CareerGPS

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Retail Sales Workers
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
17,505 18,258 753 4.30% 151 2,107 2,258 $17.78 $36,973 High school diploma or equivalent
Description: Directly supervise sales workers in a retail establishment or department. Duties may include management functions, such as purchasing, budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Provide customer service by greeting and assisting customers, and responding to customer inquiries and complaints.
  • Monitor sales activities to ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods.
  • Assign employees to specific duties.
  • Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or in performing services for customers.
  • Inventory stock and reorder when inventory drops to a specified level.
  • Enforce safety, health, and security rules.
  • Examine products purchased for resale or received for storage to assess the condition of each product or item.
  • Hire, train, and evaluate personnel in sales or marketing establishments, promoting or firing workers when appropriate.
  • Perform work activities of subordinates, such as cleaning and organizing shelves and displays and selling merchandise.
  • Establish and implement policies, goals, objectives, and procedures for their department.
  • Instruct staff on how to handle difficult and complicated sales.
  • Examine merchandise to ensure that it is correctly priced and displayed and that it functions as advertised.
  • Plan and prepare work schedules and keep records of employees' work schedules and time cards.
  • Review inventory and sales records to prepare reports for management and budget departments.
  • Confer with company officials to develop methods and procedures to increase sales, expand markets, and promote business.
  • Plan budgets and authorize payments and merchandise returns.

Knowledge

87%
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
75%
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
68%
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
62%
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
62%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
58%
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
58%
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills

65%
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
62%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
62%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
62%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
62%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
62%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
60%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
60%
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
56%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
53%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
53%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
53%
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
53%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
53%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
50%
Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
50%
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
50%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
50%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Abilities

65%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
65%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
65%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
65%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
60%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
56%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
53%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
53%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
53%
Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
53%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
50%
Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
50%
Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
50%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
50%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Work Activities

81%
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
76%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
73%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
69%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
68%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
67%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
65%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
65%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
64%
Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
63%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
63%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
63%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
62%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
62%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
61%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
61%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
60%
Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
59%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
58%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
52%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
51%
Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
50%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
50%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Title Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers.
Education These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Interests

Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outsi

Work Styles

Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Work Values

-