How To Become A General Sales Associate: What It Is and Career Path

What is a general sales associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Meegan Feori Ph.D.,

Joseph Hancock

The general sales associate is a title used most commonly by workers who communicate with consumers and assist them on a regular basis. These staff can normally be seen in shops such as clothing stores, malls, and other retail stores. They often stock product racks, put price tags on products, and address customer questions. In addition, they can station in the different parts of the store like the cash register.

General sales associates serve as the public face of the stores. They should be really good at dealing with customer inquiries and must have an extensive knowledge of the products and services being offered, so it is very important to continuously learn and update their information. Aside from managing the store, they are also responsible for handling customer complaints while adhering to the company's policies.

Most employers require applicants to have basic qualifications like a high school diploma or equivalent. However, in some cases, current high school students may be hired for part-time positions. General sales associates typically have little to no experience or training. The average hourly pay for this position ranges from $8.37 to $11.15 depending on the size and years of experience in the field.

What general advice would you give to a general sales associate?

Meegan Feori Ph.D.

Associate Professor, San Diego Mesa College

Consider your career in terms of what you are willing to do right now to support yourself and be self-sufficient. During the last recession, I was underemployed, working as a part-time pool lifeguard and making funnel cakes at a local amusement park. Not ideal, but with my funds running low, it was necessary. A third part-time position I had, updating apparel tech packs, did pave my way to a full-time job in the fashion industry. So hustle and be flexible. Also, take time to consider what you can do to create opportunities for yourself. This could include an internship, volunteering, taking a warehouse position at a fashion brand, or completing a class that interests you. The best advice I was ever given was to keep pursuing your goals and accept that what you will be doing in ten years will be better than you ever imagined. The advice came true for me, and I think it will be true for you as well.

ScoreGeneral Sales AssociateUS Average

Salary

2.3

Avg. Salary $29,328

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

7.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 7.15%

Black or African American 9.64%

Hispanic or Latino 18.49%

Unknown 5.63%

White 58.36%

Gender

female 39.84%

male 60.16%

Age - 39

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 - 39

Stress level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.5

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.5

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a general sales associate

Explore general sales associate education requirements

Most common general sales associate degrees

Bachelor's

35.8 %

High School Diploma

31.0 %

Associate

19.5 %

Start to develop specific general sales associate skills

Skills	Percentages
POS	15.17%
Work Ethic	14.14%
Food Preparation	11.18%
PowerPoint	9.74%
Customer Service	9.52%

Complete relevant general sales associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New general 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 general sales associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real general sales associate resumes.

Research general sales associate duties and responsibilities

Supervise women's department, manage jewelry department, assist customers on finalizing purchases
Exhibit rudimentary math skills and advance communication skills when efficiently cashiering in a fast pace environment.
Perform minor repairs on Kohl's jewelry like changing watch batteries and removing watch links.

Prepare your general sales associate resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your general 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 general 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 general sales associate resume templates

Build a professional general 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 general sales associate resume.

Apply for general sales associate jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a general 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 do general sales associates rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

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1 star

General sales associate reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2021

Pros

I like mostly that I work with team oriented people. Some people that care and will help and that help others whether it's work related or not. That have good employee morale amongst each other not necessarily management but amongst each other.

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020