What Is a Sales Associate Job Description & How To Write One in 2022?
Hiring is a tedious and resource-consuming process and it is always in everyone’s best interest to get the job done right the first time around.
Studies show that a bad hire can cost an employer between 15% to 21% of the role’s salary and the average time to hire for 70% of companies is 1-4 months.
But, if the job description that your company includes in the listing is not competent, the time required to process the number of not-so-qualified applicants will only double up.
This means your sales associate job description must specify the requirements and responsibilities of the role efficiently to attract the right candidates and reduce time-to-hire.
Furthermore, a well-written sales associate job description can also be used to gauge the applicant’s performance once they get on with the role.
Read on to get more insight into the sales associate job description and related questions like the following:
- What is a sales associate job description?
- Why is writing a good sales associate job description important?
- How to write a sales associate job description?
- What are the responsibilities of a sales associate?
What Is a Retail Sales Associate Job Description?
A sales associate job description is an official description of the roles, responsibilities, requirements, and other qualifications listed by an employer for the sales associate position.
Although they are generally written as part of a job listing to provide information to interested candidates about the role of a sales associate, their uses go beyond that.
For instance, the sales associate job description can be used to train recruits and identify which areas in terms of knowledge, skills, or qualifications the recruit might require additional training.
So, what does a sales associate do?
Sales associates are responsible for catering to customer needs and clarifying any queries that customers may have about the company’s products or services.
These professionals are generally employed by retail stores and their duties also include ensuring optimum customer satisfaction and driving sales.
Also Read: What are some good examples of a job description?
Why Is Writing a Good Sales Associate Job Description Important?
A well-defined sales associate job description not only clarifies the employer’s expectations, but also provides a pertinent outline of the goals and objectives of the role for potential employees.
It serves as the first point of contact between your company and the prospective employees and helps your listing stand out from thousands of other listings for the role of a sales associate.
Listed below are some reasons why your sales associate job description must be detailed and well thought out:
- Helps attract only the most qualified candidates for the role
- Provides an insight into the company’s work culture and vision
- Serves as the basis for measuring job performance and accountability
- Provides clarity on the responsibilities of the role irrespective of the supervisor’s interpretation
- Facilitates pay and grading systems to be structured practically
- Serves as a reference basis in case of disputes related to the job responsibilities
- Can be used to gauge performance during performance reviews, appraisals, and training
How to Write a Sales Associate Job Description?
Given below are some tips that will help you write an effective sales associate job description:
Specify the Job Title
The job title in the job description allows the applicants to find and apply to your listing. Avoid using internal jargon that can confuse job seekers and stick to simple language.
For instance, writing “grade 7” to denote seniority might confuse applicants so stick to plain adverbs like senior or junior.
And while most people use the job titles of sales associate and sales representative interchangeably, there is a major difference between the two.
Sales associates work in a B2C (business to customer) function, meaning they sell products and services directly to the customers. Whereas sales representatives are employed in a B2B (business to business) function, where their clients are other businesses.
Therefore, it is important to know the difference between the two and specifically mention sales associate as the job title in your job description.
Write an Insightful Job Overview
The job overview in your sales associate job description must highlight how the role fits into the organization and tell the applicants about your company’s work culture and management style.
Does your retail company have a fast-paced work environment? What is your company’s mission statement? Why should job seekers want to work in your company?
Including such details will help your listing stand out from others and help attract candidates who resonate with your company’s work style so that they are less likely to quit in a few months.
Include an In-depth List of Duties
The job duties are a crucial part of your sales associate job description. Ensure the list of responsibilities is concise yet informative.
Also, apart from the general duties, highlight the duties that are unique to your company. For instance, if your company uses specific CRM (customer relationship management) tools like Sales Gamification and Groove, and being familiar with these tools is a requirement, highlight the same.
Some of the general sales associate job responsibilities include:
- Greeting customers and responding to their product or service queries
- Managing financial transactions and maintaining records for the same
- Operating cash registers and balancing drawers at every shift
- Achieving sales quota and ensuring optimum customer satisfaction
- Maintaining product or service knowledge and resolving customer complaints
- Introducing promotional offers and cross-selling products to customers
- Maintaining inventory and accurate sales & invoice records
- Building rapport and trusting relationships with customers
Mention the Requirements
Including a detailed list of qualifications, skills, and experience requirements for the role is an essential part of your sales associate job description.
Specify the education, technical & soft skills, certifications, and the minimum years of relevant experience required for the job.
You can also include any personality traits required for the role, like people skills and related skills.
Some of the standard requirements that you can include in your sales associate job description are as follows:
- 2+ years of work experience as a sales associate or a related field
- Proficiency in using MS Office suite
- Familiarity with BRM and CRM tools and software
- Self-motivated and target-driven attitude with a proven track record in meeting sales quotas
- Excellent negotiation, selling, and communication skills
- Good time management and organizational skills
- Bachelor’s or an associate degree in business or a related field
Key Points from the Blog
- Your sales associate job description must efficiently specify the role’s requirements and responsibilities to attract the right candidates and reduce time-to-hire.
- A sales associate job description is an official description of the roles, responsibilities, requirements, and other qualifications listed by an employer for a sales associate position.
- Sales associates are responsible for catering to customer needs and clarifying any queries that customers may have about the company’s products or services.
- A well-defined sales associate job description not only clarifies the employer’s expectations but also provides a pertinent outline of the goals and objectives of the role for potential employees.
- The job overview in your sales associate job description must highlight how the role fits into the organization and tell the applicants about your company’s work culture and management style.
- The list of duties and responsibilities in your sales associate job description must be concise yet informative.
- Specify the education, technical & soft skills, certifications, and minimum years of relevant experience required for your sales associate job description.
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