So, what do you do? “I’m the Sales Manager/ Sales Director/ Key Account Manager/ Business Development Manager” of company XYZ. If there is one thing I have learned in these last 10 years of recruiting, it is that the title or name really doesn’t tell me much. Regional Managers can be covering 1/4 of the United States but really only manage themselves. Sales Directors can lead a division but maybe only have one direct report on their sales “team”.
And that’s OK. BUT, if you are job seeking or hiring, it’s imperative you know the actual depth of experience this person has. Therefore, you must ask specific questions to find out specific answers. How many people did you manage (or lead as I like to say)? How large was your territory? How much actual business development were YOU personally responsible for?
In my last corporate position, we had Sales Managers and Regional Sales Managers and VP of Sales and National Sales Managers. I knew exactly what the hierchy was and for what each one was responsible. Now, as I peruse hundreds of resumes weekly, I have to look further to really know what the title means.
So, the moral of the story is, don’t let the title alone mislead you- especially if you are hiring or considering doing business with this person. What’s more important is the scope of their authority and expertise.