Automobile Sales Workers
Overview
Introduction
Automobile sales workers inform customers about new or used automobiles, and they prepare payment, financing, and insurance papers for customers who have purchased a vehicle. It is their job to persuade the customer that the product they are selling is the best choice. They attract new customers by mail, telephone, e-mail, or through personal contacts. To stay informed about their products, sales workers regularly attend training sessions about the vehicles they sell. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that there are approximately...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Earnings for automobile sales workers vary depending on location, size, and method of salary. Previously, most dealerships paid their sales workers either straight commission or salary plus commission. This forced sales workers to become extremely aggressive in their selling strategy—and often too aggressive for many customers. With a new trend toward pressure-free selling, more sales workers a...
Work Environment
Sales workers for new car dealerships work in pleasant indoor showrooms. Most used car dealerships keep the majority of their cars in outdoor lots where sales workers may spend much of their day. Upon final arrangements for a sale, they work in comfortable office spaces at a desk. Suits are the standard attire. During slow periods, when competition among dealers is fierce, sales workers often w...
Outlook
Employment of retail sales workers is expected to decline slightly through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Online sales have negatively impacted traditional retail sales jobs, though the DOL notes that the impact has not been as severe for automobile dealers. The American public continues to buy new and used cars, and salespeople are needed to assist them. Workers with ex...
