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
- Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
- Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - 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
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 Professional Manufacturers RepresentativeCertifying Organization
Manufacturers Representatives Educational Research Foundation
Type
Core
Certificate name
Training Advertising SpecialistCertifying Organization
Promotional Products Association International
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
Inside Sales Agent CertificationCertifying Organization
Residential Real Estate Council
Type
Core
Certificate name
Professional Certification in Advanced Service and SalesCertifying Organization
National Retail Federation Foundation
Type
Core
Certificate name
Sales Associate / Industry Professional Technical CertificationCertifying Organization
International Certified Floor Installers
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 | Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $NaN |
| Median (50%) | $NaN |
| High (90%) | $NaN |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–7 years), to senior level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
| Entry Level | $50,000 |
| Mid Level | $100,000 |
| Senior Level | $150,000 |
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%
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), with ONET® being a registered trademark of USDOL/ETA. Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA; CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED); and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
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