Retail Salespersons

enterprising merchandise product customer service compute prices sale record of sales answer questions

Sales Associate, Sales Clerk, Sales Consultant, Sales Person

What they do:
Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.
On the job, you would:
  • Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
  • Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
  • Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.

Knowledge

Business

  • sales and marketing
  • customer service

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Skills

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others

Social

  • talking people into changing their minds or their behavior
  • looking for ways to help people

Abilities

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • order or arrange things

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Cooperation
  • Integrity
  • Self Control
  • Adaptability/Flexibility

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software

  • Database software
  • Microsoft Access Hot Technology

Word processing software

  • Google Docs Hot Technology
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology

Point of sale POS software

  • Plexis Software Plexis POS
  • TokenWorks Magnetic Card Reader

Education

Education: (rated 2 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
no high school diploma/GED
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Licenses
Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about retail salespersons.