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First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers

Under the title First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers, workers directly supervise and coordinate activities of sales workers other than retail sales workers. O*NET rates it as considerable preparation, which usually means a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience. It leans on speaking, monitoring, and management of personnel resources. You may also need to monitor sales staff performance to ensure that goals are met. With a code of ECS, this is mostly a job for people drawn to leading, persuading and making business decisions. Conventional interests also help, rated 5.3 out of 7. It tends to suit people who want leading, persuading and making business decisions, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.

What they do

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of sales workers other than retail sales workers. May perform duties such as budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.

Main tasks

  • Monitor sales staff performance to ensure that goals are met.
  • Provide staff with assistance in performing difficult or complicated duties.
  • Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or performing specific services.
  • Listen to and resolve customer complaints regarding services, products, or personnel.
  • Keep records pertaining to purchases, sales, and requisitions.
  • Hire, train, and evaluate personnel.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Management of Personnel Resources
  • Active Listening
  • Time Management
  • Social Perceptiveness

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and monitoring.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECS takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Customer Service Department Supervisor
  • Customer Service Supervisor
  • Driver Sales Supervisor
  • Information Center Supervisor
  • Inside Sales Supervisor

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.