Every day is different, but it's a balance between document preparation, research on various space technologies, and mitigating client expectations. It's a lot of balancing several projects in various states of completion at one time, so essentially we're talking about project management. Something that I take upon myself to do (because I'm Type-A sometimes) is constantly think about how I can make my job easier and also save taxpayers money at the same time.
CAREER
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$86,650
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+4.1% (slower than the average)
Most Common Level of Education
Bachelor's degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products 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.
Other Job Titles Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products May Have
Inside Sales Representative, Marketing Representative, Sales Representative
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
I'm essentially the communication channel between the customer and the service center. My days consist of quoting customers on damage repairs to their trucks, managing accounts, visiting customers, and handling problems.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- 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.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Bachelor's degree (40%)
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college, no degree
Bachelor's degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Majors Related to Career
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
High School
Associates
Bachelor
Business Administration and Management, General
Suggested Path
High School
Bachelor
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Graduate
Small Business Administration/Man...
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. This cannot be stated enough. Learning how to make people feel like you're on their side is everything, and learning how to negotiate with people is key. Also, the ability to think outside the box and continually think about how to re-organize things to make them better is highly valued in any industry. Learn Lean Six Sigma.
Analytical skills and big picture thinking skills are very helpful in this role. Computer and technical skills are also important for business and logistics because it involves information systems.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
High School Students
Determine if you like Math, Science and problem solving. Talk to your guidance counselor at school and other adults to see if you can talk to and shadow several different engineers/account managers to see if this is something you would like to do. Determine if you like customer service, i.e. working with people.
College Students
Everyone
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
