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all about sales representative jobs.

Are you personable? Do you have a persuasive nature and a strong sense of self-motivation? You may find that a career as a sales representative suits your natural talents and can feel very rewarding. As the name suggests, you will be representing a product or service, convincing other organizations, businesses, and government agencies to buy.

what do sales representative jobs entail?

The purpose of a sales representative is to sell products or services on a much larger scale than, say, a salesperson in a retail store. While the salesperson will be looking to sell individual items, a sales representative looks to secure contracts for large quantities or ongoing fulfilment. To this end, sales representatives may do a lot of travelling out to prospective clients to pitch to them. Sales representatives can also use "cold-calling" to find new clients.

what is a typical work schedule for sales representatives

The typical work schedule for a sales representative is around 40 hours per week, mostly within regular business hours. Being a sales representative can often involve travel, however, and that can lead to some less-standard working hours. There may also be functions to attend that can require unsociable hours, such as meeting clients in the evenings.

what are the pros of sales representative jobs?

• A wide range of choices when it comes to industry: Sales representative is essentially an industry-agnostic profession, as most companies have need of people who can sell their products. This means that an effective sales representative has the opportunity to hone their skills in a range of industries, making it easier to keep work feeling fresh and interesting throughout their career.
• Fosters skills that are useful in personal life: The skills you develop as a sales representative—namely being good at communicating with others—can directly benefit you in your everyday life.
• Degrees are not necessary: While a large number of sales representatives in Canada have a bachelor's degree in something like marketing, it is not critical to getting on this career path. Indeed, somewhere around a fifth of sales representatives in Canada are only educated to high school diploma level.
• High earning potential: The average salary for a sales representative in Canada can seem a little underwhelming at first glance, as it is quite a bit below the national average, but the earning potential in this profession comfortably exceeds that average. In other words, sales representatives who are experienced and good at their job can look forward to high-paying opportunities.

what are the cons of sales representative jobs?

• Salary can be performance-dependent: Though not always the case, your pay as a sales representative is often linked to sales performance. This can be a great motivator for some, but for people who need a reliable income, it can be a lot of added stress to an already stressful job.
• Not suited to introverted people: The very nature of this profession means you will not just be dealing with people on a regular basis, but you will need to be good at dealing with them. You will also often have to take the lead in conversations.
• High competition for work: As the entry requirements to be a sales representative (in terms of education) are relatively low, and as the very nature of the job involves being good at convincing people and being confident, there will be a lot of competition for sales representative jobs.

what are common sales representative interview questions?

When applying for a position as a sales representative, you will face a number of questions, and it's impossible to guess what they might be. That being said, some questions are more likely to crop up often, and while you don't need to think about the answers to questions like "where have you worked?", some questions are more open-ended. Here are some interview questions you should prepare an answer for;

• How are you with people? Ultimately, your effectiveness as a sales representative will depend on how good you are with people. The most convincing sales pitch in the world is unlikely to work if the person being pitched to doesn't like the seller. Your interviewer may also put scenarios to you and ask you how you would handle them.
• What are your biggest weaknesses? Answering this question can seem a little counter-intuitive when you're trying to get hired, but your potential employer knows that nobody is perfect. We all have our weaknesses. The key here is to make sure your employer can see that you are actively working on those weaknesses.
• Where do you see yourself in five years? This question is mostly about gauging your intentions and ambition. Your employer won't want a sales representative who doesn't seem motivated and ambitious, but they might also be reluctant to hire someone who already has one eye on their next job before they've been hired for this one.

sales representative resume and cover letter requirements

Your resume and cover letter should contain all the basic information your employer will need, but also should serve as a strong first impression. Make sure your resume includes the following;

• Name and contact information
• Brief summary of experience/skills
• Employment history
• Education/qualifications
• Awards/certifications
• Examples of accomplishments
• Social media accounts (if work-related)
• Work-related skills

In your cover letter, take the opportunity to expand on things like previous experience and accomplishments. Talk a little about why you feel you will be a good fit for the company and why you want to work there.

what is the job outlook for sales representatives?

