Retail Sales Associate Jobs

Retail sales associate jobs are responsible for selling products to customers and answering any questions that they may have about the merchandise as well as handling the sales transaction. Customers may also go to sales associates for returns, exchanges, and to use any coupons or discounts. Retail sales associate jobs work the standard 40 hour work weeks with possible evening and weekend shifts a possibility depending on the employer.

The minimum educational requirement is at least a high school diploma for sales associate careers. Larger businesses typically have more formal training in classes for their new employees while workers at smaller establishments may have managers, supervisors, or more experienced sales associates give on the job training about the polices and procedures and techniques on how to interact with customers. Employers also tend to hire individuals with exceptional interpersonal communication skills with an eye for detail.

In 2006, there were 4.5 million workers employed in a variety of retail establishments. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics there will be a 12 percent increase in the employment of retail sales associate jobs during the 2006 to 2016 decade. This rate will be very close to the national average for all occupations with growth being attributed to employers needing to employ qualified workers to assist customers with making purchases within their establishments. Employers also tend to hire workers that have previous sales experience. Additional employment will come from workers that will need to be replaced as they change careers or exit the work force entirely.   

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