The Strong Interest Inventory® is an effective and efficient first step toward finding the right career, which complements one’s personal and professional strengths and lifestyle preferences. This comprehensive assessment accounts for dozens of parameters, from recreational interests to work-life balance. After analyzing an individual’s responses to questions on each of these metrics, it refers career-seekers to one to three of six Theme Code Categories, each of which contains a number of different careers that share certain characteristics. For example, being a Sales Manager is considered a Strong Interest Inventory® Enterprising Career because it focuses on business fields and building financial success which is important to individuals who fall into this category.

Sales Managers are responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating the logistics of how a product or service reaches a customer. Sales Managers can be in any industry and may manage any kind of product or service, from real estate to clothing to groceries to craft supplies. Most of their responsibilities can be categorized as financial, organizational, or customer-facing. Financial responsibilities include determining price schedules and discount rates, reviewing and improving budgets, reviewing operational records to determine profitability, and directing sales. From an organizational standpoint, Sales Managers may need to oversee local and regional managers and their staff, plan employee evaluations, establish or expand franchises, and advise dealers and distributors on policies and operating procedures. Finally, their customer-facing responsibilities include investigating and resolving customer complaints, providing feedback on marketing campaigns, monitoring customer preferences to determine the focus of sales efforts, and conferring with potential customers to determine their needs. Overall, Sales Managers may need to wear a number of hats and perform a number of responsibilities in order to ensure that their organizations remain efficient and profitable.

Sales Managers use many different kinds of tools and technologies to successfully perform their daily operations. For example, they need to be comfortable with business intelligence software (e.g., IBM Cognos Impromptu), database user interface and query software (e.g., SQL, Microsoft Access), and graphics software (e.g., Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud). In addition, they will utilize standard office software, such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and e-mail software like those included in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite. Individuals who are considering this career should become generally proficient with using computers, tablets, and smart phones.

In order to fulfill their daily tasks and responsibilities, Sales Managers need a foundational knowledge of sales and marketing, customer and personal service, the English language, and administration and management. Most Sales Managers hold a Bachelor’s Degree (65%), though roughly 13% hold an Associate’s Degree and some 9% hold a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate. In addition to this formal education, Sales Managers should have active listening, communication, and problem-solving skills.

The median salary for Sales Managers is $58.20 hourly, or $121,060 annually. However, in Colorado their income averages over $140,000 annually, while in the profitable state of New York, they average over $180,000 per year. However, in less-profitable states, like New Mexico, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, Sales Managers earn closer to $85,000 per year. Nonetheless, Sales Managers are also in high demand. There are some 386,000 jobs nationwide and in the next several years this number is expected to grow by 5% to 9% per year, adding a total of 36,300 jobs in the near future. This growth is expected to occur fastest in California, which potentially could employ over 76,000 Sales Managers. Texas is expected to employ over 26,000 Sales Managers within the next several years.

Below are some employment trends for Sales Managers:

• Median Salary: $58.20 hourly; $121,060 annually
• Employment: 386,000 employees
• Projected growth (2016-2026): average (5% to 9%)
• Projected job openings (2016-2026): 36,300

[Information retrieved from Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2016-2026 employment projections]

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Gain access to your best-fit careers, occupational preferences and interests with these career based Strong Interest Inventory® Assessments:

 

Explore our Strong Interest Inventory® Blog Pages:

• Strong Interest Inventory Realistic Theme Explained 
• Strong Interest Inventory Artistic Theme Explained
• Strong Interest Inventory Investigative Theme Explained 
• Strong Interest Inventory Social Theme Explained 
• Strong Interest Inventory Enterprising Theme Explained 
• Strong Interest Inventory Conventional Theme Explained 

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References

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2012-2022 employment projections Onetonline.org