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Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel

The occupation Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel covers people who sell services to individuals or businesses. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on speaking, active listening, and reading comprehension. The job can ask you to consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and provide ongoing support. The strongest interest signal is Enterprising (6.7 of 7), then Conventional (5.1) and Social, which gives it the code ECS. It tends to suit people who want leading, persuading and making business decisions, and it offers little for anyone seeking hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.

What they do

Sell services to individuals or businesses. May describe options or resolve client problems.

Main tasks

  • Consult with clients after sales or contract signings to resolve problems and provide ongoing support.
  • Answer customers' questions about services, prices, availability, or credit terms.
  • Develop sales presentations or proposals to explain service specifications.
  • Create forms or agreements to complete sales.
  • Contact prospective or existing customers to discuss how services can meet their needs.
  • Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Writing
  • 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 want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and active listening.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 1.1 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

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

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Also called

  • National Sales Executive
  • Sales Representative (Sales Rep)

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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.