Employment of sales managers is expected to grow 12 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
An effective sales team remains crucial for profitability. As the economy grows, organizations will focus on generating new sales and will look to their sales strategy as a way to increase competitiveness.
Growth is expected to be stronger for sales managers involved in business-to-business sales, rather than business-to-consumer sales, because the rise of online shopping will reduce the need for sales calls to individual consumers.
Sales managers and their departments are some of the most important personnel in an organization. Therefore, they are less likely to be let go or to have their jobs contracted out than are other types of managers, except in the case of organizations that are merging and consolidating.
Employment of these managers, therefore, is expected to vary primarily on the basis of growth or contraction in the industries that employ them.
Strong competition is expected for jobs because other managers and highly experienced professionals often seek these jobs.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition