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Representative vs agent

The differences between representatives and agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an agent has an average salary of $37,864, which is higher than the $36,023 average annual salary of a representative.

The top three skills for a representative include cleanliness, patients and customer issues. The most important skills for an agent are insurance products, customer service, and life insurance.

Representative vs agent overview

RepresentativeAgent
Yearly salary$36,023$37,864
Hourly rate$17.32$18.20
Growth rate-4%6%
Number of jobs252,761184,325
Job satisfaction52
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age4046
Years of experience12-

What does a representative do?

Representatives are lawmakers who represent the people in a specific district. They run for office to represent their districts in their hometown or their current place of living. Representatives are usually charismatic and good communicators. These characteristics are especially important during campaign and election periods. Representatives should be able to capture the hearts of the voters through their planned projects and advocacies. They are then elected by their constituents. Upon election, representatives author bills that will eventually be passed into law should it be approved by the majority of the congress. They also vote on the passage of bills authored by other representatives. They also participate in discussions and debates regarding different bills, issues, and laws. Representatives are expected to vote according to their conscience and in consideration of the voice of their constituents.

What does an agent do?

Agents are individuals who are employed by their clients to represent them in various dealings. Agents are usually employed by people in the show business industry, such as actors, writers, or directors. They meet people who are interested in dealing with their clients. They listen to the plans and vision for the project and assess if the project fits their clients' interests or public image. In the case of agents whose clients are actors, they send their clients to auditions upon review of the project details. Agents are also responsible for negotiating terms on behalf of their clients, such as salary, royalties, and set benefits, among others. They also inform the project leaders of their clients' demands on set. Agents are expected to be business-savvy and good negotiators.

Representative vs agent salary

Representatives and agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

RepresentativeAgent
Average salary$36,023$37,864
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $55,000Between $19,000 And $72,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyGoogleLatham & Watkins
Best paying industryTransportation-

Differences between representative and agent education

There are a few differences between a representative and an agent in terms of educational background:

RepresentativeAgent
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college-University of Pennsylvania

Representative vs agent demographics

Here are the differences between representatives' and agents' demographics:

RepresentativeAgent
Average age4046
Gender ratioMale, 41.8% Female, 58.2%Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 4.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between representative and agent duties and responsibilities

Representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage fitting rooms and recover the department, while providing exceptional customer service and offering rewards and POS options.
  • Manage physical portfolio with necessary derivatives to mitigate risk within company guidelines.
  • Conduct telephone sales and interviews, compile and enter information into database, manage documents and insure customer satisfaction.
  • Review EOB denials, appeals and/or rebilling as appropriate.
  • Certify of all requirements, policies, and procedures, including MSB.
  • Take inbound phone calls from member and providers explaining the EOB denial and payments
    • Show more

Agent example responsibilities.

  • Schedule and meet individuals\groups for assign or self-generate leads, assist and enroll eligible individuals in suitable Medicare product.
  • Verify documentation and coding using CPT and ICD-9 correct coding standards.
  • Assist TANF customers with obtaining employment.
  • Direct compliance with all CPT and Medicare guidelines.
  • Train BDC representatives on phone skills and CRM use.
  • Bill appropriate ICD-9 codes to the correct insurance companies.
    • Show more

Representative vs agent skills

Common representative skills
  • Cleanliness, 20%
  • Patients, 11%
  • Customer Issues, 10%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Outbound Calls, 3%
Common agent skills
  • Insurance Products, 11%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Life Insurance, 8%
  • HR, 6%
  • Inbound Calls, 6%
  • Financial Services, 6%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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