Overview of the UK's sales industry

Most businesses rely on selling a product or service to turn a profit and thrive. Because of this talented sales professionals are integral to organisations across a range of industries.

It can be tricky to uncover sales sector statistics as the industry is often grouped with other areas of the economy, such as marketing or retail. However, according to Statista, as of the first quarter of 2025 there were approximately 952,100 sales, marketing and related associate professionals in the UK. In fact, it is estimated that roughly one in six employees are employed either directly or indirectly in a sales role.

There's high demand for sales professionals, especially in business hubs such as:

• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Leeds
• London
• Manchester.

What is a sales job?

The main purpose of a sales role is to sell a company's product or service to customers. This usually involves:

• conducting sector research and keeping up with industry trends
• competitor analysis
• generating leads and uncovering new business opportunities
• promoting products and services and networking at industry events
• meeting clients and pitching to potential customers
• negotiating and making sales
• supporting existing clients and providing new customers with an after-sales service
• hitting sales targets and deadlines.

What are the different types of sales?

Employment opportunities in the sales industry can be grouped into:

• business-to-business (B2B)
• business-to-consumer(B2C)
• customer service
• direct/field sales
• export sales
• fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)
• IT sales
• media and advertising sales
• medical/pharmaceutical/scientific sales
• online sales
• retail motor sales
• telesales.

Sales roles can be found in all industries, including:

• finance
• manufacturing
• retail
• transport.

You could also consider estate agents, travel agents and recruitment consultancies for other sales-related jobs. Depending on your interests and area of specialism, you could sell:

• advertising space
• cars
• holidays
• houses
• IT software
• medical equipment
• pharmaceuticals.

For examples of sales careers, see sales jobs.

Who are the main sales recruiters?

Many large companies - from car manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, to IT, electronics and TV, broadband and mobile services - employ graduates in sales and customer service roles.

Leading employers include:

• Amazon
• AstraZeneca
• Bloomberg
• BT
• Coca-Cola
• Danone UK
• EE
• Ford UK
• Fujitsu
• GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)
• Keyence
• KPMG
• Mars UK
• Mercedes-Benz
• Microsoft
• Mondelēz International
• Nestlé
• Nissan
• Philips
• Samsung
• Schroders
• Softcat
• Unilever
• Virgin Media.

What's it like working in sales?

'The great thing about sales is that it is 100% performance-driven, usually high-energy, fast-paced, and transparent,' says Rob Scott, managing director of Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment. 'The numbers don't lie. You'll know exactly whether you're crushing it or if you need to work harder and change tack.'

Graduates can expect:

• varied working environments as sales departments are target-driven, challenging and very busy, while field work or medical sales involve long hours away from home, and telesales involves regular office hours or split shifts
• a basic starting salary of between £25,000 and £30,000 for a sales executive, with the chance to earn more for meeting targets - especially in companies where the level of commission is uncapped, so there's the potential for high overall earnings for talented sales employees
• an emphasis on creating, building and maintaining profitable customer relationships, which requires a mix of soft skills including communication, diplomacy, confidence and the ability to deal with rejection
• to be judged by your results.

'If you want a career that is never boring and rewards you for exactly what you put in, I'd suggest you take a serious look at professional selling,' adds Rob.

To find out more about typical salaries and specific industry roles, see sales job profiles.

Do I need a related degree to work in sales?

For many sales positions, your personality and aptitude for the profession may be viewed as more important than particular qualifications. In most cases, employers will consider candidates with any degree subject, although some will require at least a 2:1.

For specialised vacancies, such as those involving the sale of engineering, IT or medical equipment, it's expected that you hold a related technical degree. If you're starting out in IT sales, a business or computer science degree may be preferred; otherwise you'll likely have to demonstrate commercial awareness and a strong interest in IT.

As you become more experienced you might want to think about becoming a member of an organisation such as the Institute of Sales Management (ISM). You'll find industry recognised ISM qualifications at Levels 2 to 7 of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), with ISM Level 6 equivalent to a university degree and Level 7 a Masters degree.

Explore your study options and consider sales training courses.

What are the top skills that sales employers look for?

