Due to this huge increase in the number of sales agents and representatives, the sales jobs market has become rather competitive. But the good news for the aspiring sales representatives is that there is a large market with a lot of opportunities awaiting them. Even though the advent of the internet and other retail delivery vehicles have brought about a rapid change in the industry, the convenience and quality of proper sales have not diminished and the techniques that worked long ago are still working wonders.
Job Profile of a Sales Representative
The sales representatives are considered as significant revenue driving agents of a company. The responsibility of a sales representative is mainly to do more sales and earn profits for the company.
- The main job of the sales representative is to serve the existing clients and set out in search for the new clients.
- The sales representatives will have to be part of trade shows and seminars along with other promotional events.
- In some companies, the sales person will have to play a role in collecting payments and coordinating the release of the products and services.
- Their responsibility also includes the display and sale of the products of the company and offering the services to the present and potential customers in a specific geographic location.
- Traveling is an essential part of a sales representative's job which cannot be avoided in the day to day life of a sales representative. They will also have to maintain a database regarding the specific details of the clients which will help them in managing the sales.
Academic
Some employers prefer candidates with the basic educational qualification like a bachelor's degree along with a diploma in marketing or business. But in some cases, the experience will matter more than the educational qualification. If the applicant is a major in areas like communications, public relations and business administration, they will also be considered as a suitable candidate for the job of sales representatives.
Skill Sets
In order to obtain the job of a sales representative, the job aspirant is required to be a person who is willing to travel and has a pleasing attitude to help others along with a positive mindset. He should have the basic understanding of the essential traits to be successful as a sales representative. He should know what he is selling and must have good communication and convincing abilities. He must be determined to succeed and must not be disheartened if deals don't close in spite of best efforts.
Training
The candidates are given prior training for the work once they are chosen for the sales representative job in a particular company. Most of the firms have their own distinctive methods to sell the products. They provide in-house training on selling methods and products and services one sells. The company would provide training in sales techniques and manage skills in order to meet the strategic targets for the company.
Prior Experience
Most employers prefer experienced candidates for the job of sales representatives. But there are several firms who do not hesitate to provide training to the new and potential candidates as well.
Employment Outlook
Career Prospects (globally)
The demand for the sales representatives are always on the hike. In countries like Unites states alone, there are about 85,000 people who are working as pharmaceutical sales representatives. Thus the job options are on a rise for those people who intend to work as sales persons.
The employment opportunity for Sales Representatives within the wholesale and manufacturing industry is anticipated to grow by a 9% from 2006 to 2016. This is at a pace similar to most of the other standard jobs. Provided the dimension of this job, a huge number of new jobs is expected to arise by the next decade in this field, about 182,000 in total.
Salaries
The median annual salary drawn by sales representatives is about $48,000. In most of the cases, the sales representative's salaries will be based on commission. This means that the sales person will be paid a percent of the generated revenue for the firm. The amount of compensation will be a perfect mix of the basic salary, commission and bonuses. Because of all these reasons, an efficient salesperson will be able to earn a pay check which is above the average salary.
The job of a sales representative is becoming popular because of the flexibility of the timings and the schedule. The sales persons have the freedom to work on a part time basis and will be able to make a decent amount of income.
