Non-sales Jobs You Can Do With a Sales Background

Key takeaways

Non-sales jobs you could explore with a background in sales include those in marketing, social media, and recruitment.

• Sales jobs require skills that apply to other fields as well, including organizational habits, persuasion, networking, and maintaining professional relationships.

• To find a job with your sales experience that benefits you, consider exploring industries that match your hobbies and interests.

• You can explore roles such as blogger, advertising agent, career advisor, or company director with previous experience in sales.

If you’ve worked solely in sales throughout your entire career, you may have developed experience that can allow you to explore different professional fields. Explore non-sales jobs, their responsibilities, and salaries to evaluate your options. Afterward, consider enrolling in the Unilever Digital Marketing Analyst Professional Certificate. In as little as two months, you’ll have the opportunity to learn how to describe fundamental marketing concepts such as customer personas, customer segmentation, marketing funnels, and value propositions. Upon completion, add this shareable credential to your resume or LinkedIn profile.

Sales jobs skills 

Specific skills are crucial for direct sales, but those same strengths are valuable for careers that don’t require sales since they're a foundation for nearly every business. It isn’t a matter of what you can do but what kind of career truly excites and interests you.

Take inventory of the skills you have in your sales job, and you may be surprised by what you are uniquely qualified to do. Those with sales backgrounds often benefit from the following talents, skills, and qualities.

Strong relationship-building skills

A good salesperson must know how to develop strong and meaningful relationships with their clients. This includes remembering names and personal details, listening well, and following up to make sure everyone is satisfied. Professionals in many different industries must rely on their networking and relationship skills to get ahead.

Excellent organizational habits

A salesperson has to juggle many different accounts and sometimes different products as part of their job. They must be organized to make and keep appointments and meet the deadlines required by their clients. 

A detail-oriented personality

As a salesperson, you likely can recite every detail about your product and how it compares to the competition’s products. Having a detail-oriented personality with a strong memory helps in non-sales roles, too.

Persuasiveness 

Part of any sales job is explaining why one product is superior to another. This takes strong communication skills and the ability to convince others to believe in your ideas. 

What types of jobs are in sales?

After you determine the transferable skills you possess, think about any hobbies and interests you have. Allow yourself to dream about potential job titles or industries that would excite you. Then start researching opportunities that may be available locally and nationally. Career transitions can take time, so be patient as you implement new changes.

For inspiration, here are some non-sales roles that may interest professionals with sales backgrounds.

*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of June 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Blogger/vlogger

Median total salary (US): $92,000 [1]

Bloggers are multimedia content creators who write articles and share photos about specific topics. Vloggers are like bloggers, except instead of writing on websites, they post videos on platforms like YouTube. These professionals typically produce their work on a schedule to share their niche expertise like finance, travel, or do-it-yourself (DIY).

If you love what you sell in your sales job, you could produce pieces within the industry using your knowledge and communication skills while building a relationship with your audience. 

Advertising agent

Median total salary (US): $92,000 [2]

Instead of selling products, advertising agents sell broadcast time, space in newspapers or magazines, or digital areas on a website. Creativity, direct sales experience, and excellent organizational skills are all crucial for the role. You’ll also need a refined understanding of marketing tactics. You can learn about the business and strategy of advertising by enrolling in the Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate on Coursera.

Social media marketing specialist

Median total salary (US): $66,000 [3]

If you enjoy social media, you could excel as a social media marketing specialist. These professionals create content and run the social media accounts of their clients with the goal of interacting with the public and building a brand. You’ll need to interact with many different kinds of people, which is likely something you’re doing every day with your sales job. It’s also important to be well-versed in current social media trends to captivate the targeted audience on social media platforms.

To learn more about social media marketing, sign up for Northwestern University’s online Social Media Marketing Specialization on Coursera.

Read more: 12 Major Social Media Trends 

Company director

Median total salary (US): $128,000 [4]

As a salesperson, you may work in a team, but your skills can transfer into a career as a director or manager of a company. Your independent work ethic, detail-oriented memory, and ability to complete tasks are all vital for the success of any company. Look for a role in an industry that excites you, or find a company with a mission that you relate to personally.

To gain confidence in your ability to lead a team and enhance your resume, enroll in the University of Michigan’s Leading People and Teams Specialization on Coursera. 

Recruitment consultant

Median total salary (US): $134,000 [5]

If you have relationship-building skills from your sales role, use those skills to connect companies with the best candidates for a role. You’ll be able to use a detailed approach to fill the needs of companies, much like you did in sales. Instead of selling products, you’re screening potential employees.

It’s a good idea to augment your resume with new human resource knowledge. The University of Minnesota offers a specialization called Recruiting, Hiring, and Onboarding Employees on Coursera that can help you see if this position is right for you.

Career advisor

Median total salary (US): $58,000 [6]

A career advisor helps people make decisions about what type of career is best for them. The fact that you will have more than one career is an excellent way to start building the kind of relationship that’s required with these clients. You can help them figure out their skills and strengths, just like what you’re doing now.

Macquarie University offers the Adapting: Career Development Specialization on Coursera, which can help you help others find new careers.

Entrepreneur 

Median total salary (US): $126,000 [7]

As an entrepreneur, you could oversee a team of sales professionals, or you could go into a completely different industry. If you are truly passionate or especially knowledgeable about a certain sector, you could be an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs earn an average of $126,000 per year [7], although the right idea could have a greater potential for significant wealth.

While your expertise and current skills will be invaluable, you’ll want to learn more about what it takes to start your own business. Michigan State University offers the How to Start Your Own Business Specialization on Coursera, which can provide the foundation on which to build. 

What is a sales specialist?

As a sales specialist, you’ll have a career working directly in sales. In this role, you will be an expert on the sales process and help companies improve their sales. You may manage or work with a sales team, and you may offer your guidance and recommendations to company leadership.

Discover free resources to boost your professional growth 

Subscribe to our Career Chat newsletter on LinkedIn for industry insights, career tips, and skill-building resources. Then, explore free, digital resources:

• Watch on YouTube: Marketing vs Sales: Choosing the Right Business Career

• Take a quiz: Career Test: What Career is Right for Me Quiz?

• Gain insights: Career Advice: How to Become a Marketing Manager at Coursera

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