Sales and Service Associates: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of sales and service associates about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for sales and service associates to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of sales and service associates expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for sales and service associates.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Sales and Service Associates?
Do sales and service associates need a degree? What kind of experience do sales and service associates typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for sales and service associates to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Sales and Service Associates
Jobs Postings for Sales and Service Associates By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 36,443 (36%)
- No Education Listed: 30,353 (30%)
- Master's degree: 18,609 (18%)
- High School or GED: 12,045 (12%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 4,774 (5%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of sales and service associates. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 36% of positions. In 30% of job listings no education level was listed and in 18% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Sales and Service Associates
Jobs Postings for Sales and Service Associates By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 7,617 (17%)
- 2-3 Years: 11,729 (26%)
- 4-6 Years: 13,491 (30%)
- 7-9 Years: 4,921 (11%)
- 10+ Years: 6,693 (15%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for sales and service associates. In 30% of job postings for Sales and Service Associates, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 26% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 17% of job postings for sales and service associates.
What Kind of Degree Do Sales and Service Associates Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for sales and service associates, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 31 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective sales and service associates, and in 2023 a total of 1,129,992 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective sales and service associates.
Top Degree Programs for Sales and Service Associates
Top 5 Degree Programs for Sales and Service Associates (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 34,318 |
| Management Science. | 30,890 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 29,564 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other. | 19,243 |
| Public Administration. | 15,683 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,298 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 13,002 |
| Environmental Studies. | 10,429 |
| Environmental Science. | 9,888 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,274 |
| Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. | 9,123 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | 7,469 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,872 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 4,382 |
| Natural Resources/Conservation, General. | 3,026 |
| Small Business Administration/Management. | 2,948 |
| Construction Trades, General. | 2,589 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,481 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General. | 1,679 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,214 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 795 |
| Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture. | 685 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other. | 335 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other. | 247 |
| Construction Trades, Other. | 232 |
| Social Entrepreneurship. | 84 |
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Degree Options for Sales and Service Associates
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- Years To Complete: 3
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What Skills Do Sales and Service Associates Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by sales and service associates to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for sales and service associates, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Sales and Service Associates
Based on 83,738 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Sales and Service Associates
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | 11,966 | 14% |
| Marketing | 10,182 | 12% |
| Project Management | 10,178 | 12% |
| Accounting | 7,391 | 9% |
| Auditing | 7,086 | 8% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Sales and Service Associates
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 40,176 | 48% |
| Management | 38,874 | 46% |
| Leadership | 33,615 | 40% |
| Operations | 28,056 | 34% |
| Customer Service | 21,966 | 26% |
Based on 83,738 job postings related to sales and service associates, finance was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 14% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for marketing, project management, accounting, auditing and public administration were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for sales and service associates, followed by management, leadership, operations, customer service and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | 11,966 | 14% |
| Marketing | 10,182 | 12% |
| Project Management | 10,178 | 12% |
| Accounting | 7,391 | 9% |
| Auditing | 7,086 | 8% |
| Public Administration | 5,462 | 7% |
| Merchandising | 5,151 | 6% |
| Financial Statements | 4,701 | 6% |
| Fundraising | 4,546 | 5% |
| Financial Management | 4,096 | 5% |
| Public Relations | 4,047 | 5% |
| Process Improvement | 3,784 | 5% |
| Purchasing | 3,716 | 4% |
| Selling Techniques | 3,541 | 4% |
| Risk Management | 3,475 | 4% |
| Data Analysis | 3,430 | 4% |
| Cash Register | 3,426 | 4% |
| Effective Communication | 3,412 | 4% |
| Operational Excellence | 3,401 | 4% |
| Cash Handling | 3,386 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 40,176 | 48% |
| Management | 38,874 | 46% |
| Leadership | 33,615 | 40% |
| Operations | 28,056 | 34% |
| Customer Service | 21,966 | 26% |
| Planning | 18,215 | 22% |
| Sales | 17,278 | 21% |
| Writing | 15,768 | 19% |
| Problem Solving | 13,663 | 16% |
| Coordinating | 13,525 | 16% |
| Research | 11,224 | 13% |
| Budgeting | 11,106 | 13% |
| Presentations | 10,534 | 13% |
| Strategic Planning | 10,442 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 9,262 | 11% |
| Detail Oriented | 8,987 | 11% |
| Decision Making | 8,319 | 10% |
| Microsoft Office | 8,115 | 10% |
| Multitasking | 7,931 | 9% |
| Accountability | 7,781 | 9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about sales and service associates? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for sales and service associates.
What do sales and service associates do?
How much do sales and service associates make?
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