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What is an associate sales representative and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Frederik Beuk,
John Cicala Ph.D.
introduction image

Associate Sales Representative is tasked with helping sales employees present and sell products and services to people, other businesses and institutions, or to governments. Their responsibilities usually center around working with or for a client, communicating with them, and solving any issues that might come up.

Depending on what kind of business they work in, the Associate might handle any number of other tasks, and their tasks might grow with time, too. They may have to do things such as checking the supply of the product in the inventory, report to senior sales representatives, demonstrate how a product works, maintain databases, and take training programs to learn more.

There is no set standard of educational requirements for an Associate Sales Representative; it varies between employers, and it depends on what sort of a company the Associate wants to work for. Some workplaces may ask for a high school degree or less. However, specialized companies such as those selling medical or IT services and products might ask for college education and experience in a relevant field.

What general advice would you give to an associate sales representative?

Frederik Beuk

Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Akron

The key consideration is whether you really want to maximize your initial salary. For instance, envision two job opportunities: one offering a salary of $50,000 per year, where you'd be the most junior team member, and the other providing $75,000 per year, with the caveat that you would be the sole sales representative for the firm. The optimal choice is to prioritize learning opportunities. In this context, being the lone salesperson for a company that compensates its highest-earning sales professional $75,000 might not be your superior option. Instead, seek a position that offers the greatest potential for learning. Subsequently, demonstrate your negotiating prowess, a critical sales skill, by securing a slightly higher salary. However, it's essential not to fixate on maximizing your starting salary. Your career requires a long-term strategy, and you have several decades ahead of you to maximize income.
ScoreAssociate Sales RepresentativeUS Average
Salary
4.0

Avg. Salary $51,007

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.1

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 5.14%

Black or African American 3.83%

Hispanic or Latino 14.20%

Unknown 3.71%

White 72.88%

Gender

female 49.19%

male 50.81%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress level
7.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Associate sales representative career paths

Key steps to become an associate sales representative

  1. Explore associate sales representative education requirements

    Most common associate sales representative degrees

    Bachelor's

    58.7 %

    High School Diploma

    15.4 %

    Associate

    14.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific associate sales representative skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Work Ethic16.05%
    Patients12.91%
    Product Knowledge11.55%
    Excellent Interpersonal6.76%
    Excellent Organizational3.88%
  3. Complete relevant associate sales representative training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New associate sales representatives learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an associate sales representative based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real associate sales representative resumes.
  4. Research associate sales representative duties and responsibilities

    • Manage organization website and Facebook page; writing articles for websites and newsletters.
    • Perform inside sales, including telemarketing, prospecting, account penetration and product application, consulting and delivery of customer service.
    • Learned how to ask proper questions and communicate MetLife's product differentiators against competition
  5. Prepare your associate sales representative resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your associate sales representative resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an associate sales representative resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable associate sales representative resume templates

    Build a professional associate sales representative resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your associate sales representative resume.
    Associate Sales Representative Resume
    Associate Sales Representative Resume
    Associate Sales Representative Resume
    Associate Sales Representative Resume
    Associate Sales Representative Resume
    Associate Sales Representative Resume
    Associate Sales Representative Resume
    Associate Sales Representative Resume
    Associate Sales Representative Resume
  6. Apply for associate sales representative jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an associate sales representative job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first associate sales representative job

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Average associate sales representative salary

The average associate sales representative salary in the United States is $51,007 per year or $25 per hour. Associate sales representative salaries range between $37,000 and $68,000 per year.

Average associate sales representative salary
$51,007 Yearly
$24.52 hourly

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How do associate sales representatives rate their job?

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Associate sales representative reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

Communicating and helping my clients.

Cons

The travel was extensive. Sometimes. It took more than month to close a deaĺ.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

I love to engage the public and meet new faces. I enjoy explaining all of the benefits of the product I am selling, and making the customer feel important and well informed.

Cons

I don't like feeling like I haven't did a great at job at making customers feel comfortable and confident about where and who they are purchasing from.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

i enjoy the interaction with people, listen the customer in order to convert him/her into your friend, detect and help customer with his/her needs.

Cons

People without vision, dreams and selfishness.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.