SALES AGENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES

Job Definition:

• Sales workers sell and demonstrate goods in wholesale or retail shops, at stalls and markets, door-to-door, via telephone or customer contact centres. They may record and accept payment for goods and services purchased, and may operate small retail outlets. Competent performance in most occupations in this sub-major group requires skills at the second ISCO skill level.

Job Description:

• Sell financial services, such as loan, tax, and securities counseling to customers of financial institutions and business establishments.

Duties and Tasks:

• 1) Contact prospective customers in order to present information and explain available services.
• 2) Determine customers’ financial services needs, and prepare proposals to sell services that address these needs.
• 3) Develop prospects from current commercial customers, referral leads, and sales and trade meetings.
• 4) Prepare forms or agreements to complete sales.
• 5) Sell services and equipment, such as trusts, investments, and check processing services.
• 6) Evaluate costs and revenue of agreements in order to determine continued profitability.
• 7) Make presentations on financial services to groups in order to attract new clients.
• 8) Review business trends in order to advise customers regarding expected fluctuations.

Activities:

• 1) Communicating with Persons Outside 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.
• 2) Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• 3) Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• 4) Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• 5) Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• 6) Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• 7) Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• 8) Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• 9) Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• 10) Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• 11) Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• 12) Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• 13) Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• 14) Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• 15) Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data
• 16) Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Abilities:

• 1) Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• 2) Number Facility — The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
• 3) Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• 4) Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• 5) Mathematical Reasoning — The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
• 6) Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• 7) Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• 8) Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• 9) Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• 10) Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• 11) Fluency of Ideas — The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Knowledge

• 1) Economics and Accounting — Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• 2) 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.
• 3) Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• 4) English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• 5) Law and Government — Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.