12 Career Pathways for Sales Professionals in Trinidad and Tobago

People don’t get involved in sales because it is something they dreamt of. You also don’t hear young people nor parents saying maybe you should pursue a career in sales.

Unlike marketing, there are few or no degrees or master's programmes that universities or institutions offer that are specific to persons wanting to pursue a career in sales. Persons that eventually get involved do so for various reasons. Four common reasons why people in the Caribbean choose sales as a career are;

1. Time Flexibility
2. Ability to Earn More Money
3. Career Growth Opportunities
4. Personal Growth Opportunities

Sales In Trinidad and Tobago & the Caribbean

Sales or the role of selling products or services is a big driver of the economy in Trinidad and Tobago and, by extension, the Caribbean region. All industries invest in the skills and expertise of sales, marketing or business development professionals.

Some examples of large and small sales industries are but are not limited to the following;

The Generic Career Path of A Sales Professional

The trajectory of a sales professional in Trinidad and Tobago can be very linear. Meaning, a sales person starts their career as a sales representative and gradually moves from to the role of sales supervisor, sales manager, etc.

One concerning occurrence is that you may see sales professionals stay at one role, in one department, for many years not moving or growing in their space. Whether this is intentional or not, it’s a hindrance in the growth of the sales industry but a decision that can only be made by the individual.

Read: Trinidad and Tobago’s Sales Industry and It’s Challenge with Growth

We have been able to interact with many sales professionals throughout Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean with high sales IQs, superior industry knowledge, and expertise, however, they feel stuck, and unsure as to what their career options are because sales has been their life.

Compounding the problem would be Human Resource departments, not clearly defining sales roles and career growth paths for sales professionals and this can be seen in how some job descriptions are written.

In this article we’ll highlight twelve career pathways plus income brackets that sales professionals can look into as options for their personal and professional growth both locally and internationally.

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Career Path Definition: 

A career path is a series of roles that an individual takes or can take in an attempt to achieve their personal or professional goals.

Transferable Sales Skills:

Over time sales professionals develop several high quality transferable skills that can be particularly valuable in other sales roles. Some of these skills include—but are not limited to the following:

• Effective Communication
• Critical Thinking 
• Problem Solving
• Active Listening
• Creative Writing
• Public Speaking

Watch: What's The Role Of Sales PEOPLE 👇🏽

If you are a Trinbagonian and Caribbean sales professional any of these  transferable skills and ready to take on new tasks and challenges, here is a list of 12 careers you can segue into:

1. Sales Manager

Sales Managers supervise and lead their company's sales department. Some of their responsibilities include motivating their team to ensure sales quotas are met; analyzing and reviewing operational and sales statistics and records; using data to forecast sales; establishing goals and targets; and finding new possible markets. Some of the skills required by sales managers are coaching, performance management, leadership, and social selling.

An individual working as a sales manager in Trinidad and Tobago typically earns around 16,500 TTD per month. Salaries range from 8,080 TTD (lowest) to 25,700 TTD (highest). (Source)

Read: 9 Questions Trinbaginians Asked About Sales Management

2. Head or VP of Sales

Duties for this role include determining areas for improvement and creating sales plans and tactics to meet sales targets; overseeing the designing of print and online promotional pieces with the marketing division for the business's goods and services; establishing training programs and hiring and training sales personnel. The key skills required for this role include strategic thinking, leadership, the ability to motivate a team and accountability.

An individual working as a Vice President in Trinidad and Tobago typically earns around 18,800 TTD per month. Salaries range from 9,790 TTD (lowest) to 28,800 TTD (highest). (Source)

3. Sales Operations Manager

Everything a Sales Representative needs to support their sales capacity is handled by Sales Operations Managers and their staff. The skills needed to be successful in this role include organizational skills, pipeline management, project management, and people management.

A person working as a sales operations manager in Jamaica typically earns around 164,000 JMD per month. Salaries range from 77,000 JMD (lowest) to 259,000 JMD (highest). (Source)

4. Revenue Operations Manager

Although this role is fairly new within the sales industry, it has recently gained some traction. A Revenue Operations Manager's main responsibility is identifying chances to increase revenue, such as go-to-market plans, client lifecycle management strategies, and prospective changes to the sales process. To be effective in this role, one should hone their problem-solving, planning, analytical, and presentation abilities. 

HubSpot Academy recently shared their new Revenue Operations Certification for interested learners to understand the value of RevOps to their organisations.

