What Does an Associate Sales Representative Do?

The duties of an associate sales representative depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Their responsibilities typically revolve around reaching out to clients through calls or door-to-door visits, offering products and services, collecting payments, addressing issues and concerns, and performing corrective measures when necessary. An associate sales representative often has a quota and deadline to reach; therefore, it is essential to be sales driven and goal-oriented. Furthermore, one must adhere to the policies and regulations of the company.

Take a few minutes to create or upgrade your resume. 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 Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real associate sales representative resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

  • 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
Associate Sales Representative Traits
Customer-service skills
Customer-service skills involve listening skills that allow you to communicate efficiently and respectfully with a customer.
Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills involves being able to communicate efficiently with multiple people regarding your thoughts, ideas and feedback.
Physical stamina
Physical stamina shows that you are able to exert your energy for long periods of time without tiring.

Associate Sales Representative Jobs You Might Like

  • High Paying Associate Sales Representative Jobs - $68K and Up
  • Work From Home Associate Sales Representative Jobs
  • Entry Level Associate Sales Representative Jobs
  • Part Time Associate Sales Representative Jobs
  • Actively Hiring
  • No Degree Associate Sales Representative Jobs
Resume
Need A Perfect Associate Sales Representative Resume?
Our AI resume builder helps you write a compelling and relevant resume for the jobs you want.

Associate Sales Representative Job Description

When it comes to understanding what an associate sales representative does, you may be wondering, "should I become an associate sales representative?" The data included in this section may help you decide. Compared to other jobs, associate sales representatives have a growth rate described as "slower than average" at 2% between the years 2018 - 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the number of associate sales representative opportunities that are predicted to open up by 2028 is 35,400.

Associate sales representatives average about $24.52 an hour, which makes the associate sales representative annual salary $51,007. Additionally, associate sales representatives are known to earn anywhere from $37,000 to $68,000 a year. This means that the top-earning associate sales representatives make $25,000 more than the lowest earning ones.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become an associate sales representative. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include a business sales associate, sales support associate, inside sales associate, and sales associate.

Learn More About Associate Sales Representative Job Descriptions
Find Better Talent in Less Time
Post a Job on Zippia and take the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Associate Sales Representative Jobs You Might Like

5 Associate Sales Representative Resume Examples

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 5+ resume templates to create your associate sales representative resume.

 
Joan King
Associate Sales Representative
Contact Information
Forest Park, GA
(640) 555-8327
Skills
  • Customer Relations
  • Host Stand
  • Sales Floor
  • Key Performance Indicators
  • WIC
  • Dishwasher
  • Guest Service
  • Product Knowledge
  • Retail Sales
  • Loss Prevention
Employment History
Associate Sales Representative
2016 - Present
J. C. Penney
Forest Park, GA
  • Retail Job Description: I helped unload the truck and restock and organize the sales floor.
  • Worked with team members to unload trucks and transfer merchandise to sales floor in a timely manner.
  • Assist with inventory control and loss prevention.
  • Performed effective communication through customer service with employees and customers.
Store Sales Associate
2015 - 2016
Walmart
Charlotte, NC
  • Receive,open, unpack and issue sales floor merchandise.
  • Provide customer service by greeting and assisting customers, and responding to customer inquiries and complaints.
  • Greet customers as they arrive at Walmart and ensure that they are being serviced by a customer service representative.
  • Answered customer questions and concerns in person.
Hostess Cashier (Part-Time)
2012 - 2014
Giant Food Stores
Towson, MD
  • Provided prompt and efficient customer service, chiefly as cashier, but also in Seafood, Diary, and other departments
  • Trained new employees on cash register procedures, customer service and other companies polices.
  • Maintained high standards of customer service during high-volume, fast-paced operations.
  • Managed customer complaints and concerns tactfully.
  • Assist customers -Greet customers -Provide excellent customer service - Maintain knowledge of sales and promotion policies regarding payment and exchanges
  • Assisted in grand opening of new store in Manhattan * Rang up sales, assisted customers
Education
Master's Degree Kinesiology
2014 - 2015
Towson University
Towson, MD
Bachelor's Degree Kinesiology
2011 - 2014
Towson University
Towson, MD
 
