How to Get a National Account Manager Job

The details attached to the job specifications for most National Account Manager Jobs and Account Management Jobs share many qualities and targeted skill sets.

One key factor is that these skills, which you will find are largely interpersonal or business related - as opposed to specific product knowledge - are valued across a wide spread of markets. So if you've been successful selling advertising, you could probably do well selling new homes, travel, or even financial services. All of these sectors, and many others feature the roles of Account Manager and National Account Manager in their staffing portfolios.

Let's start with Account Management Jobs. Often these used to be known as sales or business development roles, and with the increasing emphasis on consultative selling and relationship building, we have seen a corresponding emphasis on managing, nurturing, and optimising relationships in business. As these jobs are invariably located in B2B sectors, a general, and well-rounded understanding of business processes, supply and demand, and basic economic principles are also a must-have to be considered for a management role.

In reality, specific market, sector or product knowledge can be relatively rapidly acquired, so employers tend to look for the more intrinsic qualities you can bring to your role as an Account manager. These will include: communications across all formats, including presentation skills; negotiating skills; selling prowess, and a disciplined and self-motivated approach to the pursuit of business success.

The same can apply to National Account Manager Jobs, and the differentiator here will reflect the scale of your operational responsibility, perhaps as well as the level of seniority within the organisation. You may well be responsible for redruiting and managing Account Managers who in turn manage small teams of executives, and who will have you as their main report. Or it could be that in fact you are a lone operator, and your territory extends across the country. This the "national" label in your job title, and you are essentially in a senior sales and business development position.

Business truth dictates that in a recession, businesses need good sales people and business developers more than ever before, so if you have the skills and ambitions, then applying for National Account Manager Jobs and Account Management Jobs could well be a very positive step in your career growth and development.