Outside Sales Representative Jobs in Tennessee
Outside Sales Representative jobs in Tennessee are consistently active, with strong demand from industries like healthcare distribution, manufacturing, logistics, and financial services, and openings at every level from entry-level territory reps through senior account executives. Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville are the largest hiring centers, home to established employers such as HCA Healthcare, Schneider Electric, and Unum Group that maintain ongoing outside sales teams. The most in-demand specialties include medical device and pharmaceutical sales, industrial and B2B equipment sales, and insurance and financial products. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 139+ Outside Sales Representative jobs
Welcome to Gordon Food Service! We are excited that you are thinking about opportunities with us, and we have an amazing story to share. See below for a quick glance of who we are and the impact you could have on the food service industry. There's a seat at our table for you...
Overview
For over 125 years, Gordon Food Service has delivered the excellence, expertise, and quality products our customers need to design successful food operations and experiences. We've grown to be the largest family-operated broadline food distribution company in North America by being passionately committed to the people we serve.
At Gordon Food Service, our customers come first. As an Outside Food Sales Representative, you will cultivate relationships, develop new business, and provide innovative solutions to our customers, helping them to achieve their goals and, in return, yours!
This position will reside in: Knoxville, TN.
Position Benefits
A generous 401(k) matching program that is above industry standards
Financial rewards for performance compensation structure which includes salary, commission, and bonuses
Low-cost benefit options for you and your family's health and future
An Automobile expense reimbursement plan
Cell phone reimbursement plan
Outside Food Sales Representative
We invite you to join our sales team where you’ll experience a world where servant leadership and cutting-edge tools and training come together to support your career growth and financial objectives.
As an Outside Food Sales Representative, you’ll be responsible for the overall sales and relationship management efforts for existing and prospective customers within your assigned territory. This includes pursuing new customers, deepening and strengthening existing customer relationships, and sales territory management.
Pursuing New Customers
Researching industry and market trends impacting restaurants within your territory
Identifying and researching prospective customers within your territory
Developing sales strategies that highlight products, services, values, and solutions offered by Gordon Food Service and presenting the sales strategy to prospective customers
Deepen and Strengthen Existing Customer Relationships
Visiting all customers within the assigned territory on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis
Conducting business reviews to determine existing customers needs and areas of opportunity for growing sales
Providing ongoing training to customers on Gordon Food Service product offerings
Identifying opportunities within existing customers businesses where Gordon Food Service can add value through product and service offerings
Sales Territory Management
Balancing new customers acquisition and deepening and strengthening existing customer relationships
Coordinating visits to prospective customers and existing customers
Communicating order status and order processing updates to customers
Sales Training - Getting you Ready
Gordon Food Service’s goal during your first 90 days is to set you up for success! This includes engaging you in various training offerings, including e-learning, classroom sessions, video roleplays, job shadowing, and peer sales representative mentorship. Throughout your first 90 days, you will learn:
How to use Gordon Food Service systems, processes, and tools to manage customer relationships
About the products available to Gordon Food Service customers
The sales process for engaging new customers
How to establish your relationships in the vast network of resources available to you, a Gordon Food Service sales representative
Best practices on developing relationships with current and prospective customers
Strategies on how to effectively manage your territory
Position Requirements
High School Diploma/GED is required
Bachelor's degree and/or culinary certificate preferred
1 year of prior sales, business, or food service experience
Maintaining a valid state driver's license and a safe driving record
Ability to obtain your food safety certification
Gordon Food Service encourages v eterans and active military members to apply
BE PART OF AN AMAZING CULTURE WHERE WHAT MATTERS TO YOU, MATTERS TO US!
Gordon Food Service values our customers and understands that their success is largely dependent upon their workforce. To demonstrate our commitment to our partnership, we will require any candidate who works for a Gordon Food Service customer to provide a letter of support from their management if they are selected for the interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity is a matter of policy at Gordon Food Service, Inc. and we are committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, please submit your request to talent@gfs.com and use the words “Accommodation Request” in your subject line.
All Gordon Food Service locations are tobacco-free.
Gordon Food Service is a drug-free workplace and conducts pre-employment drug tests.
Welcome to Gordon Food Service! We are excited that you are thinking about opportunities with us, and we have an amazing story to share. See below for a quick glance of who we are and the impact you could have on the food service industry. There's a seat at our table for you...
Overview
For over 125 years, Gordon Food Service has delivered the excellence, expertise, and quality products our customers need to design successful food operations and experiences. We've grown to be the largest family-operated broadline food distribution company in North America by being passionately committed to the people we serve.
At Gordon Food Service, our customers come first. As an Outside Food Sales Representative, you will cultivate relationships, develop new business, and provide innovative solutions to our customers, helping them to achieve their goals and, in return, yours!
This position will reside in: Knoxville, TN.
Position Benefits
A generous 401(k) matching program that is above industry standards
Financial rewards for performance compensation structure which includes salary, commission, and bonuses
Low-cost benefit options for you and your family's health and future
An Automobile expense reimbursement plan
Cell phone reimbursement plan
Outside Food Sales Representative
We invite you to join our sales team where you’ll experience a world where servant leadership and cutting-edge tools and training come together to support your career growth and financial objectives.
