Retail Jobs for Retail Salespersons
Retail Jobs - Retail Salespersons held about 4.5 million wage and salary jobs in 2008. The largest employers were clothing and clothing accessories stores, department stores, building material and supplies dealers, motor vehicle and parts dealers, and general merchandise stores such as warehouse clubs and super centers.

Retail Jobs for Retail Salespersons Position EMPLOYMENT About 156,500 retail salespersons were self-employed. Because retail stores are found in every city and town, employment is distributed geographically in much the same way as the population. This occupation offers many opportunities for part-time work and is especially appealing to students, retirees,and others seeking to supplement their income. However, most of those selling big-ticket items work full time and have substantial experience.- Retail Jobs
JOB OUTLOOK Employment is expected to grow by 8 percent over the 2008–18 decade, about as fast as the average for all occupations. In addition, given the size of this occupation, about 374,700 new retail salesperson jobs will arise over the projections decade—more jobs than will be generated in almost any other occupation.- Retail Jobs
Employment opportunities for Retail Salespersons are expected to be good because of the need to replace the large number of workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force each year. In addition, many new jobs will be created for retail salespersons as businesses seek to expand operations and enhance customer service. A substantial number of these openings should occur in warehouse clubs and supercenters as a result of strong growth among these establishments.- Retail Jobs
Opportunities for part-time work should be abundant, and demand is expected be strong for temporary workers during peak selling periods, such as the end-of-year holiday season between Thanksgiving and the beginning of January. During economic downturns, sales volumes and the resulting demand for sales workers usually decline. Consequently, retail sales jobs generally are more susceptible to fluctuations in the economy than are many other occupations.- Retail Jobs
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS There usually are no formal education requirements for retail sales positions, but employers often prefer applicants with a high school diploma or its equivalent. This may be especially important for those who sell technical products or “big-ticket” items, such as electronics or automobiles. A college degree may be required for management trainee positions, especially in larger retail establishments.- Retail Jobs
Employers look for people who enjoy working with others and who possess good communication skills. Employers also value workers who have the tact and patience to deal with difficult customers. Among other desirable characteristics are an interest in sales work, a neat appearance, and a courteous demeanor. The ability to speak more than one language may be helpful for employment in communities where people from various cultures live and shop. Before hiring a salesperson, some employers conduct a background check, especially for a job selling high-priced items.- Retail Jobs
EARNINGS Median hourly wages of wage-and-salary retail salespersons, including commissions, were $9.86 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $8.26 and $13.35 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $7.37, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $19.14 an hour. Median hourly wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of retail salespersons in May 2008 were as follows:
- Automobile dealers - $18.91
- Building material and supplies dealers - $11.95
- Other general merchandise stores - $9.22
- Department stores - $9.14
- Clothing stores - $8.94
Many beginning or inexperienced workers earn the Federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, but many States set minimum wages higher than the Federal minimum. In areas where employers have difficulty attracting and retaining workers, wages tend to be higher than the legislated minimum.
Compensation systems can vary by type of establishment and merchandise sold. Salespersons receive hourly wages, commissions, or a combination of the two. Under a commission system, salespersons receive a percentage of the sales they make. This system offers sales workers the opportunity to increase their earnings considerably, but they may find that their earnings depend strongly on their ability to sell their product and on the ups and downs of the economy. - Retail Jobs
Marketing Careers at For-Your-Dream-Career.comRetail Salesperson & Retail Jobs Related InformationNational Retail Federation (NRF) As the world’s largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF represents retailers of all types and sizes from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad including department stores, specialty, apparel, discount, online, independent, grocery and chain restaurants, among others. Retailers operate more than 3.5 million U.S. establishments that support one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. |
Retail Means Jobs As one of America’s largest industry sectors, retail supports one in four American jobs and drives a large percentage of our nation’s new job growth. With unemployment at 9.1 percent in July, it is critical that every policy decision be viewed through the lens of whether it supports or hinders job creation. |
The National Automobile Dealers Association The National Automobile Dealers Association, founded in 1917, represents nearly 16,000 new-car and -truck dealerships, both domestic and international with more than 32,500 franchises. Today, about 90 percent of U.S. new-vehicle dealerships are NADA members. New-car dealers employ about 900,000 people in the United States. |
AllRetailJobs AllRetailJobs.com is the largest career and recruiting board designed for Retail. AllRetailJobs.com attracts top quality Corporate / District / Regional executives, store and assistant store managers, buyers, merchandisers, as well as sales and part-time associates. |
SnagaJob Since 2000, SnagaJob help hourly workers find jobs they love—and help hourly employers find the best people for their jobs. Our passion has made us the number one hourly job site in the world. But it doesn’t stop there. We continually develop innovative tools to help hourly workers and employers simplify their jobs and start living their dreams. |
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