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The differences between investment representatives and direct sales agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an investment representative and a direct sales agent. Additionally, an investment representative has an average salary of $65,361, which is higher than the $57,712 average annual salary of a direct sales agent.
The top three skills for an investment representative include money management, mutual funds and financial services. The most important skills for a direct sales agent are customer service, medicare, and health insurance.
| Investment Representative | Direct Sales Agent | |
| Yearly salary | $65,361 | $57,712 |
| Hourly rate | $31.42 | $27.75 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 35,914 | 225,552 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Investment representatives, also known as financial advisers, usually work in a bank, investment company, credit institution, or other financial firm. They handle the marketing and promotion of financial services and give clients investment advice. They do this is the phone or through face-to-face transactions. This position requires someone to be customer-oriented, communicate effectively, and know how to handle a crisis.
A direct sales agent is primarily responsible for introducing and selling products or services to clients in a particular area. Aiming to reach sales quotas, they typically conduct market research and analysis, generate leads, and develop sales strategies to build positive client relationships. They reach out directly to clients through calls or face-to-face interactions, discuss product specifications or promos, negotiate contracts, and demonstrate products when necessary. They are also responsible for processing client orders and payments, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction.
Investment representatives and direct sales agents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Investment Representative | Direct Sales Agent | |
| Average salary | $65,361 | $57,712 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $112,000 | Between $30,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | American Century Investments | TechnipFMC |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between an investment representative and a direct sales agent in terms of educational background:
| Investment Representative | Direct Sales Agent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between investment representatives' and direct sales agents' demographics:
| Investment Representative | Direct Sales Agent | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.1% Female, 27.9% | Male, 58.0% Female, 42.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 9.9% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 9.3% White, 68.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |