Summary. We reviewed real candidate profiles to learn the best path to become a technical sales representative. We'll guide you through the education, experiences, and skills hiring managers look for in a technical sales representative.
Most companies require a technical sales representative to have a bachelor's degree degree in a related field, such as business or biology.
It's important to have relevant work experience, with typical job requirements ranging from 1-2 years in related fields.
Common job titles before becoming a technical sales representative include sales representative, customer service representative, and cashier.
Hiring managers expect a technical sales representative to have soft skills such as interpersonal skills, physical stamina, and self-confidence.
Once you have all the required skills and experience, it takes an average of 1-3 months of job training to become a technical sales representative.
Getting a certification as a Certified Sales Professional (CSP) will help you to earn more as a technical sales representative.
We've found that 56.9% of technical sales representatives have earned a bachelor's degree. Furthermore, 4.9% earned their master's degrees before becoming a technical sales representative. While it's true that most technical sales representatives have a college degree, it's generally possible to become one with only a high school degree. In fact, one out of every six technical sales representatives did not spend the extra money to attend college.
The technical sales representatives who went onto college to earn a more in-depth education generally studied business and biology, while a small population of technical sales representatives studied marketing and chemistry.
If you're interested in becoming a technical sales representative, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 56.9% of technical sales representatives have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 4.9% of technical sales representatives have master's degrees. Even though most technical sales representatives have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a technical sales representative. When we researched the most common majors for a technical sales representative, we found that they most commonly have business, biology and marketing.
Technical Sales Representative Major | Percentages |
---|---|
Business | 28.20% |
Biology | 7.50% |
Marketing | 7.10% |
Chemistry | 6.60% |
Other Degrees | 50.60% |
It'll be a good idea to develop technical sales representative skills before applying for a job. Here are some skills commonly requested in technical sales representative job descriptions:
Skills | Percentages |
---|---|
Sales Process | 22.71% |
Business Development | 17.38% |
Sales Support | 15.21% |
Post Sales | 11.91% |
Java | 5.05% |
Technical sales representatives spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. During this time, new technical sales representatives learn the skills and techniques required for their specific job and employer. The chart below shows how much time 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.
Certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for this position. They can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a certification, having one may help you stand out in an application. Plus, the process of getting a certification can teach you new skills that you can bring to your work. We determined the most common certifications for technical sales representatives. The most common certification is Certified Sales Professional (CSP), but Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) is also frequently seen in technical sales representatives resumes.
When you decide to become a technical sales representative, It's important to know what duties and responsibilities are required for this position. Some common responsibilities are a part of most technical sales representative jobs. Here is a list of the main duties that define the role:
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.
Finally, when you already have checked the skills and responsibilities for this role, you can start creating your resume. Everything that goes into creating a perfect resume can take hours, days, or even weeks. No worries, we created a resume builder to make this process as easy as possible with tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and a summary.
"I want to work in tech sales because there is an opportunity for growth and advancement, there is competitive and rewarding compensation, and I would get the chance to be exposed to innovative technology" is a good answer to this interview question.