Sales and account representatives - wholesale trade (non-technical)
Career Overview
Sales representatives, wholesale trade (non-technical):
- Sell non-technical goods and services to retail, wholesale, commercial, industrial, professional and other clients domestically and internationally
- Work for establishments that produce or provide goods and services, such as petroleum companies; food, beverage and tobacco producers; clothing manufacturers; motor vehicles and parts manufacturers; hotels; business services firms; and transportation companies
Job Titles
Duties
Sales representatives, wholesale trade (non-technical), perform some or all of the following duties:
- Promote sales to existing clients
- Identify and solicit potential clients
- Provide clients with presentations on the benefits and uses of goods or services
- Estimate or quote prices, credit or contract terms, warranties and delivery dates
- Prepare or oversee preparation of sales or other contracts
- Talk to clients after sale or signed contracts to solve problems and to provide ongoing support
- Review and adapt to information regarding product innovations, competitors and market conditions
- Represent companies that export and import products or services to and from foreign countries
- May conduct sales transactions through internet-based electronic commerce
- May supervise the activities of other sales representatives
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
9,265% Employed Full Time
66%Work generally takes place in a conventional indoor setting.
Career Pathways
Progression to sales management positions is possible with additional training or experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is required
- A university degree or completion of a college or other program may be required
- Experience in sales or in an occupation related to the product or service is usually required
- Fluency in a foreign language and/or foreign country work or travel experience may be required for sales representatives seeking employment with companies that import or export goods or services
- Supervisors and senior sales representatives require experience
- Voluntary certification is available from the Canadian Professional Sales Association
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Convincing others to change their mind or behaviour.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
9,265Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 165 | 1.8% |
| Kootenay | 150 | 1.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 6,815 | 73.6% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 60 | 0.6% |
| Northeast | 55 | 0.6% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 1,015 | 11.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 1,000 | 10.8% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
4,080Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 40 | -0.3% |
| Kootenay | 60 | 0.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 3,130 | 1.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 20 | 0.7% |
| Northeast | 30 | 1.1% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 470 | 0.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 340 | 0.0% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Wholesale Trade | 1,860 |
| Manufacturing | 540 |
| Retail Trade | 350 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 330 |
| Information, Culture and Recreation | 190 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of an account manager is like.
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of an account manager is like.
