Sales Trainee

About the Role

The Sales Trainee is an entry-level inside sales role in the Salt Lake City district. It combines outbound sales development with hands-on time in Expeditors' products and operational processes. The role starts with a required 6 to 12-month operations immersion period. The expectation is this role transitions to a District Sales Executive within 12-18 months.

Key Responsibilities

Operations & Product Immersion (Required, 6–12 Months)

• Complete a required 6 to 12-month operations immersion period rotating through core products and services.
• Divide working time between operations and sales development as directed by the District Sales Manager.
• Learn the full shipment lifecycle hands-on: booking, documentation, routing, carrier coordination, customs clearance, delivery, and exception handling.
• Support operations during periods of high volume or staffing need as directed.
• Show product and process knowledge by using what was learned in operations in prospect conversations, lead qualification, and meeting preparation.

Outreach & Prospecting

• Make daily outbound calls, emails, and LinkedIn contacts to prospective customers in the Salt Lake City market.
• Research target companies with trade data, industry sources, and market intelligence to find importers, exporters, and supply chain decision-makers.
• Build and work prospect lists in line with district target industries and account strategy.

Lead Processing & Qualification

• Respond quickly to inbound inquiries, referrals, and assigned leads.
• Qualify leads on shipping profile, trade lanes, product needs, current providers, and decision-making structure.
• Keep contacts, activities, leads, and opportunities accurate and up to date in CRM.

Meeting Generation & Sales Support

• Secure discovery meetings and introductory calls for District Sales Executives and sales leadership.
• Prepare account research and pre-call briefs before customer meetings.
• Join customer meetings, presentations, and account reviews to learn the consultative sales process.
• Help existing and prospective customers grow and stay engaged by checking in with them regularly.

Learning & Development

• Support ad hoc projects and assignments as needed.
• During the training period, the trainee is expected to complete:
• Supply Chain Fundamentals
• At least one industry certification, such as the IATA Cargo Introductory Diploma, Licensed Customs Broker, or Transition & Implementation Level 1
• At least one Dangerous Goods certification (Air/Ground, Ocean, or Import)

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or diploma, or equivalent experience.
• Commitment to a 6 to 12-month operations immersion period, with flexibility to work in operational roles as business needs require.
• Comfort with high-volume phone and email outreach.
• Resilience and persistence in handling objections and rejection.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Self-motivated, hardworking, honest, and confident.
• Team-oriented with a can-do attitude.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel locally to customer sites.