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Manager trainee vs sales lead/sales associate

The differences between managers trainee 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 manager trainee and a sales lead/sales associate. Additionally, a manager trainee has an average salary of $49,193, which is higher than the $31,954 average annual salary of a sales lead/sales associate.

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

Manager trainee vs sales lead/sales associate overview

Manager TraineeSales Lead/Sales Associate
Yearly salary$49,193$31,954
Hourly rate$23.65$15.36
Growth rate6%-
Number of jobs38,663882,220
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age4343
Years of experience66

What does a manager trainee do?

A manager trainee's primary function is to observe and gain practical experience from working with senior staff or managers and following their daily directives. Most of the tasks will be administrative support related, which will involve preparing reports and assessments, keeping and updating records, creating presentations, and crafting strategies alongside supervising officers. Furthermore, a manager trainee must attend training sessions, meetings, and workshops to learn more about managerial duties. It is also essential to understand and uphold all policies and regulations of the company, implementing them when the time comes.

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.

Manager trainee vs sales lead/sales associate salary

Managers trainee and sales lead/sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Manager TraineeSales Lead/Sales Associate
Average salary$49,193$31,954
Salary rangeBetween $36,000 And $66,000Between $17,000 And $57,000
Highest paying CityProvidence, RINew York, NY
Highest paying stateRhode IslandNew York
Best paying companySeneca FoodsGoogle
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalRetail

Differences between manager trainee and sales lead/sales associate education

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

Manager TraineeSales Lead/Sales Associate
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at DelhiSUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Manager trainee vs sales lead/sales associate demographics

Here are the differences between managers trainee' and sales lead/sales associates' demographics:

Manager TraineeSales Lead/Sales Associate
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 63.2% Female, 36.8%Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 7.3% White, 61.8% 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 Percentage9%9%

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

Manager trainee example responsibilities.

  • Manage the appearance of the store in conjunction with the store priorities to present a desirable image of Aldi.
  • Work in a fast-pace environment where multitasking and stress management is essential.
  • Improve sanitation, cleanliness, and customer experience exceeding such levels maintain by previous management.
  • Train within the organization on various aspects regarding leadership, merchandising, customer service, inventory, profit/loss and civic responsibility.
  • Talk about ADT and UPT with the employees every morning and night.
  • Provide team support such as weekly contests to motivate increase UPT performance.
  • Show more

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.

Manager trainee vs sales lead/sales associate skills

Common manager trainee skills
  • Management, 30%
  • Management Position, 20%
  • Store Management, 17%
  • Inventory Management, 16%
  • Leadership, 5%
  • Customer Complaints, 1%
Common sales lead/sales associate skills
  • POS, 16%
  • Cash Control, 13%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Bank Deposits, 8%
  • Inventory Control, 8%
  • Sales Transactions, 7%