Salaries and Costs
Exeter employers see wide pay bands across the sales job market, with entry roles from £22,000 to £28,000, experienced account managers from £32,000 to £45,000, and senior business development roles from £50,000 plus commission. Temp agencies set pay rates by channel, inside sales day rates differ from field sales, and out of hours shifts carry uplifts. Most recruitment agencies work on contingency with recruitment fees set as a percentage of starting salary, many sit between 15 percent and 22 percent, executive search for sales leadership often uses retained stages that spread agency costs across briefing, shortlist, and offer. Clear commission plans and on target earnings help with retention, so agree targets and accelerators early when you brief recruiters.
Qualifications
Sales is hired on track record first, yet certain badges help, SaaS teams look for CRM fluency in HubSpot or Salesforce, medical sales may ask for ABPI certification, and construction merchants value product knowledge with a CSCS card when site access is needed. Recruitment consultants will ask for evidence of pipeline, discovery, proposals, and close, so candidates should prep numbers that show meetings set, conversion, and revenue won. Employers should signpost any onboarding or sales academy support, it widens the pool and helps jobseekers who are new to territory work.
Local Hiring Challenges
Exeter draws talent from a mixed workforce, students and graduates feed SDR teams in the city centre, seasoned reps commute from Teignbridge, Mid Devon, and East Devon via the M5 and A30. The biggest pinch points are experienced new business hunters and channel managers, counter this by allowing hybrid working from Exeter St Davids and Exeter Central catchments, and keep interview steps short to stop dropout. Staffing agencies can run meet and greet sessions in Marsh Barton or Sowton to reach candidates who prefer face to face registration.
Regional or Geographic Variations
Sales recruitment in Exeter clusters around key hubs, Marsh Barton Trading Estate supports automotive and trade sales, Sowton Industrial Estate houses distributors and B2B telesales, Exeter Science Park and Skypark lean towards tech and engineering led sales. Strong rail links, Exeter St Davids to Bristol and London, open up a bigger territory for field roles, and Exeter Airport supports channel and export jobs. Recruiters use these commuter links to widen shortlists, they will map travel times before booking interviews.
Common Job Roles Agencies Recruit For
Local recruiters fill SDR and inside sales roles, account executive and business development manager posts, key account and territory manager hires, store trade counter and merchant sales, area sales for building products, medical devices and diagnostics reps, software and SaaS new logo hunters, and sales manager or head of sales for growing SMEs. Employment firms will flag hard to fill positions early, typical examples include bilingual account managers for export, partner managers, and technical sales with CAD or engineering knowledge.
Temporary, Permanent, and Contract Work
Exeter businesses use temporary cover for seasonal peaks, retail events, and inbound campaigns, permanent hiring covers account growth and succession, contract work helps during CRM migrations or product launches. Temp agencies can supply short notice telesales teams, executive search handles confidential leadership moves, recruitment consultants steer candidates on contract terms, notice periods, and non compete clauses. Jobseekers should register with an agency and keep right to work documents ready, employers should pre agree hours, equipment, and onboarding steps.
Entry Requirements and Progression
For entry routes, jobseekers can start in retail or contact centres, then move into B2B sales through internal promotion or SDR tracks. Strong telephone manner, tidy CRM notes, and reliable follow up matter more than long experience, with many employers training product knowledge. Progression moves from SDR to account executive to senior business development, then into sales management or revenue operations, Exeter businesses in tech and distribution both offer these paths when growth plans are clear.
Key Sectors and Local Employers
Tech firms near the Science Park hire SDRs and AEs, wholesalers and logistics groups around Sowton recruit territory managers, construction suppliers and merchants across Greater Exeter need area sales and branch sales. Hospitality and tourism businesses use seasonal reps and group sales, education and healthcare suppliers rely on relationship led account managers. Recruitment agencies match these patterns, they will benchmark pay rates against the local labour market and suggest draw or guarantee for ramp periods to help retention.
Regulatory and Compliance Notes
Where sales roles involve finance or regulated products, expect background checks, for example credit checks for financial services, and DBS checks when selling into education or healthcare. Driving roles need a clean licence, medical sales will ask for compliance training before customer visits, and some public sector suppliers ask for security vetting. Recruiters will confirm documents at registration, candidates should bring proof of address and right to work so offers do not stall.
Quick Facts and FAQs
How fast can sales recruiters in Exeter shortlist for an inside sales role?
Many can present candidates within 3 to 5 working days for perm, faster for temps.
What recruitment fees should a local employer budget for a mid level account manager?
Expect a percentage of base salary, often around the mid teens, confirm the exact figure in writing.
Do sales recruitment agencies cover commission only roles?
Most focus on basic plus commission, commission only is rare for agency introduction.
Can jobseekers register with more than one agency?
Yes, candidates often register with multiple staffing agencies, stick to clear communication and withdraw from processes you no longer pursue.
Which CRM skills should I highlight in Exeter’s tech sales market?
Salesforce, HubSpot, and solid Excel for reporting, include pipeline stages and recent wins.
This page focuses on sales recruitment agencies in Exeter, helping local employers hire staff and helping candidates and jobseekers find employees and register with an agency, with the support of recruiters, temp agencies, executive search teams, and recruitment consultants across temporary, permanent, and contract work, always with clear salaries, pay rates, recruitment fees, agency costs, and a focus on the local workforce and retention.