Retail Sales Associate skills employers ask for

The most-asked skills

Share of Retail Sales Associate postings that mention each skill.

1. Sales83%
2. Customer service43%
3. Inventory management32%
4. Merchandisingdistinctive31%
5. Leadership24%
6. Point of saledistinctive24%
7. Communication22%
8. Marketing19%
9. Regulatory compliance17%
10. Security operationsdistinctive15%
11. Training and coaching13%
12. Workplace safety12%
13. Troubleshooting11%
14. Retail operations11%
15. Food preparation7%

“Distinctive” means Retail Sales Associate postings ask for it at least three times as often as jobs overall.

Prove it with a free skill badge:Inventory management

Where Retail Sales Associate skills carry over

Roles whose postings ask for the most similar skills. Overlap counts the skills that define each role most.

• Brand Ambassador79% overlapShared: Sales, Customer service, Merchandising, MarketingHow to switch
• Sales Supervisor72% overlapShared: Sales, Merchandising, Inventory management, Point of saleHow to switch
• Loan Officer72% overlapShared: Sales, Customer service, Point of sale, LeadershipHow to switch
• Wholesale Sales Representative71% overlapShared: Sales, Marketing, Merchandising, Customer serviceHow to switch

Questions

What skills does a Retail Sales Associate need?

In 21,396 current Retail Sales Associate job postings, the skills asked for most often are Sales (83%), Customer service (43%), Inventory management (32%), Merchandising (31%), Leadership (24%). Percentages are the share of postings that mention each skill.

What jobs can a Retail Sales Associate move into?

Measured by shared skill demand, the closest roles are Brand Ambassador, Sales Supervisor, Loan Officer, Wholesale Sales Representative. Brand Ambassador shares skills such as Sales, Customer service, Merchandising.