Sales Worker Supervisors

Sales Worker Supervisors Earnings

Salaries of sales worker supervisors vary substantially, depending upon the level of responsibility the individual has; the person's length of service; and the type, size, and location of the firm.

In 2002, median annual earnings of salaried sales worker supervisors of retail sales workers, including commissions, were $29,700. The middle 50 percent earned between $22,790 and $40,100 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,380, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $55,810 a year. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of salaried supervisors of retail sales workers in 2002 were as follows:

Building material and supplies dealers $32,780
Grocery stores 29,940
Clothing stores 28,060
Department stores 27,390
Gasoline stations 25,000

In 2002, median annual earnings of salaried sales worker supervisors of nonretail sales workers, including commission, were $53,020. The middle 50 percent earned between $37,680 and $77,690 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,780, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $114,210 a year. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of salaried supervisors of nonretail sales workers in 2002 were as follows:

Wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers $74,000
Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers 72,970
Insurance carriers 63,220
Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers 60,450
Federal Government 50,570

Compensation systems vary by type of establishment and merchandise sold. Many supervisors receive a commission or a combination of salary and commission. Under a commission system, supervisors receive a percentage of department or store sales. Thus, supervisors have the opportunity to increase their earnings considerably, but they may find that their earnings depend on their ability to sell their product and the condition of the economy. Those who sell large amounts of merchandise or exceed sales goals often receive bonuses or other awards.

Sales Worker Supervisors Nature of Work

Sales worker supervisors oversee the work of sales and related workers, such as retail salespersons, cashiers, customer service representatives, stock clerks and order fillers, sales engineers, and wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives. Sales worker supervisors are responsible for interviewing, hiring, and training employees, as well as for preparing work schedules and assigning workers to specific duties. Many of these workers hold job titles such as sales manager or department manager. Under the occupational classification system used in the Handbook, however, workers with the title manager who mainly supervise nonsupervisory workers are called supervisors rather than managers, even though many of these workers often perform numerous managerial functions. (Sales worker supervisors oversee retail salespersons, cashiers, customer service representatives, stock clerks and order fillers, sales engineers, and wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives, all of whom are discussed elsewhere in the Handbook.)

In retail establishments, sales worker supervisors ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods. They also answer customers' inquiries, deal with complaints, and sometimes handle purchasing, budgeting, and accounting. Their responsibilities vary with the size and type of establishment. As the size of retail stores and the types of goods and services increase, these workers tend to specialize in one department or one aspect of merchandising. (Managers in eating and drinking places are discussed in the Handbook statement on food service managers.)

Sales worker supervisors in large retail establishments, often referred to as department managers, provide day-to-day oversight of individual departments, such as shoes, cosmetics, or housewares in large department stores; produce and meat in grocery stores; and sales in automotive dealerships. These workers establish and implement policies, goals, objectives, and procedures for their specific departments; coordinate activities with other department heads; and strive for smooth operations within their departments. They supervise employees who price and ticket goods and place them on display; clean and organize shelves, displays, and inventories in stockrooms; and inspect merchandise to ensure that nothing is outdated. Sales worker supervisors also review inventory and sales records, develop merchandising techniques, and coordinate sales promotions. In addition, they may greet and assist customers and promote sales and good public relations.

Sales worker supervisors in nonretail establishments supervise and coordinate the activities of sales workers who sell industrial products, automobiles, or services such as advertising or Internet services. They may prepare budgets, make personnel decisions, devise sales-incentive programs, assign sales territories, or approve sales contracts.

In small or independent companies and retail stores, sales worker supervisors not only directly supervise sales associates, but also are responsible for the operation of the entire company or store. Some are self-employed business or store owners.

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Sales Worker Supervisors Job Outlook

Candidates who have retail experience—as a retail salesperson, cashier, or customer service representative, for example—will have the best opportunities for jobs as sales worker supervisors. As in other fields, competition is expected for supervisory jobs, particularly those with the most attractive earnings and working conditions.

Employment of sales worker supervisors is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2012. Growth in the occupation will be restrained somewhat as retail companies hire more sales staff and increase the responsibilities of sales worker supervisors. Many job openings will occur as experienced supervisors move into higher levels of management, transfer to other occupations, or leave the labor force. However, as with other supervisory and managerial occupations, job turnover is relatively low.

The Internet and electronic commerce are creating new opportunities to reach and communicate with potential customers. Some firms are hiring Internet sales managers, who are in charge of maintaining an Internet site and answering inquiries relating to the product, to prices, and to the terms of delivery—a trend that will increase demand for these supervisors. Overall, Internet sales and electronic commerce may reduce the number of additional sales workers needed, thus reducing the number of additional supervisors required. However, the impact of electronic commerce on employment of sales worker supervisors should be minimal.

