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Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products

Under the title Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products, workers sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers where technical or scientific knowledge is required in such areas as biology, engineering, chemistry, and electronics, normally obtained from at least 2 years of postsecondary education. Expect to negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements. With a code of ECI, this is mostly a job for people drawn to leading, persuading and making business decisions. Conventional interests also help, rated 5.1 out of 7. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in speaking, persuasion, and active listening helps most here. 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

Sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers where technical or scientific knowledge is required in such areas as biology, engineering, chemistry, and electronics, normally obtained from at least 2 years of postsecondary education.

Main tasks

  • Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements.
  • Prepare and submit sales contracts for orders.
  • Visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales.
  • Maintain customer records, using automated systems.
  • Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, or credit terms.
  • Quote prices, credit terms, or other bid specifications.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Persuasion
  • Active Listening
  • Negotiation
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Service Orientation

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 persuasion.

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 1.4 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 ECI 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

  • Inside Sales Representative
  • Marketing Representative
  • Sales Representative

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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.