Career profile for Technical Products Sales Representative

What does a Technical Products Sales Representative do?

Technical Products Sales Representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers where technical or scientific knowledge is required in such areas as biology, engineering, chemistry, and electronics, normally obtained from at least 2 years of postsecondary education.

What kind of tasks does a Technical Products Sales Representative perform regularly?

Technical Products Sales Representatives are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements.
Visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales.
Prepare and submit sales contracts for orders.
Maintain customer records, using automated systems.
Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.
Quote prices, credit terms, or other bid specifications.
Contact new or existing customers to discuss how specific products or services can meet their needs.
Emphasize product features, based on analyses of customers' needs and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations.
Compute customer's installation or production costs and estimate savings from new services, products, or equipment.
Select or assist customers in selecting products based on customer needs, product specifications, and applicable regulations.
Prepare sales presentations or proposals to explain product specifications or applications.
Verify that delivery schedules meet project deadlines.
Complete expense reports, sales reports, or other paperwork.
Identify prospective customers, using business directories, leads from existing clients, participation in organizations, or trade show or conference attendance.
Inform customers of estimated delivery schedules, service contracts, warranties, or other information pertaining to purchased products.
Collaborate with colleagues to exchange information, such as selling strategies or marketing information.
Provide customers with ongoing technical support.
Advise customers on product usage to improve production.
Study documentation or other information for new scientific or technical products.
Stock or distribute resources, such as samples or promotional or educational materials.
Attend sales or trade meetings or read related publications to obtain information about market conditions, business trends, environmental regulations, or industry developments.

The above responsibilities are specific to Technical Products Sales Representatives. More generally, Technical Products Sales Representatives are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships		Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Getting Information		Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work		Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates		Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Communicating with People Outside the Organization		Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization

Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

What is a Technical Products Sales Representative salary?

The median salary for a Technical Products Sales Representative is $86,650, and the average salary is $99,680. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Technical Products Sales Representative salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Technical Products Sales Representatives earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Technical Products Sales Representatives earn less than $42,820 per year, 25% earn less than $59,590, 75% earn less than $127,800, and 90% earn less than $171,700.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Technical Products Sales Representatives is expected to change by 6.1%, and there should be roughly 31,700 open positions for Technical Products Sales Representatives every year.

Median annual salary: $86,650
Typical salary range: $42,820 - $171,700
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): 6.1%

What personality traits are common among Technical Products Sales Representatives?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Technical Products Sales Representative are usually higher in their Enterprising and Conventional interests.

Technical Products Sales Representatives typically have very strong Enterprising interests. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Also, Technical Products Sales Representatives typically have strong Conventional interests. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Technical Products Sales Representative tend to value Independence, Achievement, and Working Conditions.

Most importantly, Technical Products Sales Representatives strongly value Independence. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Second, Technical Products Sales Representatives moderately value Achievement. Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Lastly, Technical Products Sales Representatives moderately value Working Conditions. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Technical Products Sales Representatives must consistently demonstrate qualities such as integrity, initiative, and cooperation.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Technical Products Sales Representatives, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Integrity		Job requires being honest and ethical.
Initiative		Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Cooperation		Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Persistence		Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Initiative

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Cooperation

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Persistence

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

What education and training do Technical Products Sales Representatives need?

Many Technical Products Sales Representatives will have a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Technical Products Sales Representatives usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Educational degrees among Technical Products Sales Representatives

2.9% did not complete high school or secondary school
17.0% completed high school or secondary school
22.5% completed some college coursework
8.8% earned a Associate's degree
40.6% earned a Bachelor's degree
7.4% earned a Master's degree
0.9% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Technical Products Sales Representatives

Technical Products Sales Representatives may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as customer and personal service, sales and marketing, or administration and management knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Technical Products Sales Representatives might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Customer and Personal Service		Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Sales and Marketing		Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Administration and Management		Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Mathematics		Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Production and Processing		Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Sales and Marketing

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Production and Processing

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Important Abilities needed by Technical Products Sales Representatives

Technical Products Sales Representatives must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Technical Products Sales Representatives need abilities such as oral expression, oral comprehension, and speech recognition in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Technical Products Sales Representatives, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Oral Expression		The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension		The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Recognition		The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity		The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Comprehension		The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Critical Skills needed by Technical Products Sales Representatives

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Technical Products Sales Representatives frequently use skills like speaking, persuasion, and active listening to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Technical Products Sales Representatives, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Speaking		Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Persuasion		Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Active Listening		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.
Negotiation		Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Social Perceptiveness		Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Persuasion

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Active Listening

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.

Negotiation

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

Career profile Technical Products Sales Representative

Technical Products Sales Representative

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