Sales / Business Development, Retail

Sales Representative

Related positions: Sales Representative, Inside Sales Representative, Inside Sales consultant, Outbound sales representative, Outbound sales specialist, Outbound sales professional, Outside Sales Representative, Field sales representative, Territory sales representative, Regional sales representative, Account executive, Business development representative, Sales development representative, Sales consultant, Sales account manager, Sales executive, Sales agent, Sales professional, Sales specialist, Sales associate, Direct sales representative, Door-to-door sales representative, B2B sales representative, Territory Sales Agent, Telesales agent, Outbound call center agent

Overview

A sales representative is responsible for selling a company’s products or services to potential and existing customers. Their primary duty is to identify sales opportunities, develop relationships with customers, and close deals.

Sales representatives may work in a variety of industries, including retail, technology, manufacturing, and healthcare. The specific duties and responsibilities of a sales representative may vary depending on the industry and company they work for, but their primary goal is to drive revenue growth through successful sales efforts.

Common tasks 

    TaskRelated trait(s)
    Prospecting for new customers and leads. Empathetic Listening  Customer Intuition Sales Innovation Mindset  Sales Tenacity
    Researching and understanding the needs of potential customers. Empathetic Listening  Customer Intuition Sales Innovation Mindset
    Negotiating deals and contracts with customers. Empathetic Listening  Sales Innovation Mindset 
    Managing and maintaining relationships with existing customers. Empathetic Listening  Customer Intuition Sales Innovation Mindset  Ethical Sales Approach
    Developing a deep understanding of the company’s products or services. Organizational Excellence
    Collaborating with other sales team members and departments to achieve sales objectives. Professional Integrity Supportive Collaboration 

    Soft skills measured by TraitForward

    TraitNo of QuestionsCronbach’s  alpha (α)
    Empathetic Listening80.71
    Can they genuinely understand customers’ underlying needs and concerns by listening attentively and picking up on both verbal and non-verbal cues?
    Sales Magnetism110.84
    Can they naturally draw people in, hold their attention, and persuade effectively through their communication style and presence?
    Organizational Excellence80.77
    Can they systematically organize their work, manage details effectively, and consistently follow through on commitments and processes?
    Customer Intuition60.70
    Can they naturally sense what customers need, effectively read social cues, and adapt their approach accordingly to create meaningful connections?
    Professional Integrity90.74
    Can they consistently demonstrate honesty, ethical behavior, and reliability in their sales interactions even when under pressure to meet targets?
    Supportive Collaboration60.75
    Can they genuinely prioritize helping others and demonstrate consistent concern for both colleagues’ and customers’ needs?
    Team Harmony90.72
    Can they contribute positively to team dynamics by promoting inclusion, respecting group decisions, and supporting colleagues to achieve collective sales objectives?
    Sales Innovation Mindset80.77
    Can they generate creative solutions to sales challenges and adapt their approach to meet evolving customer needs?
    People Presence40.72
    Can they establish a commanding yet approachable presence that naturally draws people in and influences customer decisions?
    Social Confidence70.81
    Can they interact with strangers and new prospects with comfort and self-assurance, rather than hesitation or anxiety?
    Ethical Sales Approach80.71
    Does the candidate demonstrate a commitment to ethical practices and integrity in their sales approach, even when faced with pressure to meet targets?
    Energetic Productivity60.75
    Can they independently initiate and sustain high work output across multiple sales activities without requiring external motivation?
    Sales Tenacity70.77
    Can they persistently pursue sales goals and maintain determination despite facing multiple rejections and obstacles?
    *Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α) determines the extent to which the questions consistently measure each trait and it is expressed as a number ranging between 0 and 1 . Higher values indicate higher agreement between questions.  A value of α equal to greater than .7 indicates acceptable reliability or internal consistency.  For more information on the psychometric properties of the solution, please click here.

    Find out the psychometric properties for the Sales Representative Traitforward questionnaire

      Explore related job categories

      Explore related job positions