Description
Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.
Interests
- Enterprising
- Conventional
Work Values
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
Work Styles
- Analytical Thinking
- Dependability
- Initiative
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Stress Tolerance
Tasks
- Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
- Recommend products to customers, based on customers' needs and interests.
- Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
- Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and to provide ongoing support.
- Prepare sales contracts and order forms.
Work Activities
- Selling or Influencing Others
- Getting Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Detailed Work Activities
- Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Technology Skills
- Customer relationship management CRM software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Video conferencing software
- Word processing software
Abilities
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
- Speech Recognition
- Written Comprehension
Skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Negotiation
- Persuasion
- Social Perceptiveness
Knowledge
- Sales and Marketing
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Transportation
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Certified Sales CounselorCertifying Organization
National Wood Flooring Association
Type
Core
Certificate name
Route Driver CertificationCertifying Organization
National Automatic Merchandising Association
Type
Core
Certificate name
Certified Construction Product RepresentativeCertifying Organization
Construction Specifications Institute
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
NAFA Certified Air Filter SpecialistCertifying Organization
National Air Filtration Association
Type
Core
Certificate name
Certified Fragrance Sales SpecialistCertifying Organization
The Fragrance Foundation
Type
Core
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $43,680 |
| Median (50%) | $72,651 |
| High (90%) | $134,278 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $61,626 |
| Mid Level | $88,034 |
| Senior Level | $112,627 |
| Expert Level | $159,986 |
Employability
There are currently 1,356,100 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 1,366,100 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 1%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 1%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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