Working in Sales: roles and skills, from Sales Specialist to Representative
11 April 2025What are the jobs in sales?
The sales sector offers various career opportunities, with specialized roles depending on the type of product or service sold and the way it interacts with customers, whether they are end consumers or businesses involved in the sales process. Simplifying, we can identify some job profiles related to this business area.
Sales Representative: deals with selling products or services directly to customers, whether B2B or B2C.
Sales Consultant: provides advice to customers to help them choose the best solution for their needs.
Sales Specialist: has specific expertise on a particular product or industry and supports the sales team.
Sales Assistant: supports sales activities and manages customer relationships.
Field Sales: works on the ground visiting customers and partners to close deals.
Inside Sales: manages sales remotely, via email, phone or digital platforms.
The main differences between sales professions relate to the sales method and level of specialization.
An Inside Sale, for example operates remotely, while a Field Sale acts on the ground.
A Sales Specialist has a technical, product-focused role, while a Sales Assistant provides operational support.
A Sales Representative focuses on direct sales, while the Sales Consultant is dedicated to strategic consulting.
All these roles, specializations and assignments depend on companies that, according to size and afferent business, divide the sales area into several levels and professional roles, or compact their needs on salespeople capable of acting across the board.
What skills are needed to operate in the sales world?
The complexity of the sales process demands a mix of cross-functional skills, spanning different areas: from technical product knowledge to customer management, from marketing expertise to strong leadership capable of convincing partners and buyers. A sales professional must be able to communicate, listen to the customer and propose effective solutions; negotiate to conclude profitable contracts.
It is necessary to know how to manage the customer: to build and maintain strong relationships with buyers so that they remain attached to the brand and are willing to repeat the experience. A good salesperson must know the product thoroughly, to understand and explain the value of what is being sold. He must know how to use digital tools, now an integral part of every sales strategy: CRM systems and e-commerce platforms. He or she must, finally, have leadership and problem solving skills, to handle objections and difficulties that may arise in the sales process.
What educational background is needed for a sales career?
There is no single path of study for entering the sales world, which is strongly influenced by personal skills such as the ability to connect with the customer, pleasant ways of doing things and empathy, and by experience in the field.
Degrees in Economics, Marketing, or Communication provide a solid foundation, but specialized postgraduate studies, such as Master’s programs or dedicated courses focusing on sales, are highly beneficial.
Practical experience, on-the-job training, and a well-structured professional network are essential.
Bologna Business School offers study programs ranging from short-term Open Programs to annual Professional and Executive Master’s programs.
With a hands-on, learning-by-doing approach, direct access to leading partner companies, corporate visits, and internships at the end of each Master’s program, and a global network rooted in the Emilia-Romagna region and extending worldwide, BBS is the most effective starting point for building a successful career in sales.
Master Programs at Bologna Business School
Master in Analytics and AI for Marketing (Full-time, English, 12 months) This program is designed to train professionals who can use data and advanced technologies to develop innovative marketing and sales strategies. It combines digital expertise with the ability to transform complex analyses into efficient solutions, preparing graduates to enter the workforce as key players.
Master in Applied Marketing and Sales (Full-time, English, 12 months) Focused on placing the customer at the center of business, this program equips young graduates with the essential tools to understand and manage key aspects of a company’s sales area: product and customer. With a systemic approach, the program aims to develop global vision, strategic thinking, flexibility, and strong communication skills, training professionals such as Brand and Product Managers, Marketing Managers, and Sales Managers.
Master in Business Administration – Retail Management and E-Commerce (Full-time, Italian, 12 months)
Aimed at young graduates seeking to develop strategic and operational skills in both physical and digital retail. New models of sales and distribution, strategies and technologies related to the digital world combine with negotiation and logistics skills to train sales managers, buyers, trade marketing managers, highly trained and with a base of skills acquired also through the practical work carried out during the months of internship provided by the Master.
Master in Digital Marketing and Communication (Full-time, English, 12 months)
Designed for young graduates looking to acquire cutting-edge skills and tools in a rapidly evolving business sector. A true incubatole of immediately expendable ideas and techniques, this curriculum combines specific knowledge with personal development on communication and leadership issues.
Executive Master in Sales and Marketing (Part-time, Hybrid, Italian, 12 months)
Designed for professionals aiming to enhance their strategic management skills in sales and marketing. It is designed for those professionals who want to enhance strategic skills in the operational management of processes, from planning to evaluation of sales performance. Covering marketing management, sales networks, promotional campaigns, and performance evaluation, this program is ideal for future industry leaders.
Open Programs at Bologna Business School
Trade Marketing & Sales Management (Part-time, Italian, 10 days, in-person)
Designed for sales, trade marketing, and marketing managers seeking to improve their effectiveness in managing distribution channels. The course enhances commercial policies, sustainability strategies, and market competitiveness with a strong focus on economic sustainability; and to improve competitiveness in the middle market.
Shopper Marketing (Part-time, Italian, 5 days, in-person)
Addresses managers looking to deepen their understanding of shopper marketing, an emerging discipline complementing traditional consumer marketing. Thanks to an interdisciplinary approach, this course allows to acquire methodologies, tools and expertise to start or consolidate shopper marketing activities in the company.
Digital Marketing & Communication (Part-time, Italian, 7 days, in-person) Provides an integrated approach to digital marketing and communication, helping professionals develop effective web and social media strategies. With a broad overview of the digital world, this course makes it possible to imagine every online and offline activity as a moment of a unique and complex system: in this panorama, one can identify objectives and develop effective web marketing strategies to operate on networked sites or social media.
Sales Management (Part-time, Italian, in-person)
Inspired by Anglo-Saxon business practices, this course helps middle managers and sales professionals refine their negotiation and customer relationship management skills. Understanding the dynamics of sales, the importance of customer service, from B2B negotiation to customer relationship management, is the key to this course dedicated to middle managers who want to expand their skills in the sales management area and to sales accounts eager to rise to apical roles in their function. Sales and Marketing: The Core of Every Business
Working in the sales area of a company offers many opportunities for professional growth and attractive earnings. Depending on your aptitude, you can choose between operational, consulting or strategic roles, acquiring increasingly specialized skills over time. With the training offered by Bologna Business School, linked to the most important companies on the global scene, and a strong determination, it is possible to build a successful career in a dynamic sector full of opportunities.
