Hot 6-figure jobs now

Construction

Commercial construction has enjoyed boom times in the past few years and construction firms have expanded to become one-stop shops for clients. They not only want a building built, they want help with design, pre-construction and even property management, said Bobbi Moss, vice president of Govig & Associates, a member firm of the MRINetwork.

That's meant more projects and more jobs, particularly for regional sales managers at construction firms' suppliers, Moss said.

A regional sales manager might sell to builders directly or through supply distribution channels and can make a base salary between $80,000 and $110,000 plus up to another 30 percent in bonus.

Manufacturing

Economic growth in the past two years has boosted demand for manufacturing. For example, when a firm does well and decides to expand its office space, commercial furniture manufacturers benefit as do their vendors.

That growth has also given a push to more research and development. "Companies have brought a lot of R&D projects out of the moth balls," said Greg Lee, managing partner of WorldBridge Partners, a member firm of the MRINetwork.

That's why experienced sales managers who help a manufacturer expand market share and penetrate new markets are in demand, and they've seen their pay go up by as much as 20 percent in the past two years, Lee said.

Depending on the size of a manufacturer, field sales managers can earn between $110,000 and $130,000 including commission and bonuses, he said.

Other industries

Companies most in need of good sales managers can also be found in retail and wholesale; media and telecommunications; food and beverage, manufacturing, and travel, hospitality and tourism.

Among the listings on SimplyHired.com, the top locations for sales manager positions are in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and Houston.