 
Elizabeth Lee
Associate Sales Representative
Contact Info
San Francisco, CA
(830) 555-8902
Skills
SEMBusiness OwnersInternetRevenue GrowthProspective CustomersREPArea BusinessesNew CustomersOnlinePowerpoint
Employment History
Associate Sales Representative
2017 - Present
Macy's
San Francisco, CA
  • School - High School Maintain proper presence on sales floor to address customer Diplomaneeds
  • Reached and exceeded sales goals in INC and overall sales.
  • Performed weekly evaluations of each sales associates sales performance with a focus on sales goals.
  • Maintain orderliness of stock room and sales floor.
  • Fold towels in domestic and keep bed comforters, pillows etc stocked on sales floor.
Associate Sales Representative
2016 - 2017
The Home Depot
San Jose, CA
  • Collaborated with customer service team members to give exceptional service throughout the entire shopping and purchasing experience.
  • Provide extremely detailed notes on every communication with all involved in the customers project.
  • Keep the sales floor clean, price markdown or mark up.
Advertising Sales Representative
2013 - 2016
CBS
San Jose, CA
  • Prepared and executed successful sales plans that exceeded monthly sales goals.
  • Direct sales of TWC services in residential areas of service.
Education
Bachelor's Degree Business
2010 - 2013
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA
 
 
Elizabeth Lee
Associate Sales Representative
San Francisco, CA
(830) 555-8902
Experience
Associate Sales Representative2017 - Present
Macy's•San Francisco, CA
  • School - High School Maintain proper presence on sales floor to address customer Diplomaneeds
  • Reached and exceeded sales goals in INC and overall sales.
  • Performed weekly evaluations of each sales associates sales performance with a focus on sales goals.
  • Maintain orderliness of stock room and sales floor.
  • Fold towels in domestic and keep bed comforters, pillows etc stocked on sales floor.
Associate Sales Representative2016 - 2017
The Home Depot•San Jose, CA
  • Collaborated with customer service team members to give exceptional service throughout the entire shopping and purchasing experience.
  • Provide extremely detailed notes on every communication with all involved in the customers project.
  • Keep the sales floor clean, price markdown or mark up.
Advertising Sales Representative2013 - 2016
CBS•San Jose, CA
  • Prepared and executed successful sales plans that exceeded monthly sales goals.
  • Direct sales of TWC services in residential areas of service.
Skills
SEMBusiness OwnersInternetRevenue GrowthProspective CustomersREPArea BusinessesNew CustomersOnlinePowerpoint
Education
Bachelor's Degree Business2010 - 2013
San Jose State University•San Jose, CA
 
Create My Resume
Build a professional resume in minutes using this template.

Associate Sales Representative Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 16% of Associate Sales Representatives are proficient in Work Ethic, Patients, and Product Knowledge. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Interpersonal skills, and Physical stamina.

We break down the percentage of Associate Sales Representatives that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Work Ethic, 16%

    Exhibited suitable communication skills and work ethic when cooperating with General Mills representatives and grocery managers during shelf shipper installation projects.

  • Patients, 13%

    Delivered units to patients, answered questions and instructed them on how to use the product.

  • Product Knowledge, 12%

    Shared product knowledge with customers while making personal recommendations based on my experience.

  • Excellent Interpersonal, 7%

    Established rapport and developed excellent interpersonal relationships with key thought leaders to best facilitate strategic product growth.

  • Excellent Organizational, 4%

    Self-motivated, adaptable and have excellent organizational, communication and planning skills.

  • Sales Techniques, 4%

    Participated in team that implemented unique sales techniques that resulted in exceeding monthly sales quotas by 40%.

