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Account Manager, Broker, Manufacturer’s Sales Representative, Sales Broker, Salesperson
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
| Starting | $22.97 |
|---|---|
| Overall | $29.35 |
| Top | $38.53 |
Interest in persuading to promote sales to existing clients; in providing clients with presentations on the benefits and uses of goods and services; and in representing companies that export and import products or services to and from foreign countries
Interest in compiling information to identify and solicit potential clients
Interest in overseeing the preparation of sales and other contracts; may supervise the activities of other sales representatives
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Wholesale, nontechnical sales representatives are referred to more simply as sales representatives throughout this profile. Their duties and responsibilities vary depending on the types of goods and services they sell. Sales representatives may work for:
In general, sales representatives:
Sales representatives often work long or irregular hours. They may spend portions of each day travelling or be away from home for days at a time. They may have to carry bulky samples or heavy bundles of product catalogues. Sales representatives also may need to set up home offices.
Sales representatives need:
They should enjoy meeting new people, selling goods or services, identifying and approaching potential customers, and overseeing the preparation of sales contracts.
The minimum education requirement for sales representative positions is a high school diploma. However, many employers prefer to hire people with related experience or a business-related post-secondary diploma or degree. Basic computer skills and a valid driver’s license are definite assets.
Many large organizations have some form of training program for newly hired sales representatives. They may train new employees by:
Sales representatives must keep up with new products, services, and sales methods as well as with technological and other changes affecting their customers’ companies.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
For a broad list of programs and courses that may be related to this occupation try searching using keywords.
There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.
Sales representatives work for organizations such as:
Advancement for experienced sales representatives may involve transfers to larger sales territories, or territories with greater sales opportunities or annual expenditures. Successful sales representatives may stay in sales or advance to sales management positions. They may also move into marketing or become independent manufacturers’ agents, who sell the products of more than one manufacturer.
In Alberta, 76% of wholesale trade, non-technical sales representatives work in the following industries:
The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the G111: Sales Representatives Wholesale Trade (NonTechnical) occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 1.8% from 2016 to 2020. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 547 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Sales representatives’ earnings vary greatly and are often directly related to their job performance. Most employers offer a combination of salary plus commission or bonus. As a result, many individuals in this profession earn a commission-based income. (A commission is a percentage of the price of each article or service sold. Bonuses may be tied to individual performance, the performance of all sales workers in a group, or the company’s performance overall.)
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $15.00 | $38.81 | $22.97 | $19.67 |
| Overall | $16.50 | $46.65 | $29.35 | $26.28 |
| Top | $16.50 | $69.71 | $38.53 | $35.00 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Leasing | $77,570 |
|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | $71,044 |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $69,845 |
| Construction | $64,704 |
| Manufacturing | $59,975 |
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $59,772 |
| Wholesale Trade | $58,883 |
| Accommodation & Food Services | $57,004 |
| Other Services (Repair, Personal Services and Related) | $50,317 |
| Retail Trade | $49,474 |
| Agriculture | $37,681 |
Canadian Professional Sales Association website: www.cpsa.com
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Updated Mar 31, 2020. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.