Sales professionals and those just entering the sales job market need to realise just how lucrative the field can be for the right candidate. While entry-level sales positions often yield low to mid 20,000 pound salaries, the incentives that come from exceeding sales expectations and maintaining customer loyalty can easily add many thousands of pounds a year onto that figure. The volatile nature of the market-place means that a young professional who excels can progress quickly through the ranks of a company into management and executive positions. It is important, however, for graduates embarking on a sales career to find the right point of entry before counting the money they will be making.

One of the most lucrative area for sales jobs on the market today is in pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical sales professionals, working for major firms and labs, work directly with doctors, hospitals, and health organisations to sell drugs in high volumes to help the public. Pharmaceutical sales professionals make high bonuses based on their ability to find new clients and maintain good relationships with current customers. This field of sales requires plenty of new graduates every year, as there is high turnover at the entry level. However, for the right professional, pharmaceutical sales can provide a highly successful career. Another lucrative area of sales is in telecommunications, especially selling at a corporate level.

Telecommunications sales people often work with companies of all sizes to make their offices more efficient, through wireless networking, cellular phone plans, and other communications methods made possible by advanced technology. This area is generally lucrative for sales people because companies are constantly updating their equipment, require replacement equipment, and need to purchase monthly data streaming and communications plans. There are a variety of other lucrative fields in the sales profession these days. Automotive sales, especially corporate and government fleets, is incredibly lucrative for the dedicated sales person. Computer and peripheral sales is also a hot field, with a constant stream of clients like schools and small businesses providing steady revenue on an annual basis.

Medical supplies sales is also a strong market with repeat orders. A major consideration for young sales people in finding a job should be not just the financial rewards but whether the product they are selling is worth buying by the consumer. This consideration, when made early on in a career, can avoid regrets and professional apathy later in a sales person's career.

Stephen Trigg is the CEO of Quanta Consultancy Services, specialists in IT Jobs and Pharmaceutical Jobs, having provided Contract and Permanent Recruitment for many years.