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Senior sales associate vs general sales associate

The differences between senior sales associates and general sales associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior sales associate has an average salary of $53,906, which is higher than the $29,328 average annual salary of a general sales associate.

The top three skills for a senior sales associate include customer service, product knowledge and phone calls. The most important skills for a general sales associate are POS, work ethic, and food preparation.

Senior sales associate vs general sales associate overview

Senior Sales AssociateGeneral Sales Associate
Yearly salary$53,906$29,328
Hourly rate$25.92$14.10
Growth rate--
Number of jobs420,823383,009
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age4141
Years of experience--

What does a senior sales associate do?

A senior sales associate is responsible for overseeing the operations in a retail establishment's sales floor. They reach out to customers and respond to inquiries, help them obtain the product they are looking for, or recommend other goods should it be necessary. As a senior sales associate, they are in charge of mentoring less experienced colleagues and shaping them into more competent workforce members. They must also implement sales policies and regulations, devise strategies to reach sales targets, find new opportunities to strengthen client base, produce reports, and maintain inventory.

What does a general sales associate do?

The job of a general sales associate is to provide great customer service and increase the revenue of a business. They sell products and services and help customers find the right product. Depending on the retail store, their responsibilities may involve organizing store shelves, answering customers' questions, ringing up purchases, operating the cash register, and greeting customers. They may also be expected to take full charge of the managing of all financial transactions and balancing drawers.

Senior sales associate vs general sales associate salary

Senior sales associates and general sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Sales AssociateGeneral Sales Associate
Average salary$53,906$29,328
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $128,000Between $21,000 And $39,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaHawaii
Best paying companyGoldman SachsKaufman Dolowich & Voluck
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalAutomotive

Differences between senior sales associate and general sales associate education

There are a few differences between a senior sales associate and a general sales associate in terms of educational background:

Senior Sales AssociateGeneral Sales Associate
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Senior sales associate vs general sales associate demographics

Here are the differences between senior sales associates' and general sales associates' demographics:

Senior Sales AssociateGeneral Sales Associate
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 46.3% Female, 53.7%Male, 60.2% Female, 39.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 7.4% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 7.2% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between senior sales associate and general sales associate duties and responsibilities

Senior sales associate example responsibilities.

  • Manage organizational standards, cleanliness of store and safety procedures/policies; manage and maintain store appearance, provide exceptional customer service.
  • Operate POS and administrative computer systems.
  • Receive new product and incorporate it into current inventory via POS inventory management system.
  • Maintain retail garden center through daily cleanliness and product up-keep and display including pruning/dead-heading product.
  • Partner in managing operations of multiple retail outlets, including hiring, performance management, scheduling, and merchandising management.
  • Demonstrate strong leadership, communication and supervisory skills by providing coaching and feedback to maximize individual and store performance.

General sales associate example responsibilities.

  • Supervise women's department, manage jewelry department, assist customers on finalizing purchases
  • Exhibit rudimentary math skills and advance communication skills when efficiently cashiering in a fast pace environment.
  • Perform minor repairs on Kohl's jewelry like changing watch batteries and removing watch links.

Senior sales associate vs general sales associate skills

Common senior sales associate skills
  • Customer Service, 17%
  • Product Knowledge, 10%
  • Phone Calls, 9%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 8%
  • Cleanliness, 6%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
Common general sales associate skills
  • POS, 15%
  • Work Ethic, 14%
  • Food Preparation, 11%
  • PowerPoint, 10%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Lead Generation, 9%