Although you will continue to support the needs of the daily customers, you should report on high-level leads and opportunities. You should be a good team player as you will work with members of a team and manage the team in an efficient and professional manner. Your role in the public eye as an account executive of the company will be to promote the company and its products as much as possible. The company will have revenue needs that you are expected to meet through your daily sales activities, as are all members of the sales team.
You will have to demonstrate problem solving and decision making skills in your work performance. Depending on the nature of the business, you may have to attend trade shows in various parts of the country, which may mean a lot of travel. Through your activities and sales techniques, you should be able to build good working relationships with your clients, which calls for excellent interpersonal skills and good communication skills. Good listening skills are also important for an account executive because it is essential that you listen to the clients as they list their needs. Then you can come up with a solution from your company designed to meet these needs and in this way you make a sale.
The qualifications required to obtain a position as an account executive include a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a related field. You should have experience in sales and in working with the type of product this company sells, either in direct sales or in the manufacturing process. Good contract negotiation skills would be a plus in this job as well as conflict mediation skills. You should have a lot of patience as you will not get all of the sales and may have to do a lot of convincing with some customers. When you first get started, you will likely be paired with a person experienced in this job so you can observe and see how the professionals operate.
Some of the character traits needed to succeed in this job include an outgoing personality, ambition and creativity. The salary scale for an account executive is in the $50,000 range and the possibilities for advancement are quite high. As you demonstrate that you have what it takes to make sales, you can quickly advance in the company to a senior administration level, such as a managerial position.
