Telesales Executive
Also advertised as: Call Centre Sales Advisor, Outbound Sales Advisor, Sales Development Representative, Telesales Agent, Telesales Executive
Sells products or services to customers over the phone, often working to daily call targets.
What the job involves
Telesales executives make outbound calls to prospective customers, following a pitch and handling objections to close a sale or book an appointment. Many roles pay a base salary topped up with commission, and it is one of the most accessible routes into a sales career. Performance is tracked closely against daily and weekly targets.
Typical responsibilities
- Make outbound sales calls from a lead list
- Follow scripts while adapting to the conversation
- Handle objections and close sales
- Log call outcomes in the CRM system
- Meet daily and weekly call and sales targets
Common employers
- Telecoms companies
- Insurance and financial services firms
- Charities
- Utility providers
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£20,000 – £24,000 a year
With experience
£26,000 – £34,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5 hours, occasional evening shifts
Working environment
Office based, call centre environment
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Persuasive communication
- Resilience
- Listening skills
- CRM software
- Objection handling
Transferable skills you may already have
- Customer service or call centre experience
- Confident phone manner
- Working to targets
Requirements employers ask for
- Persuasive communication
- Resilience
- Listening skills
- CRM software
- Objection handling
- No formal qualification required
Useful but not essential
- Customer service or call centre experience
- Confident phone manner
- Working to targets
- Previous sales or customer service experience
Helpful qualifications
- Previous sales or customer service experience
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Customer Service Practitioner (Level 2)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Business studies
Where this career can lead
next
Field Sales Executive
next
Account Manager
next
Sales Team Leader
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- No experience or qualifications needed to start
- Commission adds quickly to base salary for strong performers
- Fast route into a broader sales career
What people find hard
- Repeated rejection over the course of a shift
- Targets are monitored closely and can add pressure
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a telesales executive?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a telesales executive earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £20,000 to £24,000 a year, rising towards £34,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Customer service or call centre experience, Confident phone manner, Working to targets.
Related careers
Sales Executive
Wins new business by finding prospects, understanding their needs and closing deals.
Account Manager
Looks after existing client relationships, renewing contracts and spotting growth opportunities.
Business Development Manager
Wins new customers and business partnerships to grow a company's revenue.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
Read how our career data is built and reviewed, or tell us if something here is wrong.