Get an internship or part-time job in a company that sells solar energy equipment and systems to gain experience. Search for internships and job postings on company's Web sites and on sites such as Glassdoor, Indeed, and LinkedIn. You can also ask your school's career services office for help with finding internship and job listings. Set up an informational interview with a solar sales representative and assessor to find out what their educational and work experience background is and what advice they have for students interested in this field. Keep up with news and developments in the solar energy industry by reading publications like Solar Industry (https://solarindustrymag.com) and Solar Today (https://www.ases.org/solartoday).

Solar energy sales representatives and assessors sell solar equipment and systems. They contact existing customers to discuss their current systems and areas for improvement. They also contact potential customers to inform them of the benefits of solar energy and to gather information about their solar energy needs.

Sales representatives and assessors are knowledgeable about solar power, systems, equipment, and services, and they share this knowledge with customers in meetings and presentations. They prepare proposals for solar energy equipment and systems, which includes price quotes and financing options. They meet with clients to discuss their needs and to assess sites for potential solar energy systems. They make sure that sites are suitable for solar energy equipment by taking measurements with compasses, tape measures, and computer software programs. They assess aspects such as the climate, shading, and the orientation of the roof.

Solar representatives and assessors also develop sales and marketing strategies for specific territories and customers. They conduct research on potential markets to generate new solar energy customer leads and to increase the number of their sales accounts. Based on the information they gather, they create customized energy management packages for customers. They also demonstrate the use of solar equipment and systems to customers and solar energy dealers. Sales representatives and assessors use computer-aided design (CAD) software programs in their work, such as Audodesk AutoCAD and Trimble SketchUp Pro, and customer relation software programs such as Salesforce CRM.