In the job description of a sales associate, you will find that this position entails ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction by knowing what product to recommend and when to make that recommendation in any given store. However, the sales associate job description doesn’t end at helping the customer, because such an individual often has to perform other tasks as well.

What Does a Sales Associate Do?

A sales associate must know the company’s offer by heart, manage the stock and cross-sell products. You will also have to maintain an open dialogue with the upper management. Depending on the company’s profile, sales associates must also learn how to work with a cash register or with other types of vending machines.
Sales Associate Job Description

Sales Associate Job Description for Resume – Responsibilities

  • Ensure customer satisfaction;
  • Assess and anticipate the customer’s needs;
  • Prove extensive knowledge of the company’s products;
  • Demonstrate that he or she can cross-sell items;
  • Sanitize the sales area;
  • Organize and maintain cleanliness;
  • Escort customers to the desired area;
  • Provide information about the company’s products;
  • Relay relevant information to the upper management;
  • Recommend various items based on the client’s requirements;
  • Ensure that the items on sale are not damaged;
  • Display merchandise;
  • Prove to the customers that the items they are about to buy are in working condition.

Sales Associate Required Skills

The sales associate job description profiles are vague as the specificity of the position varies from company to company.

  • Impeccable customer service skills. The candidate who wishes to occupy this position must be comfortable working with various types of people. A good sales associate is courteous, mannered, and patient.
  • Communicational skills. A sales associate must be proficient in any form of communication, be it verbal or electronic. You will need to use the company’s electronic mail in order to respond to the client’s inquiries and other types of questions. Furthermore, as a sales associate, you won’t be dealing only with the client. At times, you might have to negotiate with representatives from other companies or discuss the present offers with your superiors.
  • Computer skills. You will need to prove that you know how to work with a computer or with a similar device. Furthermore, you will also be required to demonstrate that you know how to operate a cash register, as well as its affiliated peripherals like scanners, scales or demagnetizers. Other useful skills would be knowing how to work with Microsoft Office and with various social media platforms.
  • Team integration. You will also need to rely on your co-worker’s skills in order to process an order or to help a client. So, it is important to know how to operate inside a team. Thus, you have to be courteous to your team members and to lend them assistance when they need it.
  • Tidiness. You will need to make sure that the cash registers and the sales area are neat and sanitized. Furthermore, you will need to organize all the company’s papers from time to time and to keep track of all invoices and legal documents.

How to Become a Sales Associate

According to the sales associate job description, this position does not require any formal training. This means that you don’t have to take specialized classes in order to become a sales associate

Most of the companies have an on the job training program, which can last anywhere from one to several months. At the end of this training period, the candidate must prove that he or she has mastered all the skills needed to fulfill this function with little to no supervision.

Education & Training Requirements

As far as education is concerned, most employers require at least a high school diploma or a GED. However, if you have a BA or an MA in marketing or economics, your chances of being employed by such a company will increase.

Work Experience

Candidates who have previously occupied a position in the same industry will have a higher chance of being employed in top paying company than entry-level candidates. Still, this doesn’t necessarily mean that entry-level candidates don’t have a ghost of a chance when it comes to securing a good-paying position.

Work Schedules

According to the Indeed.com website, there is some variation in the working hours of a sales associate, as it depends on the location and season. Many sales associates work part-time from 12 to 28 hours a week whereas full-time associates can work up to 40 hours per week.

Career Prospects

As per the sales associate job description, a person currently occupying such a position may become a sales executive if he or she has the necessary experience. From there, you can become a key accountant manager, a sales manager, a regional manager, a national sales manager, and ultimately, a sales director.

According to the National average income, a person occupying such a position can earn as much as $9 per hour. However, a sales associate may also receive various bonuses, which can amount to $10,170 per year.

Thus, including bonuses, raises, and overtime, a sales associate can earn between $16,239 and $49,071 in total per year, depending on the company’s policies.

Conclusion

A successful sales associate must be polite, have patience and a very outgoing personality in order to assist the clients with their questions and help them with their purchases. Moreover, a knack for sales plays a major role into getting ahead in the industry and move to selling bigger items or to management positions. If you wish to follow a career that deals with client concerns, another position you might want to consider is that of a customer service manager.