Most associate sales representatives list "work ethic," "patients," and "product knowledge" as skills on their resumes. We go into more details on the most important associate sales representative responsibilities here:

  • The most important skills for an associate sales representative to have in this position are customer-service skills. In this excerpt that we gathered from a associate sales representative resume, you'll understand why: "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be able to listen to the customer’s needs and concerns before and after the sale." According to resumes we found, customer-service skills can be used by a associate sales representative in order to "answered questions from customers and engaged in suggestive selling and other sales techniques. "

  • While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many associate sales representative duties rely on interpersonal skills. This example from a associate sales representative explains why: "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be able to work well with many types of people." This resume example is just one of many ways associate sales representatives are able to utilize interpersonal skills: "demonstrated excellent interpersonal, communication and time management skills in highly competitive environment. "

  • Associate sales representatives are also known for physical stamina, which can be critical when it comes to performing their duties. An example of why this skill is important is shown by this snippet that we found in a associate sales representative resume: "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives are often on their feet for a long time and may carry heavy sample products." We also found this resume example that details how this skill is put to the test: "key member of physical inventory and and sales support team. "

  • In order for certain associate sales representative responsibilities to be completed, the job requires the skill "self-confidence." According to an associate sales representative resume, "wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives must be confident and persuasive when making sales presentations" As an example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies: "create confidence and strengthen customer relationships by resolving customer issues relating to procurement of product. "

    • See the full list of associate sales representative skills.

    We've found that 58.7% of associate sales representatives have earned a bachelor's degree. Furthermore, 5.4% earned their master's degrees before becoming an associate sales representative. While it's true that most associate sales representatives have a college degree, it's generally possible to become one with only a high school degree. In fact, one out of every six associate sales representatives did not spend the extra money to attend college.

    Those associate sales representatives who do attend college, typically earn either a business degree or a marketing degree. Less commonly earned degrees for associate sales representatives include a communication degree or a psychology degree.

    Once you've obtained the level of education you're comfortable with, you might start applying to companies to become an associate sales representative. We've found that most associate sales representative resumes include experience from Stryker, Smith & Nephew, and Verint. Of recent, Stryker had 162 positions open for associate sales representatives. Meanwhile, there are 71 job openings at Smith & Nephew and 48 at Verint.

    But if you're interested in companies where you might earn a high salary, associate sales representatives tend to earn the biggest salaries at Verint, Globus Medical, and General Electric. Take Verint for example. The median associate sales representative salary is $72,527. At Globus Medical, associate sales representatives earn an average of $65,714, while the average at General Electric is $63,560. You should take into consideration how difficult it might be to secure a job with one of these companies.

    View more details on associate sales representative salaries across the United States.

    We also looked into companies who hire associate sales representatives from the top 100 educational institutions in the U.S. The top three companies that hire the most from these institutions include Vector Marketing, Dell, and AT&T.;

    The industries that associate sales representatives fulfill the most roles in are the health care and technology industries. But the highest associate sales representative annual salary is in the health care industry, averaging $56,246. In the manufacturing industry they make $52,383 and average about $43,143 in the insurance industry. In conclusion, associate sales representatives who work in the health care industry earn a 29.1% higher salary than associate sales representatives in the retail industry.

    The three companies that hire the most prestigious associate sales representatives are:

    Build a professional resume in minutes.

    Our AI resume builder helps you write a compelling and relevant resume for the jobs you want. See 10+ resume templates and create your resume here.

    Associate Sales Representative Jobs You Might Like

    • High Paying Associate Sales Representative Jobs - $68K and Up
    • Work From Home Associate Sales Representative Jobs
    • Entry Level Associate Sales Representative Jobs
    • Part Time Associate Sales Representative Jobs
    • Actively Hiring
    • No Degree Associate Sales Representative Jobs
    Resume
    Create The Perfect Resume
    Our resume builder tool will walk you through the process of creating a stand-out Architect resume.

    What Business Sales Associates Do

    A business sales associate's primary goal is to secure sales and reach sales targets. To make this possible, a business sales associate conducts market research and analyses to identify new business and client opportunities, generates leads, and develops sales strategies. They usually reach out to potential clients or representatives through calls or correspondence, arrange appointments, discuss product or service specifications, organize payment plans, and negotiate contracts, building positive business relationships along the way. Moreover, they produce progress reports and coordinate with managers regularly.

    In this section, we compare the average associate sales representative annual salary with that of a business sales associate. Typically, business sales associates earn a $8,478 higher salary than associate sales representatives earn annually.

    Even though associate sales representatives and business sales associates have vast differences in their careers, a few of the skills required to do both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require product knowledge, sales techniques, and customer satisfaction in the day-to-day roles.

