What is a director of sales and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Dr. Doc McAlister Billingsley Ph.D.
introduction image

A sales director is crucial in driving a company's success through effective sales management. They oversee the sales process, set sales targets, and work closely with other departments to ensure customer satisfaction. They manage the recruitment and training of the sales team, develop pricing strategies, and analyze market trends to identify new growth opportunities. They must have excellent communication and leadership skills and a deep understanding of their industry and market.

What general advice would you give to a Director Of Sales?

D

Dr. Doc McAlister Billingsley Ph.D.Dr. Doc McAlister Billingsley Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Elmira College

A big part of any new job is learning the culture of the workplace. Practice your observational and interview skills--ask the right questions, learn the language, and what it reflects about unspoken rules. Imagine that you need to create a manual for new employees, and fill in the missing pages as you learn the ropes. Society is also adapting to the online nature of work during a pandemic, which requires sorting out the rules and norms for things like video conferences and appropriate expectations for colleagues, who may be responsible for family care.
ScoreDirector Of SalesUS Average
Salary
7.9

Avg. Salary $111,068

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.4

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.24%

Asian 4.07%

Black or African American 3.24%

Hispanic or Latino 9.82%

Unknown 4.41%

White 78.23%

Gender

female 30.55%

male 69.45%

Age - 46
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 - 46
Stress Level
6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.7

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.4

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Director Of Sales?

Pros

  • High earning potential

  • Opportunity for career advancement

  • Opportunities for networking and building relationships with clients

  • Sense of accomplishment from meeting sales goals

  • Ability to make a significant impact on the company's revenue

Cons

  • High-pressure environment with high expectations

  • Constantly changing market conditions require flexibility and adaptability

  • Need to balance between managing the sales team and individual sales targets

  • Risk of burnout due to the demanding nature of the role

  • Difficulty maintaining work-life balance due to the demands of the job.

Director Of Sales career paths

Key steps to become a director of sales

  1. Explore director of sales education requirements

    Most common director of sales degrees

    Bachelor's

    76.8 %

    Master's

    10.0 %

    Associate

    8.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific director of sales skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Sales Process7.37%
    Customer Service6.96%
    Customer Satisfaction6.48%
    Sales Management5.99%
    Healthcare4.62%
  3. Complete relevant director of sales training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New directors of sales 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 a director of sales based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real director of sales resumes.
  4. Research director of sales duties and responsibilities

    • Lead the OEM business transformation.
    • Manage projects & action items for EVP.
    • Manage during periods of dynamic challenge and change relative to start-up, turnaround and revitalization situations.
    • Manage relationships with toll manufacturers and logistics providers to exceed cost reduction and inventory turn targets.
  5. Get director of sales experience

    Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become a director of sales. The most common roles before becoming a director of sales include sales manager, account executive team lead and regional sales manager.
  6. Prepare your director of sales resume

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

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Director Of Sales Resume templates

    Build a professional Director Of Sales 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 Director Of Sales resume.
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  7. Apply for director of sales jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a director of sales job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Director Of Sales Job

Zippi

Are you a Director Of Sales?

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Average director of sales salary

The average Director Of Sales salary in the United States is $111,068 per year or $53 per hour. Director of sales salaries range between $73,000 and $168,000 per year.

Average Director Of Sales Salary
$111,068 Yearly
$53.40 hourly

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How do directors of sales rate their job?

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Director Of Sales reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Motivating people and helping to create success in each person's day. Honor God serve people in rich people's lives, pursue excellence in service.

Cons

Not enough time in each day to get everything accomplished.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

Coming in contact with people, motivating staff, making the numbers, profitability for everyone

Cons

I like everything


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

I worked professionally in 7 countries. I speak fluently 4 languages and speak well another 4. Moreover, I love Sales.

Cons

Politics, toxic work environment, having to work with real sob.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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