- Featured in:
Senior sales associates work in a retail setting. They are responsible for answering customer questions and selling products to meet their sales goals. They typically have a few years of sales experience and are usually being groomed for a management position. They may cover for managers while they’re on break and also may have a key to the store. Senior sales associates can find employment in any industry that has a physical store. Textiles and home improvement are the two largest employers of senior sales associates. They can also find jobs in other industries, such as telecommunications, electronics, and automotive. Since they work in retail, they rarely sit down during their shift. Senior sales associates usually work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for retail workers, which includes senior sales associates, is set to grow 2 percent through 2026.
If you are having writers block, our resume examples can help. Choose from hundreds of job titles to find the right example for your needs.
Boost your resume with an extra click. Our cover letter templates match our resume templates’ designs for a cohesive application. Use a template in our builder to help you quantify and expand upon the experience from your resume and impress employers.
Senior Sales Associate Duties and Responsibilities
Senior sales associates must complete many different tasks during their shifts. We perused several senior sales associate job descriptions to procure the following list of the most common senior sales associate duties and responsibilities:
Train New Employees on Sales and Visual Standards
Since senior sales associates have years of experience, one of their primary responsibilities is training new employees on company sales techniques and visual standards.
Collaborate with Stock Team to Process Shipment for Sales Floor
Senior sales associates are responsible for identifying products that need to be filled throughout the day and coordinating with the stock team to restock those products.
Assist Customers with Finding Products on Sales Floor
Senior sales associates know the sales floor inside and out. They walk the sales floor each shift to make note of price and spatial changes.
Answer Customer Questions Regarding Features and Benefits
Senior sales associates must be on point when it comes to current promotions, features, and benefits of each product. They also must be able to answer basic questions about how each product works and how long it will last.
Reset Sales Floor to Visual Standard at End of Sales Day
Senior sales associates are responsible for leading junior associates in maintaining the company's visual standard. They also help management make floor moves when visual standards change.
Process Customer Transactions
Senior sales associates process customer transactions using point of sale software. They also have the authority to process exchanges and returns. They also explain promotions and add on additional items at checkout.
Senior Sales Associate Skills
Senior sales associates possess product knowledge. This knowledge varies in complexity depending on the industry. Those who have a passionate curiosity towards their industry do best in this position. Senior sales associates also need basic math and technology skills to operate the point of sale software. Senior sales associates must exhibit leadership qualities. They are expected to use their experience to mentor new employees and help grow their sales skills. They must also have patience and positive demeanor. In addition to these traits and areas of knowledge, the following skills are needed to get a job as a senior sales associate:
- Training new employees using product and company knowledge
- Teaching new employees sales strategies through leading by example
- Processing customer transactions
- Building rapport with customers
- Closing sales and adding additional items through the use of various sales techniques
Senior Sales Associate Tools of the Trade
Price gun and scanner – used to check prices and make price labels
Point of sale software – used to process transactions
Senior Sales Associate Education and Training
There are no official education requirements to become a senior sales associate besides the possession of a high school diploma. More important for this role is a few years of experience as a sales associate.
Senior Sales Associate Salary
According to Glassdoor, the national average salary for senior sales associates is $28,353. Those on the high end make $85,000, while those at the low end make $22,000. The big gap is due to variations in commission structures.
Senior Sales Associate Resources
The following list of resources is for those interested in becoming a senior sales associate:
National Association of Sales Professionals
This is the largest organization of sales professionals worldwide. Its local and national conferences provide great networking opportunities.
Hubspot Sales Blog
Hubspot is one of the most established online publications in the sales and marketing niche. Its sales blog is filled with all types of sales tips and coverage of the latest sales trends.
The Perfect Close: The Secret to Closing Sales
This book teaches a closing system that is simple, yet successful. The author also explains why many traditional closing strategies no longer work in today's sales climate.
The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation
This book is a comprehensive study of what makes a successful salesperson. The author breaks salespeople down into five profiles, then explains why one profile, the challenger, is more successful than the rest.
The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful People
Stephan Schiffman draws on more than 30 years of sales experience and his large network of successful sellers to craft this list of 25 sales habits every senior sales associate should have.
Senior Sales Associate Resume Help
Explore these related job titles from our database of hundreds of thousands of expert-approved resume samples:
