Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products

These sales professionals focus on selling complex goods that require scientific or technical understanding, such as electronics, chemicals, biology, or engineering products. On a daily basis, their work centers on establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships, communicating with people outside the organization, and selling or influencing others. They spend significant time getting information, resolving conflicts, negotiating with others, and making decisions to solve customer problems.

Success in this field requires strong skills in persuasion, speaking, active listening, and social perceptiveness. Representatives must have a solid foundation in sales and marketing, customer service, computers, and engineering and technology. Because the work is highly enterprising, representatives rely on work styles like perseverance, initiative, self-confidence, and achievement orientation to meet their goals. They must also plan and prioritize their own work while keeping up with technological developments through intellectual curiosity.

To enter this career, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree. Most positions require considerable preparation, which includes a college degree combined with several years of work experience in a related field. Students often prepare by majoring in general sales or merchandising and related marketing operations.

While not always mandatory, some states list licensing requirements for this work. Professionals can also earn voluntary certifications to demonstrate their expertise. Examples of these credentials include the Business of Retail certification from the National Retail Federation Foundation, the Certified Customer Service Specialist from ETA International, and the Certified Sales Professional from the National Ground Water Association. Other specialized options include the Certified Security Salesperson, Certified Weighing Salespersons, and the Certified Welding Sales Representative credentials.

The median annual pay for these sales representatives is $104,920. Earnings can vary widely based on experience, commission structures, and the industry; the lowest 10 percent of earners make less than $52,600, while the highest 10 percent earn more than $200,440.

There are 284,800 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 1.2 percent, which is slower than the average for all occupations. Despite this slow growth rate, the field is expected to yield 23,600 job openings each year as workers retire or transfer to other occupations.