CareerGPS

Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
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
1,527 1,607 80 5.23% 16 166 182 $47.04 $97,842 Bachelor's degree
Description: 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.
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.

  • Contact new and existing customers to discuss their needs, and to explain how these needs could be met by specific products and services.
  • Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
  • Quote prices, credit terms and other bid specifications.
  • Emphasize product features based on analyses of customers' needs, and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations.
  • Negotiate prices and terms of sales and service agreements.
  • Maintain customer records, using automated systems.
  • Identify prospective customers by using business directories, following leads from existing clients, participating in organizations and clubs, and attending trade shows and conferences.
  • Prepare sales contracts for orders obtained, and submit orders for processing.
  • Select the correct products or assist customers in making product selections, based on customers' needs, product specifications, and applicable regulations.
  • Collaborate with colleagues to exchange information such as selling strategies and marketing information.
  • Prepare sales presentations and proposals that explain product specifications and applications.
  • Demonstrate and explain the operation and use of products.
  • Provide customers with ongoing technical support.
  • Inform customers of estimated delivery schedules, service contracts, warranties, or other information pertaining to purchased products.
  • Attend sales and trade meetings, and read related publications in order to obtain information about market conditions, business trends, and industry developments.
  • Visit establishments to evaluate needs and to promote product or service sales.
  • Complete expense reports, sales reports, and other paperwork.
  • Initiate sales campaigns and follow marketing plan guidelines in order to meet sales and production expectations.
  • Recommend ways for customers to alter product usage in order to improve production.
  • Complete product and development training as required.

Knowledge

94%
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.
84%
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.
64%
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%
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
52%
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

88%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
85%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
81%
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.
75%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
65%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
65%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
65%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
62%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
62%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
62%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
62%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
60%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
56%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
56%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
50%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Abilities

88%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
85%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
78%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
75%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
66%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
66%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
62%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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.
60%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
56%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
53%
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).
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%
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
50%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
50%
Memorization - The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.

Work Activities

90%
Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
87%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
85%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
80%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
80%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
78%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
68%
Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
67%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
63%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
61%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
61%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
60%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
56%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
54%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
52%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
51%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
51%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
51%
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
51%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
50%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Title Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Overall Experience A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Job Zone Examples Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.
Education Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

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.
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
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Work Styles

Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
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.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Work Values

Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.