A person working as a Revenue Manager in Barbados typically earns around 3,770 BBD per month. Salaries range from 1,960 BBD (lowest) to 5,770 BBD (highest). (Source)

5. Sales Trainer

Sales Trainers orient new Sales Representatives to the sales process, create personalized coaching programs, offer resources and support, and arrange orientation drive-alongs with veteran sales representatives to prepare them. The skills required to perform well in this role are the ability to design effective sales training programs and excellent oral and written communication skills. 

A person working as a Sales Trainer in Guyana typically earns around 196,000 GYD per month. Salaries range from 90,200 GYD (lowest) to 312,000 GYD (highest). (Source)

6. Sales Consultants

A Sales Consultant is a specialist in charge of creating marketing and sales strategy for goods and services. They act as a liaison between businesses and their clients, making suggestions for goods and services while ensuring that client needs are satisfied. Common skills to be an effective sales consultant are strong presenting and negotiation skills.

A person working as a Sales Consultant in Trinidad and Tobago typically earns around 9,640 TTD per month. Salaries range from 5,020 TTD (lowest) to 14,800 TTD (highest). (Source)

7. Digital Marketers:

Without gaining a thorough understanding of digital marketing, no Sales Professional can be as effective in the modern era. Your sales force will always benefit from good sales training, but understanding the principles of the digital world is equally important. Because of this unique understanding, Sales Professionals can easily segue into the role of a Digital Marketer. Digital Marketers use different media to create brand awareness and generate leads for their client's products and services.

A person working as a Digital Marketing Manager in Barbados typically earns around 4,580 BBD per month. Salaries range from 2,290 BBD (lowest) to 7,100 BBD (highest). (Source)

8. Sales Content Specialist:

In order to produce content for a variety of enterprises in print and digital media, Content Specialists do research on consumer and industry trends. To make sure that the material is interesting and constant across all media channels, they collaborate closely with the design and marketing departments. As a Sales Content Specialist, the basis of the content you produce will be rooted in sales.  Skills required for such a role include creativity, great communication skills and social selling.

A comparable salary range would be that of a Web Content Specialist. A person working as a Web Content Specialist in Trinidad and Tobago typically earns around 10,800 TTD per month. Salaries range from 4,980 TTD (lowest) to 17,200 TTD (highest). (Source)

9. Podcaster:

Podcasters plan and prepare the topics and interview questions for their podcast episodes. They may also collaborate with a co-host or guest to host and record the episodes and also compose succinct notes for each episode. As a podcaster with skills in sales, you may have the opportunity to create sales-based audio content such as sharing effective sales tips or sales stories that can help your listening audience. 

Earning money as a podcaster depends on various factors, such as the frequency of episode uploads, ad revenue generation, and demand from your audience. However, there are instances where your podcast can be invested in or purchased by external parties. Such was the case with Andy Paul. In 2019, Revenue.io acquired Andy Paul’s famous podcast, "Accelerate!". The podcast mainly features sales enablement topics.

According to Geektime, a podcaster with around 10,000 downloads per episode can earn between $500 and $900 USD. (Source)

10. Sales and Marketing Tech Developer

Technical developers create, process, and configure software or systems according to the requirements of their employer. A Sales and Marketing Technical Developer would employ their knowledge and expertise to make sure that the tools, equipment, or computer programs operate well enough to effectively meet their purpose in sales and marketing. 

A person working as a developer or programmer in Trinidad and Tobago typically earns around 8,950 TTD per month. Salaries range from 7,270 TTD (lowest average) to 12,400 TTD (highest average). The actual maximum salary is higher. (Source)

11. Sales or Marketing Tech Consultant

A Sales or Marketing Tech Consultant is responsible for helping their clients select and implement the best Sales/Marketing Technology for their unique needs. Technical Consultants should ideally be tech-savvy, have great presentation skills and excellent analytical skills.

A person working as a Technical Consultant in Jamaica typically earns around 108,000 JMD per month. Salaries range from 55,900 JMD (lowest) to 165,000 JMD (highest). (Source)

12. Sales Author

In 2020, HubSpot published The 44 Most Highly-Rated Sales Books of All Time. This comprehensive list is a testament to how viable a career option is that of a Sales Author. Sales Authors create original written content for sales books. As a Sales Author, you’ll need excellent oral and written communication skills, creativity and editing skills. 

A person working as a Creative Writer in Trinidad and Tobago typically earns around 6,460 TTD per month. Salaries range from 3,360 TTD (lowest) to 9,880 TTD (highest). (Source)

Closing Remarks

You never know where your profession will take you if you are open to new experiences and possibilities for personal development while working. Say ‘yes’ to new sales career opportunities that may come your way!

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