As an Outside Food Sales Representative, you’ll be responsible for the overall sales and relationship management efforts for existing and prospective customers within your assigned territory. This includes pursuing new customers, deepening and strengthening existing customer relationships, and sales territory management.
Pursuing New Customers
Researching industry and market trends impacting restaurants within your territory
Identifying and researching prospective customers within your territory
Developing sales strategies that highlight products, services, values, and solutions offered by Gordon Food Service and presenting the sales strategy to prospective customers
Deepen and Strengthen Existing Customer Relationships
Visiting all customers within the assigned territory on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis
Conducting business reviews to determine existing customers needs and areas of opportunity for growing sales
Providing ongoing training to customers on Gordon Food Service product offerings
Identifying opportunities within existing customers businesses where Gordon Food Service can add value through product and service offerings
Sales Territory Management
Balancing new customers acquisition and deepening and strengthening existing customer relationships
Coordinating visits to prospective customers and existing customers
Communicating order status and order processing updates to customers
Sales Training - Getting you Ready
Gordon Food Service’s goal during your first 90 days is to set you up for success! This includes engaging you in various training offerings, including e-learning, classroom sessions, video roleplays, job shadowing, and peer sales representative mentorship. Throughout your first 90 days, you will learn:
How to use Gordon Food Service systems, processes, and tools to manage customer relationships
About the products available to Gordon Food Service customers
The sales process for engaging new customers
How to establish your relationships in the vast network of resources available to you, a Gordon Food Service sales representative
Best practices on developing relationships with current and prospective customers
Strategies on how to effectively manage your territory
Position Requirements
High School Diploma/GED is required
Bachelor's degree and/or culinary certificate preferred
1 year of prior sales, business, or food service experience
Maintaining a valid state driver's license and a safe driving record
Ability to obtain your food safety certification
Gordon Food Service encourages v eterans and active military members to apply
BE PART OF AN AMAZING CULTURE WHERE WHAT MATTERS TO YOU, MATTERS TO US!
Gordon Food Service values our customers and understands that their success is largely dependent upon their workforce. To demonstrate our commitment to our partnership, we will require any candidate who works for a Gordon Food Service customer to provide a letter of support from their management if they are selected for the interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity is a matter of policy at Gordon Food Service, Inc. and we are committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, please submit your request to talent@gfs.com and use the words “Accommodation Request” in your subject line.
All Gordon Food Service locations are tobacco-free.
Gordon Food Service is a drug-free workplace and conducts pre-employment drug tests.
See All 139+ Outside Sales Representative Jobs in Tennessee
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Find JobsOutside Sales Representative Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Outside Sales Representative Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Distribution & Wholesale
- Construction & Real Estate
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in outside sales representative jobs across Tennessee.
- Proven ability to meet or exceed territory sales quotas in a field-based role
- Valid driver's license and reliable personal vehicle for daily client travel
- Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or a related field preferred by most employers
- Two or more years of outside or B2B sales experience in a relevant Tennessee industry
- Proficiency with CRM platforms such as Salesforce to manage pipeline and activity
- Strong presentation and negotiation skills for in-person client meetings across Tennessee
Outside Sales Representative Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a outside sales representative in Tennessee?
Most outside sales representative roles in Tennessee require a bachelor's degree, though demonstrated sales experience can substitute for some employers. Certain specialties demand additional credentials: pharmaceutical and medical device reps typically need Life Sciences coursework or CNPR certification, while insurance sales representatives must hold an active Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance-issued license in the relevant line of authority. Starting in an inside sales or customer service role at a Tennessee company is a common entry path.
How much do outside sales representatives make in Tennessee?
Outside sales representatives in Tennessee earn a median of about $61,630 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $34,350 for the lowest 10% to over $128,130 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire outside sales representatives in Tennessee?
Employers hiring outside sales representatives in Tennessee right now include Cleft of the Rock, Hibu, and Great Lakes Petroleum, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Tennessee's mix of healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics headquarters means demand is spread across multiple industries rather than concentrated in a single sector.
Which Tennessee cities have the most outside sales representative jobs?
Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville have the most outside sales representative openings in Tennessee. Nashville dominates due to its dense concentration of healthcare corporations, financial firms, and distribution hubs, while Memphis benefits from its logistics and manufacturing base, and Knoxville draws from manufacturing, university-affiliated healthcare, and regional distribution activity.
Are there remote outside sales representative jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, but they're rare. Outside sales by definition centers on in-person client visits and territory management, so fully remote roles are uncommon. About 62% of outside sales representative openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, and those positions tend to concentrate in software, SaaS, or financial products sales where client relationships can be maintained digitally.
How can I get hired as a outside sales representative in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying for inside sales, sales development representative, or account coordinator roles at Tennessee-based companies, then transitioning to a field role after demonstrating results. Large employers like Unum Group and regional distributors in the Nashville and Memphis corridors run structured sales associate programs that move new hires into outside territories. Earning a CNPR certification for pharmaceutical tracks or completing a Certified Professional Sales Person course adds a measurable credential that offsets a thin resume.
Where can I find and apply to outside sales representative jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to outside sales representative jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current Tennessee openings across industries and experience levels. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 139+ Outside Sales Representative Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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