinguish your prospects’ business pain points from their run-of-the-mill business problems. Real business pain is discussed daily in the executive office and the boardroom. Someone has probably set aside a budget to solve it. If it’s a critical factor to their business’s success, you’ve discovered a real business pain.

Still, even after addressing their pain points, proposing a solution, and closing a deal, your relationship doesn’t end after the sale — you’re required to live up to your promise. Prepare your prospects for the transition to your product and give them all the help they need, and you’ll have a happy customer on your hands.

4. Measure every step.

Remember when you set your goals? Be fanatical about measuring your performance against them. At the rate you’re selling today, will you hit your numbers by the end of the month? Are your closing strategies converting prospects to customers? If not, change something up.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to reach your numbers this month. If you measure everything you do, you can solve problems as they arise. And these days, there are boatloads of coaching resources to help you through this.

A simple Google search for an area you’re struggling with will return a massive amount of material that can help you. Your managers will also be happy to help you, especially if you ask for assistance before it’s too late.

5. Sell to the right people.

This principle is at the heart of the inbound sales methodology.

Instead of trying to convince everyone to buy your product, focus on prospects who actually need what you’re selling. When (or if) you become an independent sales representative, your time will be incredibly valuable, so targeting the right audience will ensure that your efforts yield higher conversion rates and long-term customer relationships.

Pro tip: Here are my suggestions for finding the correct folks to sell to:

• Start by defining your ideal customer profile (ICP). An ICP will help you consider factors like industry, company size, budget, and pain points.
• Leverage lead qualification frameworks. Before investing too much time in a pitch, use frameworks like BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) or GPCT (Goals, Plans, Challenges, Timing) to determine if a prospect is a good fit.

6. Embrace team selling.

When starting in sales, you want to make a name for yourself. Many reps think the fastest way to do this is by blowing away the competition alone. That approach can be isolating, and you miss out on a lot.

For example, if you’re unsuccessfully trying to speak with the CEO of a large company, ask a sales leader if they can get you in the door by leveraging their seniority and making that first call. This collaborative approach doesn’t just help. It strengthens your chances of closing deals.

No matter their experience level, modern reps should embrace team selling.

Here’s my advice: Don’t be afraid to leverage your team’s expertise to close more deals. It’s not cheating; it’s maximizing your resources. You’ll learn valuable skills and blow your quota out of the water.

7. Shadow your peers.

Along those same lines, you can learn a lot about excelling in sales by listening to the best — your peers and teammates alongside you.

Take some time each week — or each month — to listen to how your teammates conduct successful sales calls. Whether you’re listening live or to recordings, you can pick up phrases, rapport-building techniques, and closing strategies that you can personalize your calls.

8. Find a mentor.

Checking in with peers to hone your selling skills and day-to-day workflows is valuable. But pairing with a mentor who can impart wisdom, help you plan and grow your career, and guide you through challenges is likely the most advantageous thing you can do. This person should help you visualize where you see yourself one, five, or even ten years later.

That said, be sure to identify a mentor who:

• Has found measurable success in the career you aspire to be in.
• Has accomplished specific achievements or milestones you admire.
• Has relevant experience that applies to your career path.

Once you’ve identified someone with the experience and availability to be your mentor, don’t be a scaredy cat. Set up monthly or quarterly meetings with them to discuss how you anticipate spending that time so you can walk away with mutual value and new knowledge.

9. Build a personal development plan.

Every salesperson has strengths and weaknesses. As an independent sales rep, you must constantly re-evaluate your strengths and skills. This starts with pinpointing areas of the sales process that you do well, such as building rapport or asking good questions, and keeping tabs on how you refine them.

When you start, you are unconsciously incompetent — you don’t know what you don’t know. Then, over time, you become consciously incompetent — you do know what you don’t know, and you can make a plan to continue learning and filling in skill gaps. From there, finally, you become consciously competent — you have the qualities you need to do the job well.

I suggest assessing your new skills and creating a personal development plan (PDP) to facilitate this process. This can be a simple document that defines the two to three things per month that you want to work on to improve your skills.

You should aim to revisit this document with your manager or mentor regularly to ensure you’re on track with your learning.

10. Start a film club.

Professional athletes watch many films and footage of their performances. Salespeople can benefit from the same approach.

I recommend that new salespeople build a film club to accommodate different learning styles, with a handful of their peers trying to improve their skills. Here’s how a sales film club can work:

• Set aside an hour, and have one person bring a recorded call and a standard evaluation template.
• Have the group listen to the call and note what they hear.
• Beginning with the person who recorded the call, have participants provide feedback on what worked and what could be improved.

This group dynamic helps new salespeople work together to reduce their anxiety and learn to improve their sales skills in a safe environment.

Take a chance on a career in sales.

I didn’t dream of being in sales. Like most people, I stumbled into it. But somewhere between my 300th cold call and my first closed deal, something clicked. I realized this wasn’t just a job, it was a personal growth accelerator disguised as a career path.

Most people underestimate what sales actually is. They think it’s manipulation, pressure tactics, or chasing quotas. But when you do it right, sales is about clarity, service, and strategy. It’s about solving real problems and helping buyers make confident decisions in uncertain times. That’s what makes it so powerful — and why I always tell people to take the leap.

But I’ll also say this: It’s not for the faint of heart. Sales will expose your blind spots. You’ll hear “no” more times than you can count. You’ll deal with uncertainty, rejection, ghosting, and that creeping doubt that asks, “Am I good enough?” The trick is to lean into it. Use the feedback. Turn tension into growth. That’s where the transformation happens.

Over time, the skills you develop (empathy, negotiation, storytelling, and strategic thinking) become transferable currency. Whether you stay in sales, launch your own startup, or step into leadership, these tools follow you. I’ve used my sales skills to coach founders, close consulting retainers, and even pitch myself into rooms I wasn’t supposed to be in. And it all started with one decision: to give sales a real shot.

So if you’re on the fence, let me say what I wish someone had told me sooner: Take the chance.

Not just on sales, but on yourself.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in May 2015 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Free Sales Training Template

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• 30/60/90 Day Goals
• People to Meet
• Feedback/Review Process
• And More!

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