Projected employment growth of sales worker supervisors will mirror, in part, the patterns of employment growth in the industries in which they work. For example, faster-than-average employment growth is expected in many of the rapidly growing services industries. The number of self-employed sales worker supervisors is expected to decline as independent retailers face increasing competition from national chains.

Unlike middle- and upper-level managers, store-level retail supervisors generally will not be affected by the restructuring and consolidation taking place at the corporate and headquarters levels of many retail chains.

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Sales Worker Supervisors Significant Points

Sales Worker Supervisors Training

Sales worker supervisors usually acquire knowledge of management principles and practices—an essential requirement for a supervisory or managerial position in retail trade—through work experience. Many supervisors begin their careers on the sales floor as salespersons, cashiers, or customer service representatives. In these positions, they learn merchandising, customer service, and the basic policies and procedures of the company.

The educational backgrounds of sales worker supervisors vary widely. Regardless of the education they receive, recommended courses include accounting, marketing, management, and sales, as well as psychology, sociology, and communication. Supervisors also must be computer literate, because almost all cash registers, inventory control systems, and sales quotes and contracts are computerized.

Supervisors who have postsecondary education often hold associate's or bachelor's degrees in liberal arts, social sciences, business, or management. To gain experience, many college students participate in internship programs that usually are developed jointly by individual schools and firms.

The type and amount of training available to supervisors varies from company to company. Many national retail chains and companies have formal training programs for management trainees that include both classroom and on-site training. Training time may be as brief as 1 week, but may also last up to 1 year or more, because many organizations require that trainees gain experience during all sales seasons.

Ordinarily, classroom training includes topics such as interviewing and customer service skills, employee and inventory management, and scheduling. Management trainees may work in one specific department while training on the job, or they may rotate through several departments to gain a well-rounded knowledge of the company's operation. Training programs for retail franchises are generally extensive, covering all functions of the company's operation, including budgeting, marketing, management, finance, purchasing, product preparation, human resource management, and compensation. College graduates usually can enter management training programs directly.

Sales worker supervisors must get along with all types of people. They need initiative, self-discipline, good judgment, and decisiveness. Patience and a mild temperament are necessary when dealing with demanding customers. Sales worker supervisors also must be able to motivate, organize, and direct the work of subordinates and communicate clearly and persuasively with customers and other supervisors.

Individuals who display leadership and team-building skills, self-confidence, motivation, and decisiveness become candidates for promotion to assistant manager or manager. A postsecondary degree may speed a sales worker supervisor's advancement into management, because it is viewed by employers as a sign of motivation and maturity—qualities deemed important for promotion to more responsible positions. In many retail establishments, managers are promoted from within the company. In small retail establishments, where the number of positions is limited, advancement to a higher management position may come slowly. Large establishments often have extensive career ladder programs and may offer supervisors the opportunity to transfer to another store in the chain or to the central office if an opening occurs. Although promotions may occur more quickly in large establishments, some managers may need to relocate every several years in order to advance. Supervisors also can become advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers (workers who coordinate marketing plans, monitor sales, and propose advertisements and promotions) or purchasing managers, buyers, or purchasing agents (workers who purchase goods and supplies for their organization or for resale). (These occupations are covered elsewhere in the Handbook.)

Some supervisors who have worked in their industry for a long time open their own stores or sales firms. However, retail trade and sales occupations are highly competitive, and although many independent owners succeed, some fail to cover expenses and eventually go out of business. To prosper, owners usually need good business sense and strong customer service and public relations skills.

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Sales Worker Supervisors Employment

Sales Worker Supervisors Related Occupations

Sales worker supervisors serve customers, supervise workers, and direct and coordinate the operations of an establishment. Others with similar responsibilities include financial managers, food service managers, lodging managers, and medical and health services managers.

Sales Worker Supervisors Additional Sources

Information on employment opportunities for sales worker supervisors may be obtained from the employment offices of various retail establishments or State employment service offices.

