A career in sales is one of the top choices for professionals who want exceptional earning opportunities, due to the competitive mix of salaries, commissions, and incentives available to sales people. Yet there are many different paths to a career in sales; the difficulty is often in choosing which to follow. Here are five of the top paying sales careers.

Top Paying Sales Careers #1: Bioinformatics Sales

The health care field is growing rapidly, and there are multiple opportunities for specialization in various fields that can help sales people advance their top paying sales careers. Bioinformatics is one of these potentially lucrative sub-specialties. Health care is becoming more data driven by the day, and companies specializing in the compilation and analysis of this data are entering the field to provide solutions to help physicians and hospitals use that data. Sales people with technical and health care aptitudes are needed to sell these software and hardware tools.

Top Paying Sales Careers #2: Pharmaceutical Sales

Pharmaceutical sales companies rely on pharmaceutical sales representatives to educate potential customers as much as sell, which makes top paying sales careers in pharmaceuticals challenging as well as rewarding. Because of the way that prescriptions are issued, most pharmaceutical sales representatives do not focus on a hard close; instead, this tends to be a salaried position where potential bonuses are awarded based on sales increases in a given region or territory.

While this is different for sales people who are more used to the pursuit of a signed contract, there are other marks of achievement in this field. The need for relationship building is just as strong as in other areas of sales, and those working in this field have outstanding opportunities to become experts in their product lines.

Top Paying Sales Careers #3: Information Technology (IT) Sales

Health care is not the only industry seeing rapid shifts in the use of technology. Statistics Canada reports that nationally, in 2005 technical sales specialists earned average annual wages and salaries of $66,895, a nearly 12% increase over average salaries for this occupation in 2000. Technical sales encompasses the growing field of IT sales, in which sales people work with products both established and on the cutting edge of technology. These products might be as complicated as custom data server arrays or as simple as a new mobile application for business, but in any case there is a sales force behind any IT product on the market today.

Top Paying Sales Careers #4: Securities and Investments Sales

Statistics Canada reports that securities agents, investment dealers, and brokers earned average salaries and wages of $118,992 in 2005, a 14% increase in earnings over 2000. Depending on the level and type of securities and investments being sold, sales people in this industry may be required to earn specific certifications. However, the higher wages and salaries make this additional effort worthwhile for many. Sales roles that support securities and investments without an active role in selling these commodities that would otherwise require certification are also growing.

Top Paying Sales Careers #5: Sales Managers

According to the 2006 Census of Canada, the most recent census for which full occupational data is available, the average wages and salaries of sales managers in 2005 was $79,122. Sales manager positions are the next natural step in career advancement for many top sales people, making this one of the most highly sought-after top paying sales careers.

There is heavy competition for positions in top paying sales careers. Even if you have the skills and drive to enter these career fields, these alone might not be enough; opportunities at top employers are often filled without a public search. A well-qualified sales recruiter is the best way for those interested in these desirable careers to get started. Contact a recruiter working in your desired industry and area to move your sales career in these top paying industries forward.