The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Sales Development Representative (SDR) / Business Development Representative (BDR)
1-2 yearsSkills to master
- Prospecting, lead qualification, cold outreach (phone/email), objection handling, CRM usage, initial client engagement.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently hitting or exceeding targets for booked meetings or qualified leads.
- Strong understanding of the sales funnel and client needs.
- Excellent communication and resilience in the face of rejection.
- 2
Customer Service Representative (Telecoms)
1-3 yearsSkills to master
- Client relationship management, problem-solving, product knowledge, handling inquiries, identifying upsell opportunities, understanding client pain points.
You're ready to move on when
- High customer satisfaction scores and positive client feedback.
- Demonstrated ability to resolve complex issues and retain clients.
- A clear interest in moving into a revenue-generating role.
- 3
Retail Sales Consultant (Telecoms)
1-2 yearsSkills to master
- Direct sales experience, product demonstrations, closing smaller deals, understanding individual customer needs, hitting individual sales targets.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistent achievement of personal sales targets.
- Strong ability to build rapport and explain complex products simply.
- Desire to transition to B2B sales and longer sales cycles.