General information on management careers in retail establishments is available from:

Information on management careers in grocery stores and on schools offering related programs is available from:

Information about management careers and training programs in the motor vehicle dealers industry is available from:

Information about management careers in convenience stores is available from:

Sales Worker Supervisors Summaries of Related Webpages

Nature of the Work In every one of the thousands of retail stores across the country, there is at least one retail sales worker supervisor or manager. Retail supervisors and managers oversee the work of sales associates and cashiers, and customer service, stock, inventory, and grocery clerks. Larger organizations tend to have many layers of management. As in other industries, supervisory-level retail managers usually report to their mid-level counterparts who, in turn, report to top-level managers. Once on the job, the type and amount of training available for supervisors and managers varies from store to store.
Summary of: http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/ooh9899/252.htm

Retail supervisors and managers oversee the work of sales associates, cashiers, customer service workers, stock and inventory clerks, and grocery clerks. As the size of the retail store and the types of goods and services increase, these workers increasingly specialize in one department or one aspect of merchandising. Larger organizations tend to have many layers of management. Small stores and stores that carry specialized merchandise typically have fewer levels of management. Once on the job, the type and amount of training available for supervisors and managers varies from store to store.
Summary of: http://www2.jobtrak.com/help_manuals/outlook/ocos025.html

The number of self-employed sales worker supervisors in retail trade is expected to decline as independent retailers face increasing competition from national chains. A postsecondary degree is increasingly needed for advancement into management. They are responsible for interviewing, hiring, and training employees, as well as preparing work schedules and assigning workers to specific duties. Many of these workers hold job titles such as sales manager or department manager. Workers with the title manager, who mainly supervise nonsupervisory workers, are called supervisors rather than managers even though many of these workers often perform many managerial functions.
Summary of: http://www.collegegrad.com/careers/marke09.shtml

An overall slower-than-average growth rate for jobs in this area of work is likely to come about due to the expected decline in the number of self- employed sales supervisors needed. Many retail establishments promote employees within the company to supervisory positions. In some cases a postsecondary degree may increase chances for sale employees to be advanced into a position management. They may also undertake the task of interviewing, hiring and training new employees. The main responsibility of sales supervisors working in retail establishments is to guarantee satisfactory service and quality goods to their customers.
Summary of: http://www.careeroverview.com/sales-manager-careers.html

These supervisors ensure that workers, equipment, and materials are used properly and efficiently to maximize productivity. Blue-collar worker supervisors may have other titles, such as first-line supervisors, foremen, or forewomen. In the construction industry, they can be referred to as superintendents, crew chiefs or foremen/forewomen depending upon the type and size of their employer. Employment Blue-collar worker supervisors held about 1,757,000 jobs in 1992. Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement When choosing supervisors, employers generally look for experience, job knowledge, organizational skills, and leadership qualities.
Summary of: http://www.edonline.com/collegecompass/oohb0236.htm

Overall employment is projected to grow more slowly than average; the number of self-employed sales worker supervisors is expected to decline. In many retail establishments, managers are promoted from within the company; a postsecondary degree may speed a sales worker supervisor's advancement into management. Sales worker supervisors are responsible for interviewing, hiring, and training employees, as well as for preparing work schedules and assigning workers to specific duties. Their responsibilities vary with the size and type of establishment. Approximately 36 percent were self-employed, most of whom were store owners.
Summary of: http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos025.htm

Many supervisors go through formal training when they begin working, in the classroom and on the sales floor. Customers, for their part, want their experiences with the sales staff to be positive. A sales worker superviso r heads up the sales team and keeps an eye on inventory. A self-starter who can use good judgment to make quick decisions. Work retail over the summer.
Summary of: http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/careers/102570.html

Overall employment is projected to grow more slowly than average; the number of self-employed sales worker supervisors is expected to decline. In many retail establishments, managers are promoted from within the company; a postsecondary degree may speed a sales worker supervisor's advancement into management. Sales worker supervisors are responsible for interviewing, hiring, and training employees, as well as for preparing work schedules and assigning workers to specific duties. Their responsibilities vary with the size and type of establishment. Approximately 36 percent were self-employed, most of whom were store owners.
Summary of: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos025.htm

Work schedules may be irregular and often include evenings and weekends. Increasingly, a post-secondary degree is needed for advancement into upper management. Retail supervisors and managers oversee the work of retail salespersons, cashiers, customer service representatives, stock clerks, and grocery clerks. As the size of retail stores and the types of goods and services increase, these workers increasingly specialize in one department or one aspect of merchandising. Larger organizations tend to have many layers of management.
Summary of: http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/ooh20002001/290.htm

Significant Points Opportunities will be best for those with previous retail experience. Long, irregular work schedules are common. Nature of the Work Retail sales worker supervisors and managers oversee the work of retail salespersons, cashiers, customer service representatives, stock clerks and grocery clerks. Larger organizations tend to have more levels of management than smaller stores. Working Conditions Most retail sales worker supervisors and managers have offices within the stores, but a large portion of their workday is spent on the sales floor.
Summary of: http://www.dli.state.pa.us/landi/cwp/view.asp?a=140&q=195177

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