'A healthy dose of curiosity and an engaging personality are essential,' says Rob. Recruiters also look for:

• Excellent communication skills - to clearly explain what you're selling but also to listen to what your clients want from their services or packages. This listening needs to be free of personal assumptions, judgements and beliefs. A major part of active listening is to treat others with the respect and attention you'd like to receive in a conversation, so they feel their requirements are understood, and will be adhered to.
• Effective time management - you will have a lot of client visits to juggle and may be working to deadlines to get things signed off in time.
• Honed presentation skills - you'll usually have one shot at meeting potential clients and showing them what you can do, and a great presentation is what could swing it for you.
• Confidence and persistence - not everyone will want what you're selling. Having faith in yourself and the product in the face of resistance and rejection is vital. But never confuse confidence with arrogance.
• A resilient attitude - reacting positively to knockbacks is essential. You may have put a lot of time and effort into landing a deal, but it didn't work out. You have to be resilient, dust yourself off and believe that you will land the next one.
• Negotiation and persuasion - essential during client discussions and vital for sealing deals.
• Good customer service skills - if the customers don't like you, it's unlikely they will buy from you. In a sales role you'll interact and converse with a variety of people, so you need to be personable. Coming across as authentic and engaging will endear you to others and gain their trust.
• Ambition and drive - particularly important when it comes to meeting your targets.
• Networking and relationship-building abilities - crucial for lead generation and maintaining existing clients/customers.
• Initiative to work independently - it's likely that you'll be speaking to customers on your own, so you need to be comfortable in doing so.
• Organisation and IT proficiency - as a sales professional you’ll be working with multiple clients and you’ll need to keep an accurate record of your dealings with them. This includes proficiency with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software.
• Entrepreneurial spirit - demonstrating that you can craft opportunities where they may not obviously exist and see these through to execution and delivery, shows that you have a natural talent for selling. Something as simple as trading on eBay or Vinted can go a surprisingly long way in showing you're able and agile enough to create your own breaks.

Where can I find sales work experience?

'If your goal is to work in sales, you will inevitably need sales experience under your belt,' explains Rob. 'Most companies nowadays are sales-led, so while you are full of ambition and energy, getting sales onto your CV early is a savvy move. After all, starting in sales isn't just about hitting targets, it's about truly understanding how business works.'

Employers taking on sales staff value any work experience that allows you to develop your customer service skills and ability to communicate. Jobs in retail, hospitality or telesales are available on a part-time basis - for example, working as a retail sales assistant.

Some larger companies, such as Microsoft, P&G, Nissan and Unilever, offer summer placements or one-year industrial internships in sales or customer management. Other recruiters offer sales, marketing or general management internships that can provide a fast-track to graduate sales positions for successful applicants.

'If you don't have direct sales experience, don't let that be a barrier,' says Rob. 'The right attitude and personality will win every time. However, employers do value environments where you've already handled rejection or difficult people. This could be anything from playing competitive sports and learning how to lose, to charity fundraising, running a side hustle, or even working behind a bar.'

Explore what's currently available and search for sales work experience.

How do I find a graduate sales job?

Large companies across a variety of industries offer sales graduate schemes, including Mondelez International, Nestlé and Volkswagen. Other companies offer sales, marketing or general schemes where you could be given the opportunity to rotate between departments.

You should check employer websites for details on how to make an online application.

Graduate sales positions, like a sales executive, can be found through specialist sales recruitment agencies or job sites. For example, if you're searching for a medical sales position in pharmaceuticals or healthcare then visit CHASE.

If you're decisive and results-oriented with plenty of business ideas, self-employment is another option. While being an entrepreneur has its challenges, those with sales skills and an abundance of self-belief may find this route fits in perfectly with their ambitions.

To explore sales jobs offered by leading recruiters, search graduate jobs in sales and discover how to answer sales interview questions.

What are the key issues in the sales industry?

• Advancements in technology and artificial intelligence (AI) have resulted in a number of tasks becoming streamlined. 'The rise of AI is currently the biggest shift,' says Rob. 'As it begins to replace the 'grunt work' like email marketing and prospecting.' While this might be a positive thing for sales managers (as it frees up their time) it could lead to a decrease in entry-level roles, limiting the talent moving up through the ranks. However, Rob points out that 'AI is currently unable to show empathy or build the human trust necessary for a complex deal, and I believe it will be many years before a machine can make an effective, human cold call.'
• A lack of soft skills in the UK workforce is making sales roles increasingly difficult to fill. Communication, relationship building and problem-solving skills are vital in salespeople, but recruiters are struggling to find candidates with the right mix of skills.
• There's a war over talent, with qualified, skilled candidates being lured into other industries where earning a decent salary isn't dependent on hitting sales targets or on supplementing it with commission.
• Changes to buying. ‘Buyers have changed, too,’ adds Rob. ‘Ten years ago, you could make a call and close the deal immediately. Nowadays, buyers are savvier and require many more touchpoints. You often need to provide additional information, testimonials, and case studies to build trust before you can secure the business.’
• More needs to be done to alter the perception of sales careers among younger generations who often don't appreciate the scope of sales roles.