What is a sales/stock associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Meegan Feori Ph.D.

A sales/stock associate is a retail worker responsible for stocking shelves, assisting customers, and completing sales transactions. They may work in a variety of settings such as grocery stores, department stores, or specialty shops. Sales/stock associates are expected to have strong communication skills and be knowledgeable about the products they are selling. Overall, a sales/stock associate is an integral part of the retail industry, ensuring that customers have a positive shopping experience.

What general advice would you give to a sales/stock 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.

ScoreSales/Stock AssociateUS Average

Salary

2.4

Avg. Salary $30,494

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.1

Growth rate 1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.98%

Asian 6.96%

Black or African American 10.32%

Hispanic or Latino 22.76%

Unknown 5.56%

White 53.41%

Gender

female 34.20%

male 65.80%

Age - 35

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 - 35

Stress level

7.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a sales/stock associate?

Pros

Opportunity to earn commission
Chance to interact with customers and build relationships
Opportunities for advancement within the company
Ability to develop valuable skills such as sales, customer service, and inventory management
Flexible scheduling options

Cons

Physically demanding work, including lifting and moving heavy items
Long hours, including weekends and holidays
Dealing with difficult customers or situations
High stress environment during peak sales periods
Low starting pay for entry-level positions

Key steps to become a sales/stock associate

Explore sales/stock associate education requirements

Most common sales/stock associate degrees

High School Diploma

45.9 %

Bachelor's

22.5 %

Associate

18.1 %

Start to develop specific sales/stock associate skills

Skills	Percentages
Kids	39.70%
Store Locations	20.44%
Store Shelves	7.37%
Stock Room	5.63%
Stock Shelves	3.28%

Complete relevant sales/stock associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New sales/stock 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 sales/stock associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real sales/stock associate resumes.

Research sales/stock associate duties and responsibilities

Supervise women's department, manage jewelry department, assist customers on finalizing purchases
Stock shelves with books using RF technology.
Scan inventory into system using a RF scanner.
Can operate a POS system cash register and count the money to ensure the correct amount.

Prepare your sales/stock associate resume

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

Build a professional sales/stock 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 sales/stock associate resume.

Apply for sales/stock associate jobs

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

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Sales/stock associate reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022

Cons

Finding enough opportunities in my local area to sustain 32 hours.

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2022

Cons

Pay is usually not that good Most of the management of these companies is a complete joke

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.