Inside Sales Representative Jobs in Chicago, IL
Inside sales representatives in Chicago sell by phone, email and video, and posted pay runs from a $50,000 base at River North freight brokers to $100,000 with commission at Cintas. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to break in without a territory or a car.
Current inside sales representative Openings in Chicago, IL
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Inside Sales Representative Work in Chicago
Freight brokerage runs on inside sales, and Chicago, where six of the seven Class I railroads converge, is a freight town. Echo Global Logistics hires classes of client sales reps at its headquarters on W. Chicago Avenue in River North, and software firms in River North and the Loop hire sales development reps to book meetings for their account executives. Cintas runs inside sales from its Chicago location on the Southwest Side, and Grainger trains phone sales reps at its Lake Forest headquarters.
Most of these seats are hybrid, and most are reachable without driving: the Brown and Purple lines stop in River North, and every L line runs through the Loop. That is the real difference from a field territory job. Illinois pay transparency rules mean most Chicago inside sales postings list the base up front.
Top Chicago Employers Hiring Inside Sales Representatives
These employers had inside sales or sales development openings in the Chicago area on their own careers sites this month:
- Cintas - hires inside sales reps in Chicago to call an assigned portfolio of apparel customers, at $60,000 to $100,000 with commission.
- Echo Global Logistics - the freight broker hires client sales reps at $50,000 plus uncapped commission from day one, with six weeks of paid training.
- LogicGate - the risk and compliance software company hires hybrid sales development reps in Chicago at $68,000 to $74,000 plus equity.
- Grainger - the industrial supplier runs inside sales at its Lake Forest headquarters and pays $20 an hour in its inside sales internship.
- Paylocity - the payroll software company lists sales development and client account executive roles at its Schaumburg headquarters.
Inside Sales Representative Salaries in Chicago
- Entry level: about $46,000 to $60,000 base, with commission on top.
- Experienced: roughly $60,000 to $100,000 a year including commission.
- Senior: $100,000 or more for top producers and senior inside account executives.
These are estimates built from BLS May 2025 wage data for Chicago metro sales representatives and from ranges Chicago employers posted this year. Inside sales pay leans more on commission than on base: Echo tells new hires top performers clear $70,000 in year one, while software firms like LogicGate pay a higher base plus equity. The product and the size of the deals move pay the most.
How to Become an Inside Sales Representative in Chicago
There is no Illinois license for inside sales, unless you sell insurance, which requires a producer license from the Illinois Department of Insurance. Cintas asks for a high school diploma or GED and some sales experience, and Echo hires recent grads with no sales background. If you want a credential, DePaul University's Center for Sales Leadership on E. Jackson in the Loop offers a sales leadership minor, and City Colleges of Chicago offers a Management/Marketing certificate and a Business Apprenticeship associate degree at Harold Washington and other campuses.
What the Job Involves
Inside sales reps work a phone, a headset and a CRM. A typical day means a set number of outbound calls and emails, qualifying leads, running video demos, sending quotes, following up on open deals and logging every touch in Salesforce or a similar system. Sales development reps focus on booking meetings for account executives rather than closing deals themselves.
Skills Employers Look For
- Comfort making dozens of outbound calls a day
- Short, clear emails and LinkedIn messages
- Asking good discovery questions and listening
- Handling objections without losing the call
- Salesforce or another CRM
- Tracking your own numbers against a quota
Career Path and Advancement
Inside sales is a common first seat in Chicago sales. SDRs at Loop and River North software firms typically move up to account executive, and freight brokerage reps at Echo can move into senior sales or managed transportation account roles. Others step out to a field territory with Cintas, ADP or Grainger, or into sales management once they have led a team.
Related Careers in Chicago
If inside sales interests you, these related Chicago roles are close matches:
- Sales Representative Jobs
- Outside Sales Representative Jobs
- Call Center Agent Jobs
- Customer Service Representative Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do inside sales reps make in Chicago?
Posted Chicago ranges run from $50,000 base plus commission at Echo Global Logistics to $60,000 to $100,000 with commission at Cintas. Software SDR roles such as LogicGate's post $68,000 to $74,000 base plus equity.
Do you need experience for an inside sales job in Chicago?
Often not. Echo hires client sales reps with zero to two years of experience and trains them for six weeks. Customer service, retail or call center work is a strong starting point.
Are inside sales jobs in Chicago remote?
Many are hybrid. Echo and LogicGate both list hybrid Chicago roles, with some days in the office and some at home. The in-office schedule varies by employer and team, so ask before you accept.
Do you need a license for inside sales in Illinois?
No, not for general inside sales. The exception is insurance, where the Illinois Department of Insurance requires a producer license before you can sell.
What is the difference between inside sales and a call center job?
Call center agents mostly answer incoming calls and solve problems. Inside sales reps make outbound calls, carry a quota and earn commission on what they close or book.
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