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
From Mid-Level Inside Sales Representative (L2)
2-3 years as an L2 ISRSkills to master
- Consistently exceeding quota on smaller deals, mastering our CRM and sales engagement tools, showing initiative in self-sourcing leads, and demonstrating early signs of informal mentorship or leadership.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently hitting 110%+ of quota for 4+ consecutive quarters.
- Successfully closing deals with an average value of £10K+ ARR.
- Proactively identifying and closing self-sourced opportunities.
- Volunteering to help new hires, answering their questions, and sharing best practices.
- Demonstrating strong forecast accuracy and pipeline management.
- 2
From Field Sales Representative (SMB/Mid-Market)
3-5 years in a field sales role, looking to transition to inside salesSkills to master
- Adapting field sales strategies to a remote/inside sales environment, mastering digital sales tools, and demonstrating efficiency in managing a higher volume of opportunities. You'll need to prove you can still build deep rapport without face-to-face meetings.
You're ready to move on when
- Proven track record of quota attainment in a field sales role.
- Strong understanding of complex sales cycles and negotiation.
- Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new sales technologies and processes.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, suited for virtual engagement.
- 3
From Specialist Sales Role (e.g., Solutions Consultant, Sales Engineer)
4-6 years in a technical or specialist sales support roleSkills to master
- Developing strong closing skills, taking ownership of the full sales cycle, and shifting from a support function to a quota-carrying role. You'll already have deep product knowledge, but need to prove you can drive the commercial outcome.
You're ready to move on when
- Deep product and industry knowledge.
- Strong presentation and communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to influence commercial outcomes in previous roles.
- A clear desire and aptitude for a quota-carrying sales role.