How long does it take to become an Area Manager?

It takes 7 years of professional experience to become an area manager. That is the time it takes to learn specific area manager skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 10 to 12 years years to become an area manager.

What are the skills of an area manager?

The skills of an area manager have to do with customer service, procedures, and safety standards. Additionally, with the occupation being a managerial position, it would be important to also have soft skills like leadership and communication.

What degree do you need to be an area manager at Amazon?

The degree you need to be an area manager at Amazon is at minimum a bachelor's degree. In general, most area managers have postsecondary education like an associate's or bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or management.

What is the role of an area sales manager?

The role of an area sales manager, also known as a district sales manager, is to supervise the sales team and monitor the sales performance of the assigned district. They make sure the members of the sales teams are always at the top of their game by providing training and self-improvement opportunities. They create progress reports, present them to management, set sales goals, and ensure they are achieved.

What is an area manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Eric Olsen

An area manager oversees the operations of multiple stores or locations within a specified geographic region. They enure that each location meets sales targets, manages inventory levels, and maintains customer satisfaction. This involves hiring and training staff, developing marketing strategies, and monitoring performance. An area manager must have excellent communication skills and the ability to manage multiple teams. They work with store managers and department heads to ensure smooth operations and meet customersâ€™ needs.

What general advice would you give to an Area Manager?

Eric Olsen

Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business

Times of change are also times of great opportunities. We are going to need new technical solutions to address problems we are just learning about. You have to lean into the issues. Don't be a technologist - be a problem solver. That is why we also emphasize soft skills like lean six sigma, teamwork, and change management.

ScoreArea ManagerUS Average

Salary

5.7

Avg. Salary $73,472

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

9.6

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.43%

Black or African American 6.26%

Hispanic or Latino 15.45%

Unknown 4.35%

White 67.04%

Gender

female 30.87%

male 69.13%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.2

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.6

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Area Manager?

Pros

Competitive salary and benefits package
Opportunities for career advancement
Exposure to diverse industries and markets
Potential for travel and working in different locations
Ability to build professional networks and connections

Cons

High levels of responsibility and accountability
High stress levels and pressure to meet targets
Difficulties in managing conflicts and resolving issues within the team or with clients or partners
Difficulty in maintaining work-life balance
Risk of burnout due to high demands and expectations

Key steps to become an area manager

Explore area manager education requirements

Most common area manager degrees

Bachelor's

62.9 %

Associate

16.4 %

Master's

8.2 %

Start to develop specific area manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	17.89%
Safety Standards	9.64%
Logistics	7.66%
Excellent Interpersonal	4.92%
Business Plan	4.07%

Complete relevant area manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New area managers 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 an area manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real area manager resumes.

Gain additional area manager certifications

Area manager 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 area manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for area managers include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and OSHA Safety Certificate .

More About Certifications

Research area manager duties and responsibilities

Manage the recruitment, hiring, training and development of all depot distribution staff.
Used creativity and persistence to create new sales leads and run all provide leads.
Mark by achieving district s top shrink and performance (e.g., CPR) rates.
Manage Sortation area operations and escalate customer order fulfillment issues.

Prepare your area manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your area manager 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 an area manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Area Manager Resume templates

Build a professional Area Manager 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 Area Manager resume.

Apply for area manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an area manager 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 do area managers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Area Manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022

Pros

Helping my stores and employees achieve there goals

Cons

Only one day off no time for family

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020

Pros

i like being in charge and the head of the team

Cons

i don't want to have all responsibility

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Pros

Communication & hard work

Cons

We have to work like a ten all of them have to bee like good friend

What is an area manager and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an Area Manager?

What are the pros and cons of being an Area Manager?

Area Manager career paths

Key steps to become an area manager

Explore area manager education requirements

Most common area manager degrees

Start to develop specific area manager skills

Complete relevant area manager training and internships

Gain additional area manager certifications

Research area manager duties and responsibilities

Prepare your area manager resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Area Manager Resume templates

Apply for area manager jobs

How Did You Land Your First Area Manager Job

Average area manager salary

How do area managers rate their job?

Area Manager reviews

Area Manager FAQs

How long does it take to become an Area Manager?

What are the skills of an area manager?

What degree do you need to be an area manager at Amazon?

What is the role of an area sales manager?

Search for area manager jobs

Area Manager jobs by state