How to get a remote sales job, at any level

Why do salespeople want to work remotely?

Most people go into sales for the money. But why do they want it? Just to buy things and show off on social media? For plenty of people, probably. For me, it's something bigger, and it's what I've always told my teams to focus on: complete personal freedom.

Today you can't really call yourself free without money. That's probably always been true to an extent, but never more than now. Money lets you do as you please and live how you want. It pays for your goals, whether that's a Rolex or a Lambo or, more seriously, starting a family, travelling the world, doing things that have nothing to do with work, or dropping everything to do something completely different.

So it's always struck me as ironic. We do this job to earn money, to buy our freedom, and then we end up chained to one place. Or we live out of a suitcase, from hotel to hotel and conference to conference, meeting room to meeting room and stand to stand, in insipid surroundings that could be anywhere, with barely any time of our own.

That's how I learnt my trade: I gave up my freedom in the short term to win it back in the long term. But things have changed dramatically since then. When I started, a fully remote job closing big deals and taking home massive cheques simply didn't exist. Today there are tens of thousands of remote-only sales jobs advertised at any one time, and the appeal is obvious.

That's the whole reason I set up topclosers.club: so people in remote sales get all of its benefits, without the downsides.

How to get a remote sales job

Getting a remote sales job usually isn't difficult, especially if you're willing to go commission only. Go on LinkedIn (other job boards are available), type what you're after into the search bar, and its AI will set the filters for you. Fire off your CV twenty times a day and see who bites. Whatever your level, you'll get a few nibbles, and you should land something.

Make sure the Remote filter is on, because LinkedIn mixes hybrid and office jobs into the results. And read the small print: "remote" often means remote within one country or time zone, not work from anywhere.

The hard part

The hard part is everything that comes after:

1. Choosing the right role. This is vital: a lot of these roles are a waste of time.
2. Going in with your eyes open.
3. Knowing when to walk away if the role was missold.
4. Succeeding in it.
5. Staying successful and motivated for the long haul.
6. Working out how to move up in the short, medium and long term, when you can't grab a coffee or a beer with your manager.

Junior, mid-level or senior?

Much of this applies at any stage of your career, but a lot depends on how senior you are. So I split it into three simple levels. The years are only a guide: if you're good, you can move up much faster.

Junior

0-2 years in sales, or in an SDR, BDR, opening, discovery-only or appointment-setting role.

1. Your first remote sales job: how to choose one worth having
2. Your first remote sales job: go in with your eyes open, and know when to walk away
3. Your first remote sales job: how to succeed and get promoted to closer

Mid-level

2-7 years in sales, or in a closer, account executive or junior management role.

Three guides coming soon.

Senior

5+ years in sales and a proven closer: senior account executive, Head of Sales, Chief Commercial Officer or Chief Business Officer.

Three guides coming soon.