Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
What is a technical sales representative and how to become one
A technical sales representative sells technical products and services to businesses and individuals. They identify potential customers, explain product features, and negotiate prices and contracts. Technical sales representatives require a strong understanding of the products they sell, as well as the needs of customers. They work with engineers, marketing teams, and sales representatives to meet customer requirements. Successful technical sales representatives have excellent communication, a strong technical background, and an ability to build customer relationships.
What general advice would you give to a technical sales representative?
Laura Sansoni
Director, Career Development, CBA Career Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha
For the graduates that have a job, I highly encourage them to take advantage of any opportunity presented to them. Participate in workplace events, take advantage of professional development opportunities like attending conferences or trainings, and volunteer to work on projects when asked to. Taking advantage of these opportunities in your workplace will increase your skills and experiences while deepening your connections to your colleagues and growing your personal network.
For graduates that are still looking for jobs, I remind them that the worst things that can happen in the job search are an employer saying "no", "we went with another candidate", or not responding to your application at all. While that can be scary and defeating at times, think about the positives of the situation. You didn't get the interview or the job, but you didn't lose anything either. Instead, you gained more experience in the job search process that you can improve upon for the next time. I also remind new grads to let the employers decide if they are the right fit for the job instead of counting yourself out too early. If you meet 75 percent of the qualifications in the job description, apply for the job and let the recruiter decide whether to set up an interview. Don't be so afraid of the next "no" that it prevents you from finding the next possible "yes".
Avg. Salary $71,310
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 4%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%
Asian 5.20%
Black or African American 3.88%
Hispanic or Latino 14.51%
Unknown 3.72%
White 72.45%
Genderfemale 26.73%
male 73.27%
Age - 48American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 48Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a technical sales representative?
Pros
Opportunity for growth and advancement
Develop presentation and communication skills
Enjoy a degree of autonomy and independence
Possess a varied and challenging job role
Promote products you believe in
Cons
Must be able to handle rejection and maintain positivity
Can be challenging to balance technical knowledge with sales skills
Requires extensive traveling that can cut into personal time
Commission-based compensation may lead to financial instability
Must possess the ability to work independently while still being part of a team
Technical sales representative career paths
Key steps to become a technical sales representative
Explore technical sales representative education requirements
Start to develop specific technical sales representative skills
Skills Percentages Sales Process 22.71% Business Development 17.38% Sales Support 15.21% Post Sales 11.91% Java 5.05% Complete relevant technical sales representative training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New technical sales representatives learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a technical sales representative based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real technical sales representative resumes.Gain additional technical sales representative certifications
More About CertificationsTechnical sales representative certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific technical sales representative certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for technical sales representatives include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
Research technical sales representative duties and responsibilities
- Administer product and system design engineering support, prepare RFP responses, deliver presentations, and manage field support calls.
- Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
- Conduct sales, build orders, maintain cleanliness and ensure customer satisfaction.
- Direct overall account customer relations and assist in OEM product development.
Get technical sales representative experience
Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a technical sales representative. The most common roles before becoming a technical sales representative include sales representative, customer service representative team lead and cashier.Prepare your technical sales representative resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your technical sales representative resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a technical sales representative resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable technical sales representative resume templates
Build a professional technical sales representative resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your technical sales representative resume.
Apply for technical sales representative jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a technical sales representative job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first technical sales representative job
Are you a technical sales representative?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average technical sales representative salary
The average technical sales representative salary in the United States is $71,310 per year or $34 per hour. Technical sales representative salaries range between $39,000 and $129,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do technical sales representatives rate their job?
Technical sales representative reviews
Dealing with other professional engineers and managers that show higher levels of integrity when discussing requirements or a problem to solve.
The constant program delays and slow manufactures in support of opportunities that could be won with quicker responses.
Communicating and helping my clients.
The travel was extensive. Sometimes. It took more than month to close a deaĺ.
I love to engage the public and meet new faces. I enjoy explaining all of the benefits of the product I am selling, and making the customer feel important and well informed.
Search for technical sales representative jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
