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Sales & Marketing
How to become a Sales Manager
From sales representative: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.
- Time to get there
- 2–5 years
- Typical pay
- $85k–$130k
- Starting from
- Sales representative
Pay is an estimate of typical US entry-level pay for this role and varies by state, employer and shift. The timeline assumes you are starting from sales representative and includes any licence or programme legally required, not just course length.
See sales manager jobs open nowThe route
Carry a quota and beat it
Nobody follows a sales manager who has not sold.
Course that covers thisFoundations of SalesUdemy · around $19.99Mentor junior reps
Volunteering to coach new hires is the audition for the role.
Learn forecasting and pipeline management
You will be judged on the accuracy of your forecast as much as the number.
Course that covers thisUltimate Microsoft Excel Bundle from Beginner to AdvancedUdemy · around $19.99Take a team
Your income becomes their performance. That is a genuinely different job.
Course that covers thisPMP Practice Tests 2026: Project Management ProfessionalUdemy · around $19.99- Browse jobs now
Destination
Sales Manager
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