Becoming a Sales Account Manager

The Candidate is the North West's top Marketing Recruitment Agency. We specialise in Digital, Media, Marketing and eCommerce recruitment and we genuinely believe in finding top opportunities for great candidates. We recruit across many different sectors, however we specialise in Digital jobs and Marketing jobs within the North West. As a team, we have qualities and experience that complement one another which means that we can cover everything from PPC recruitment and Analysts to SEO recruitment and Account Managers. Within this blog post I will focus on the Sales Account Manager recruitment process.

I have ten years' experience within this field; therefore I know first-hand what a client is looking for. After graduating with a degree in Media Studies, I started working for an independent media sales house. I began my career as an Administrator which allowed me to gain an understanding of the company, media landscape and clients that we held. I was later promoted to join the print sales team at a junior level; as my knowledge and skills improved and developed; I became one of the most senior members of the team, responsible for some of our largest and most profitable accounts. As the media landscape evolved, and digital media became increasingly significant, it became apparent that our company needed somebody to focus solely on driving this part of the business forward as a Digital Sales Account Manager. I was delighted to be challenged with this task and took the Digital products to market. With this experience under my belt, I feel well placed to provide superb candidates for both advertising agency jobs and to help clients with their eCommerce recruitment to fill Sales Account Manager roles across the board at every level.

When recruiting for a Sales Account Manager we look for candidates who are ambitious, driven and hungry for success whilst also being highly personable and organised. The job title is broad and utilised within different companies and therefore it is important to focus on the key requirements in each specification for each individual client. Experience is vital; we look for candidates with a strong client network who have worked hard to build and maintain a fantastic reputation whether it is gained client side, agency side or at a sales house. It is invaluable to have gained insight into key accounts, budgets and to be able to discuss them during interview stage.

Sales, in my opinion cannot be taught. Skills can always be developed, adapted and improved upon, however a candidate must have the right 'make up' to begin with. For this role, we look for effective communicators, people who are not easily deterred, intimidated or defeated; above all, someone who can source, retain and grow their accounts to generate key revenue streams for the company. To achieve this, a strategic plan is necessary from the outset, with firm objectives in place for the first 3 months.

So for those looking at a Sales Account Manager role, my advice is to be yourself, look at tangible successes in your career to date, consider any transferable skills that you possess and express your desire and ability to succeed. It is a rewarding job where no two days are the same.

If you feel like you have what it takes then please drop The Candidate an Email and I, or one of the team, would be delighted to discuss your prospects and options with you. If you are already a Sales Account Manager and you want to take your next steps within this field, we would love to talk to you too! We think it's important to take the time get to know our candidates, so bob over for a coffee and let's plan your next chapter together.