Entry-level sales jobs: 11 roles explained

1,654 open now

An SDR starts the sales process: you research companies, reach out to the people who might buy, and book meetings for account executives. It is the usual first job in software and business-services sales.

Skills: Cold outreach (email and phone), Active listening, Prospecting research, CRM software

2,394 open now

A BDR finds new business for a company by prospecting outside its existing customers, qualifying leads and setting up sales conversations. The title is used like SDR; some companies use BDR for outbound work and SDR for inbound.

Skills: Prospecting, Outbound sequencing, CRM software, Objection handling

1,382 open now

An inside sales representative sells by phone, email and video instead of traveling to customers. You own a book of leads or small accounts, run the call from first contact to close and keep the customer afterward.

Skills: Phone and video selling, Product knowledge, Negotiation basics, CRM software

2,471 open now

An outside sales representative sells in person in a geographic territory: visiting businesses, running meetings and building long-term accounts. Many start with a base wage plus commission.

Skills: Face-to-face selling, Territory planning, Presenting, Negotiation basics

1,252 open now

An account executive owns the deal from first meeting to signed contract. At the entry level, "associate" or "junior" account executive roles usually sell smaller deals with a shorter sales cycle than senior AEs.

Skills: Discovery questioning, Demoing, Negotiation, Pipeline management

1,841 open now

An account manager looks after existing customers: renewals, upgrades, problems and the relationship. Growth in the account is the goal; new-customer hunting is secondary.

Skills: Relationship building, Renewal and upsell basics, Problem solving, CRM software

5,594 open now

A sales associate or representative sells products or services to other businesses and often does a bit of everything: prospecting, quoting, order follow-up and customer calls. It is a broad entry title; the posting says which parts matter most.

Skills: Communication, Product knowledge, CRM software, Quoting

5 open now

Sales support keeps the sales team moving by preparing quotes, entering orders, updating customer records and answering routine questions so sellers can sell.

Skills: Attention to detail, CRM software, Spreadsheet skills, Business writing

100 open now

Sales operations analysts run the systems and numbers behind a sales team: the CRM, territory and quota data, reports and forecasts. It suits people who like spreadsheets and process more than phone work.

Skills: Spreadsheets (Excel or Google Sheets), CRM administration, Data cleanup, Reporting

221 open now

A sales engineer is the technical expert on a sales team. Associate roles help run demos, answer technical questions and set up trials, usually after a technical degree or an early technical job.

Skills: Technical communication, Demoing, Product depth, APIs and integrations basics

0 open now

A sales management trainee program rotates new hires through selling, operations and team leadership with the aim of a first management role. Common in staffing, rental, logistics and financial services.

Skills: Coachability, Customer communication, Sales basics, Reliability