Management trainee vs sales lead/sales associate

The differences between management trainees and sales lead/sales associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a management trainee and a sales lead/sales associate. Additionally, a management trainee has an average salary of $48,477, which is higher than the $31,954 average annual salary of a sales lead/sales associate.

The top three skills for a management trainee include enterprise management, management training and customer service. The most important skills for a sales lead/sales associate are POS, cash control, and customer service.

Management trainee vs sales lead/sales associate overview

	Management Trainee	Sales Lead/Sales Associate
Yearly salary	$48,477	$31,954
Hourly rate	$23.31	$15.36
Growth rate	-8%	-
Number of jobs	88,275	882,220
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 81%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	6	6

What does a management trainee do?

A management trainee's responsibilities will vary in the assigned industry or department. Most of the time, they function as administrative support where the tasks include processing documents and keeping records, preparing presentations, and analyzing reports. There are also instances when a management trainee must take part in implementing policies, crafting strategies, and observe in handling revenue and budget reports. Furthermore, a management trainee works under the supervision of a manager or supervisor, and it is essential to adhere to all policies and regulations at all times.

What does a sales lead/sales associate do?

Sales lead and sales associates are two different sales positions in the retail industry. A sales lead is in charge of supervising the sales department. Sales leads perform administrative duties like recruiting and training staff, monitoring inventories, and maintaining sales performance. On the other hand, sales associates guide potential customers to acquire the products or services that fit their needs. The associates notify clients of sales promotions then present to them the product or service. Employees for these positions are looking for candidates with relevant experience in sales and related degrees like marketing and sales.

Management trainee vs sales lead/sales associate salary

Management trainees and sales lead/sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Management Trainee	Sales Lead/Sales Associate
Average salary	$48,477	$31,954
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $61,000	Between $17,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New York
Best paying company	BNSF Railway	Google
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Retail

Differences between management trainee and sales lead/sales associate education

There are a few differences between a management trainee and a sales lead/sales associate in terms of educational background:

	Management Trainee	Sales Lead/Sales Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 81%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Management trainee vs sales lead/sales associate demographics

Here are the differences between management trainees' and sales lead/sales associates' demographics:

	Management Trainee	Sales Lead/Sales Associate
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 61.8% Female, 38.2%	Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 7.6% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between management trainee and sales lead/sales associate duties and responsibilities

Management trainee example responsibilities.

Manage internal marketing programs including telemarketing and email campaigns to increase customer activity.
Manage payroll, payments, social security calculations, all administrative functions and vacation rolls coordination.
Develop management and leadership principles while managing, training, and motivating employees in fast-pace, high-volume sales/customer service business.
Develop workforce management, inventory management, leadership, time-management and prioritization skills through working closely with store and department management.
Perform successful sales in roofing and general construction.
Create Instagram and Facebook posts having to do with new clothing shipments.

Sales lead/sales associate example responsibilities.

Partner in managing operations of multiple retail outlets, including hiring, performance management, scheduling, and merchandising management.
Complete customer transactions using POS register system and fraud security protocol.
Monitor inventory accountability by physically checking inventory, running inventory reports, receiving shipments, and completing transfers in the POS.
Demonstrate strong leadership, communication and supervisory skills by providing coaching and feedback to maximize individual and store performance.

Management trainee vs sales lead/sales associate skills

Common management trainee skills

Enterprise Management, 14%
Management Training, 11%
Customer Service, 9%
Product Knowledge, 8%
Cash Management, 5%
Store Training, 4%

Common sales lead/sales associate skills

POS, 16%
Cash Control, 13%
Customer Service, 9%
Bank Deposits, 8%
Inventory Control, 8%
Sales Transactions, 7%

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Management Trainee vs Sales Lead/Sales Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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