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What is a commissioned sales associate and how to become one
A commissioned sales associate sells products or services on behalf of a company and earns commission for each sale. They build relationships with clients, identify their needs, and persuade them to make purchases. Commissioned sales associates work in retail, real estate, or other industries and may work to meet performance goals. They need communication skills, product knowledge, and the ability to work independently. Successful commissioned sales associates have a strong work ethic and personal motivation.
What's a day at work look like for a commissioned sales associate?
Joseph Hancock
Research Professor, Program Director, Former Retail Operations Manager, Drexel University, Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Avg. Salary $36,949
Avg. Salary $59,228
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.56%
Asian 7.01%
Black or African American 10.16%
Hispanic or Latino 19.74%
Unknown 5.30%
White 57.23%
Genderfemale 48.45%
male 51.55%
Age - 39American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 39Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a commissioned sales associate?
Pros
Opportunity for career growth and advancement
Possibility of receiving bonuses or incentives
Possibility of building long-term relationships with clients
Exposure to a variety of industries and products
Possibility of receiving recognition and accolades for top performance
Cons
Competition with other sales associates for leads and opportunities
Dependence on external factors such as the economy and market trends
Difficulty in maintaining work-life balance due to irregular schedule and workload
Possibility of dealing with difficult or unresponsive clients
Risk of burnout or job dissatisfaction due to repetitive nature of sales tasks
Commissioned sales associate career paths
Key steps to become a commissioned sales associate
Explore commissioned sales associate education requirements
Start to develop specific commissioned sales associate skills
Skills Percentages Excellent Organizational 30.06% Customer Service 13.79% Customer Relationships 9.69% Sales Floor 7.06% Commission Sales 6.51% Complete relevant commissioned sales associate training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New commissioned sales associates 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 a commissioned sales associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real commissioned sales associate resumes.Research commissioned sales associate duties and responsibilities
- Sell washers, dryers, dishwashers, micro-hoods, and stoves.
- Service and repair domestic electrical and/or gas appliances such as clothes washers, refrigerators, stoves, and dryers.
- Promote home depot credit cards.
- Train to sell refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, ranges and more.
Prepare your commissioned sales associate resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your commissioned sales associate 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 a commissioned sales associate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable commissioned sales associate resume templates
Build a professional commissioned sales associate 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 commissioned sales associate resume.
Apply for commissioned sales associate jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a commissioned sales associate job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first commissioned sales associate job
Are you a commissioned sales associate?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average commissioned sales associate salary
The average commissioned sales associate salary in the United States is $36,949 per year or $18 per hour. Commissioned sales associate salaries range between $23,000 and $57,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do commissioned sales associates rate their job?
Commissioned sales associate reviews
You need to get enough sleep every night—you can’t cheat yourself—because you won’t feel like enjoying yourself if you’re fatigued and you’ll just be spinning your wheels—not a job you can snooze through—you’ve got to give this one your all.
The pay, the competition, the opportunity to relate to all kinds of people, the euphoria of a great day when you were “on top of it,” the instant feedback of whether you’re doing great or not (your sales for that day!).
Updated January 8, 2025
