How Do I Become a Sales and Marketing Manager?

In order to become a sales and marketing manager, you will need to acquire training and experience relevant to the position. You will also need to develop a resume that showcases your abilities and be able to present yourself as a viable candidate in an interview. Some companies may also require you to have a degree in a related field.

Sales and marketing managers are usually responsible for developing sales strategies and marketing plans, and for ensuring that they are carried out. Experience as a sales person, marketing coordinator, or project manager can help you become a sales and marketing manager. You will also need experience developing and executing a marketing plan, managing a budget, and working with other departments, such as public relations or operations.

These types of managers are frequently responsible for managing a staff, so you may need to prove supervisory experience to become a sales and marketing manager. This could include candidate reviews, interviewing, hiring, personnel development, administration of performance reviews, and firing ineffective employees. It may also include the ability to communicate the overall plan to each employee and help them identify and carry out their individual functions in a way that advances the company toward its goals.

It may be easier to become a sales and marketing manager if you have a degree in marketing or general business. In some cases, you might be required to have such a degree or need to obtain an advanced degree. In some cases, any degree is acceptable as long as it is accompanied by substantial experience.

Industry-specific training is also available outside a university environment. If you want to become a sales and marketing manager, consider taking sales, marketing, management, negotiation, and planning courses from a private training company or continuing education facility. You'll want to be sure that the company providing the training is recognized and respected within the industry before signing up for classes, however. Even if you have a formal degree, these classes can make you more desirable to a prospective employer.

All of your experience and education will be useless, however, unless you present it in a way that interests a potential employer or makes you a good candidate for promotion from within. A well-written resume that demonstrates your accomplishments over your tasks and shows how you benefited prior employers can help you obtain the sales and marketing manager position you desire. An ability to explain your value in an interview setting is also critical.