Sales and business development executive
Also called: BDE, Sales executive
Finds new customers, builds relationships and closes deals to grow revenue.
What the work is
Sales and business development professionals bring in the revenue every business needs. Inside sales teams reach customers by phone and online; field sales teams meet them in person; business development and key account managers handle large clients and partnerships.
Sales is open to graduates from every background and rewards results directly through incentives. Good salespeople often rise quickly into team leadership, and many founders started in sales.
A typical week
- Find and contact potential customers
- Understand needs and present solutions
- Negotiate and close deals
- Keep in touch with clients and meet targets
It suits people who
- Enjoy talking to people
- Are confident and resilient
- Are motivated by targets and rewards
Your path to get there
School (Class 8-10)
- Any stream; take part in debates, events and fundraising
Class 11-12
- Any degree; BBA and B.Com are common
College or fresher
- Take a sales internship and learn a CRM tool
- Practise pitching and handling objections
- Apply for inside sales and business development roles
Working or switching
- Sales is open to people from any background
- Experts in a field (tech, pharma, finance) move into specialist sales roles
- Start with a skills refresh of 6 to 12 weeks: one short course and one TalentMeter assessment to show where you stand today.
- Use returnship and second-career programmes; many large employers in India run them for people back after a break.
- Explain the gap in one honest line on your CV and LinkedIn, and list what you did in it (caregiving, freelancing, courses, volunteering).
- Contract, part-time and freelance roles are a common way back in; they turn into full-time offers often.
Exams and certifications
| Name | What it is for | When |
|---|---|---|
| No entrance needed | Hiring through interviews and role plays | Any time |
| Salesforce or HubSpot CRM certifications | CRM skills | Any time |
Exam names, eligibility and dates change. Always check the official website for this year's notice.
Job market
Job titles to search
Who hires
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