In terms of demand, the job outlook for sales representatives is positive in that there will always be a need for people who can sell products and services to other organizations. This can be something of a double-edged sword, however, as the competition for those jobs will be strong, as mentioned above. A good sales representative will be able to move between industries if they choose, but moving out of sales may prove more difficult. It could require gaining new qualifications or retraining, so this career path should not be considered as a stepping stone to any other profession.

what are the different types of sales representative jobs?

Depending on the job, you may find yourself wearing many hats when it comes to types of sales representatives. Indeed, it is probably less common for a sales representative to focus solely on a single aspect of the job than it is for them to handle more than one area. Here are some of the types of sales representatives you will find:

• Telephone sales representative: As the name suggests, telephone sales representatives work over the phone using telemarketing to generate leads or outright sell products or services. This commonly involves cold-calling, where the sales representative works through a large list of potential clients and calls each one up in the hope that they can be persuaded to become a customer.
• Direct sales representative: Direct sales representatives deal with potential clients face-to-face, often so that they can show samples or provide demonstrations. And, of course, turn on the charm. This type of sales representative will often have to travel as part of their job.

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what is the average salary for sales representative?

The average salary for a sales representative in Canada is around $48,000 per year. This is based on a typical working week of 40 hours at an hourly rate of around $25. Entry-level positions start at around $35,000 per year. Of course, both of these are well below the national average salary in Canada, which sits at around $68,000 per year, but the most experienced and talented sales representatives can earn as much as $80,000 per year. Performance-related bonuses can also play a role in your earnings, with especially good years yielding particularly good pay.

average sales representative salaries in canada

• annual: $48,000
• monthly: $4,000
• weekly: $1,000
• hourly: $25

Top paying areas for sales representatives in Canada include: British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

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what are the duties and responsibilities of sales representatives?

Sales representatives' duties and responsibilities all revolve around sales, of course, but depending on the type of sales representative you are, you may have some autonomy over your duties. For sales reps who work on the phone, this may not be the case, however.

• Call potential clients: Telemarketing is a big part of sales, and those sales representatives who are working on the telephone side of things will be responsible for getting through their list of numbers in good time and will be expected to achieve a certain level of success.
• Meet clients: Direct sales representatives will have to meet with clients to make their sales pitches, often using samples or providing demonstrations for the clients in the process. Depending on the type of meeting, this may mean planning events or calling up the clients to organize meetings.
• Hit targets: Both individually and as part of a team, sales representatives usually have targets to achieve. These can be as simple as making a certain volume of calls in a week or involve team-wide goals for reducing customer churn, increasing qualified leads, or any other measurable activity that has been identified as a role requirement.

where do sales representatives typically work?

For the most part, sales representatives work in office environments, meaning climate-controlled buildings. For sales representatives that do face-to-face work, there will be some travelling involved, and the type of product or service being sold will have an impact on the environment you are working in. For example, a sales representative selling office stationery will mostly find themselves visiting offices, whereas a sales rep selling industrial equipment will visit a lot of factories and other industrial settings.

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what skills and competencies do sales representatives need?

Sales representatives need a few core competencies to be good at their job. Fortunately, all of these are things that can be learned or improved with time and practice. They include:

• Customer service skills: While you will not be working as a customer support operative, much of your role will require the same care when dealing with clients. Being able to handle hostile attitudes is a must for any good sales representative.
• Schedule flexibility: As mentioned, there can be a lot of travel when you are a sales representative, and that can sometimes mean early mornings or late evenings, so the ability to be flexible with your schedule will be important.
• Communications skills: Good communication skills are essential for a sales representative. Having the best product in the world is no use to a sales representative that can't adequately communicate those advantages to their potential clients.
• Persistence: Sales takes a lot of persistence, particularly when it comes to telemarketing. If you are the kind of person who is easily demotivated when you are not making headway, this may be a tough profession for you.
• Persuasiveness: This one is pretty self-explanatory, but in order to be effective as a sales representative, you need to be able to persuade your clients.

what training and certifications do sales representatives need?

There are no mandatory certifications or qualifications necessary to become a sales representative, and many organizations won't require anything more than experience if that. Naturally, the more qualified and experienced you are, the better your chances of getting a role (and the higher your salary could be), but entry-level positions can be had with nothing more than a high school diploma. That being said, the majority of sales representatives working in Canada do have a bachelor's degree in marketing or something similar, so this may be something you should consider if you want to pursue this career.

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