Which hard skills and soft skills should key account managers have?
To work as a key account manager, long-term professional experience in sales, e.g. as a sales manager, is generally required. Besides, specialist knowledge is needed in many industries: candidates wanting to work in the mechanical engineering or IT industry, for instance, must have extensive technical expertise. Most employers want their key account managers to have an academic degree in business administration or engineering.
In addition, key account managers need to have certain soft skills:
- Organisational skills
- Good communication skills and an open-minded manner
- Excellent English skills
- An entrepreneurial way of thinking and acting