Sales representatives sell goods, services, insurance, and more to a variety of customers, which sometimes requires scientific or technical knowledge or advertising. This group also includes those who manage or supervise sales professionals. Other duties:
Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer.
Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives.
Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of sales workers other than retail sales workers. May perform duties, such as budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.
Sell or solicit advertising space, time, or media in publications, signage, TV, radio, or Internet establishments or public spaces.
Sell life, property, casualty, health, automotive, or other types of insurance. May refer clients to independent brokers, work as an independent broker, or be employed by an insurance company.
Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers where technical or scientific knowledge is required in such areas as biology, engineering, chemistry, and electronics, normally obtained from at least 2 years of post-secondary education.
Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses or groups of individuals. Work requires substantial knowledge of items sold.
Sell business goods or services, the selling of which requires a technical background equivalent to a baccalaureate degree in engineering.
United States SOC Codes included for reference:
11-2022 Sales Managers
41-1012 First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
41-3011 Advertising Sales Agents
41-3021 Insurance Sales Agents
41-3099 Sales Representatives, Services, All Other
41-4011 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
41-4012 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
41-9031 Sales Engineers
Top Job Titles: Sales Manager (Management), Sales Representative, Account Executive (Sales and Related), Sales Director (Management), Account Manager (Management), Inside Sales Representative, Insurance Agent, Vice President, Travel Agent, Broker
Top Skills: Sales, Customer Service, Sales Management, Management, Leadership, Account Management, New Business Development, Selling Techniques, Strategic Planning, Team Building
Top Educational Programs: Business Administration and Management, General; Business/Commerce, General; Marketing/Marketing Management, General; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other; Advertising