The official career path on most company websites is vague. Here is what actually moves the needle.
Year 1-2: Earn the right to be picky
Hit quota in your first full year and you unlock optionality. Leverage it: ask for a key-account territory, not just any open territory.
Year 3-4: Take the messy assignment
Volunteer for the territory nobody wants. Resurrecting a dead territory is the single highest-leverage promotion signal.
- Document your turnaround in writing every quarter
- Get one peer manager to formally mentor you
- Build a 90-day plan template you can hand to anyone