Inside the Tech Sales Career Path
Getting Started
Most careers in tech sales begin at the entry level. Roles like Sales Development Representative (SDR) or Business Development Representative (BDR) focus on prospecting, qualifying leads, and booking meetings. It is a challenging start, but it builds resilience, sales fundamentals, and industry knowledge. Many professionals enter tech sales from unrelated backgrounds by leveraging transferable skills such as communication, adaptability, and problem solving.
Moving Up
After success as an SDR or BDR, the next step is usually Account Executive (AE). AEs own the full sales cycle, from discovery calls and demos to negotiations and closing deals. From here, salespeople often move into Account Manager (AM) positions, focusing on renewals, upsells, and long-term client relationships. Some branch into Customer Success Manager (CSM) roles, ensuring clients achieve value after purchase.
Specialist and Support Roles
Beyond frontline selling, there are roles that require deeper expertise. Sales Engineers provide technical support during complex deals, helping customers understand product details. Sales Operations teams design processes, manage data, and enable efficiency across sales teams. Sales Enablement Specialists focus on training and equipping reps with resources to perform better. These roles are essential for large sales organisations.
Leadership and Growth
With experience, tech sales professionals can move into leadership. Sales Managers, Directors, and Chief Revenue Officers (CROs) oversee teams, set strategies, and drive revenue. The career path also offers lateral growth into product, marketing, or even entrepreneurship, since the skills learned—relationship building, negotiation, and strategic thinking—are transferable. The journey usually follows a clear progression: SDR → AE → AM/CSM → Manager → Director/VP/CRO, with opportunities to specialise or expand along the way.