Sales jobs in Austria and Germany
Sales is one of the few career paths where your results show up directly in your paycheck. Whether you're cold-calling prospects, closing deals, managing key accounts, or running a sales team, your income tracks your performance. That's exactly why sales attracts people who want ownership and don't want to hide behind process. This guide walks through the main sales roles, how pay and commission typically work, and what to check before you sign an offer.
Contents10
What sales roles actually do
Sales means spotting a need, whether with a new prospect or an existing customer, and turning it into a deal. Depending on the role, the focus is on new business, consultative selling, negotiation, or long-term account care. What all sales roles share is that part of the job is measurable: number of calls, close rate, revenue, or retention.
Most sales processes run through the same stages: lead generation, qualification, discovery, proposal, negotiation, close, and then account management. Some roles cover the whole cycle, others own just one stage. That split explains why there are so many different sales job titles.
The main roles at a glance
At the start of the funnel sit SDRs and BDRs, who qualify leads and book meetings for Account Executives. Account Executives run the actual sales process through to close. Account Managers, Key Account Managers, and Customer Success Managers own the relationship after the deal is signed, protecting renewals and growing accounts. Field sales reps sell in person at the customer's site, often in technical or complex industries. Sales leaders manage teams, forecasts, and strategy.
- SDR / BDR: qualifying leads and booking meetings
- Account Executive: running the sales cycle to close
- Account Management & Customer Success: retention and expansion
- Field sales: selling in person on-site
- Sales leadership: team management, forecasting, strategy
Pay in sales: base, variable, and OTE
Sales pay almost always has two parts: a base salary and a variable component tied to hitting targets. The sum of both at one hundred percent target attainment is called OTE, On-Target Earnings. OTE isn't a guaranteed salary, it's the realistic figure if you hit your quota.
The split between base and variable differs a lot by role and industry. Roles with direct closing responsibility, like Account Executive, usually carry a higher variable share than more consultative or account-management-heavy roles. Some commission plans are capped, others are uncapped. If a plan includes an accelerator, you earn a higher commission rate on revenue booked above quota.
Quota, territory, and segments
Quota is your personal sales target, usually expressed as a revenue or deal-count number per quarter or year. A territory is the assigned area or set of accounts you're responsible for, which can be defined geographically, by industry, or by account size.
Many companies also split customers into segments: SMB for small and mid-sized businesses, Mid-Market for medium-sized companies, and Enterprise for large accounts and corporations. These segments differ in deal size, number of decision-makers, and sales cycle length. Enterprise deals typically take longer and involve more stakeholders, SMB deals move faster but are smaller.
Typical employers and industries
You'll find sales roles in almost every industry. Particularly high demand comes from software and SaaS companies, technical wholesale and distribution, industrial manufacturing, medical devices and pharma, energy and solar, and financial services and insurance. Software companies tend to run tightly structured sales processes built around a CRM, while industrial and field sales roles often rely on longer relationships and technical know-how.
How the work happens: inside sales, field sales, and tools
Many sales roles, especially SDR, Account Executive, and Customer Success, work as inside sales: contact happens over phone, video calls, and email, often remote or hybrid. Field sales roles are built around in-person visits at the customer's site, which usually means more travel and often a company car. Almost every role runs on a CRM day to day, plus tools for outreach, scheduling, and reporting.
What to check in a sales offer
A high OTE doesn't mean much if the quota is unrealistic or the product is hard to sell. Ask directly about average quota attainment on the current team, how long ramp-up takes before reps hit full quota, and how territories or account lists are carved up. Whether commission is capped and whether there's an accelerator belongs in every conversation too.
- Realistic quota attainment on the existing team
- Ramp-up time before full quota applies
- How territory or account lists are structured
- Cap or accelerator above 100% attainment
- Quality of leads or the existing account base
Switching roles and applying
Sales is one of the few fields where switching in from another career works well, especially at the SDR level. If you're strong at communication and can handle rejection, you can start here and prove yourself through results. For experienced sales people, track record matters most: quota attainment, deal sizes, and customer references usually count more than the resume itself.
Atlas brings together sales jobs from Austria and Germany, sorted by role, segment, and pay details like OTE or uncapped commission, so you can compare offers without reading every single listing line by line.
Frequently asked questions
What does OTE mean?
OTE stands for On-Target Earnings, the sum of base salary and variable pay at one hundred percent target attainment. It's a target figure, not a guaranteed salary.
What's the difference between an SDR and an Account Executive?
An SDR or BDR qualifies leads and books meetings but doesn't run the deal to close. The Account Executive takes that qualified meeting and runs the demo, negotiation, and close.
What does uncapped commission mean?
Uncapped commission means there's no ceiling on how much you can earn in variable pay. Sell past quota and you keep earning, sometimes at an accelerated rate.
What's the difference between SMB, Mid-Market, and Enterprise?
These terms describe customer segments by company size. SMB means small and mid-sized businesses, Mid-Market means medium-sized companies, and Enterprise means large accounts and corporations. Deal size and sales cycle length usually grow with segment size.
Can I get into sales without prior sales experience?
Yes, especially at the SDR or junior level, many companies hire career changers who show strong communication skills and persistence. Experience builds on the job.
Do I need a driver's license for field sales?
In most field sales roles, yes, since the job means meeting customers on-site and a company car is often provided.
Conclusion
Sales offers a direct link between performance and income, but it also demands resilience through inconsistent results. Once you understand the roles, commission structures, and segments, you can judge offers realistically and pick your next move on purpose.
Let Atlas search for you.
Say what you're looking for in one sentence. Atlas checks pay, commute and conditions and comes back with roles that fit.