    As far as similarities go, this is where it ends because an associate sales representative responsibility requires skills such as "work ethic," "patients," "excellent interpersonal," and "excellent organizational." Whereas a business sales associate is skilled in "business sales," "customer support," "account management," and "customer retention." So if you're looking for what truly separates the two careers, you've found it.

    On average, business sales associates reach similar levels of education than associate sales representatives. Business sales associates are 0.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

    What Are The Duties Of a Sales Support Associate?

    A sales support associate is a professional who is responsible for assisting sales staff and help customers. To provide this assistance, sales support associates use customer communication methods such as telephones or email to process customer orders and ensure that they are accurate. They work closely with distributors to make sure that products are available for their customers. Sales support associates may function as either part-time or full time, but companies may require excellent communication skills.

    Now we're going to look at the sales support associate profession. On average, sales support associates earn a $16,553 lower salary than associate sales representatives a year.

    While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both associate sales representatives and sales support associates are known to have skills such as "product knowledge," "excellent interpersonal," and "powerpoint. "

    In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences that are worth noting. For example, associate sales representative responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "work ethic," "patients," "excellent organizational," and "sales techniques." Meanwhile, a sales support associate might be skilled in areas such as "back room," "math," "strong computer," and "sales service." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

    On average, sales support associates earn a lower salary than associate sales representatives. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, sales support associates earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $45,041. Whereas, associate sales representatives have higher paychecks in the health care industry where they earn an average of $56,246.

    When it comes to the differences in education between the two professions, sales support associates tend to reach similar levels of education than associate sales representatives. In fact, they're 1.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    How an Inside Sales Associate Compares

    An inside sales associate is responsible for selling the company's goods and services through remote communication. Inside sales associates make calls to potential customers, demonstrate the products' features, take orders, process payments, and inform the customers of the delivery details. They strategize the most effective sales pitches to attract the customers on purchasing more services that would generate revenues and increase the company's profitability and brand image. An inside sales associate also supports the marketing team in developing marketing campaigns and promotional offers depending on customer demands and requests.

    Let's now take a look at the inside sales associate profession. On average, these workers make lower salaries than associate sales representatives with a $10,320 difference per year.

    While looking through the resumes of several associate sales representatives and inside sales associates we discovered that both professions have similar skills. These similarities include skills such as "work ethic," "product knowledge," and "excellent organizational," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

    Some important key differences between the two careers are a few of the skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities. Some examples from associate sales representative resumes include skills like "patients," "excellent interpersonal," "sales techniques," and "powerpoint," whereas an inside sales associate might be skilled in "inside sales," "data entry," "phone calls," and "plumbing. "

    Inside sales associates make a very good living in the health care industry with an average annual salary of $47,342. Whereas associate sales representatives are paid the highest salary in the health care industry with the average being $56,246.

    Inside sales associates are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to associate sales representatives. Additionally, they're 1.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    Description Of a Sales Associate

    Sales associates are responsible for promoting the company's goods or services. They are expected to provide exceptional customer service to prospective buyers. They should be familiar with all features of the company's products or services so that they can answer the customers' inquiries. Sales associates also assist customers in processing their checkouts, refunds, returns, and other needs. They should be customer-oriented, and they should have great communication skills. They should know how to sell their products or services to customers. They are considered the company's representatives on the ground.

    The fourth career we look at typically earns lower pay than associate sales representatives. On average, sales associates earn a difference of $18,840 lower per year.

    While both associate sales representatives and sales associates complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like product knowledge, sales techniques, and customer satisfaction, the two careers also vary in other skills.

    While some skills are shared by these professions, there are some differences to note. "work ethic," "patients," "excellent interpersonal," and "excellent organizational" are skills that have shown up on associate sales representatives resumes. Additionally, sales associate uses skills like cash handling, retail sales, basic math, and cleanliness on their resumes.

    In general, sales associates make a higher salary in the manufacturing industry with an average of $31,917. The highest associate sales representative annual salary stems from the health care industry.

    The average resume of sales associates showed that they earn similar levels of education to associate sales representatives. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 3.1% less. Additionally, they're less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.6%.

    What Similar Roles Do

    Associate Sales Representative Related Careers

    Associate Sales Representative Related Jobs

    What Similar Roles Do

    Updated October 2, 2020