Examining career development programs for the sales force

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore career development programs for the sales force including benefits, implementation and managerial implications. Design/methodology/approach – Career development programs are viewed through a conceptual model consisting of assessment, direction and development. Findings – This paper provides a comprehensive list of the benefits of a career development program for sales forces. Practical implications – The conceptual model can serve as a checklist for sales managers to evaluate, add to or modify their programs. The conceptual model also provides a framework for tying together many disparate areas of career development that have been handled separately or ignored in the sales management literature. Originality/value – This paper provides a comprehensive conceptual model of career development that has not been present in the sales management literature. This should be useful to sales managers in evaluating their own career development efforts. The framework should also be useful to sales management scholars who teach and do research in this area.