Solar Sales Representatives and Assessors
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Overview
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
Contact new or existing customers to determine their solar equipment needs, suggest systems or equipment, or estimate costs.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $42K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $59K
Median Salary: $86K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $127K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $171K
Demand
Core Tasks
Prepare proposals, quotes, contracts, or presentations for potential solar customers.
Select solar energy products, systems, or services for customers based on electrical energy requirements, site conditions, price, or other factors.
Provide customers with information, such as quotes, orders, sales, shipping, warranties, credit, funding options, incentives, or tax rebates.
Gather information from prospective customers to identify their solar energy needs.
Calculate potential solar resources or solar array production for a particular site considering issues such as climate, shading, and roof orientation.
Provide technical information about solar power, solar systems, equipment, and services to potential customers or dealers.
Generate solar energy customer leads to develop new accounts.
Assess sites to determine suitability for solar equipment, using equipment such as tape measures, compasses, and computer software.
Take quote requests or orders from dealers or customers.
Develop marketing or strategic plans for sales territories.
Prepare or review detailed design drawings, specifications, or lists related to solar installations.
Create customized energy management packages to satisfy customer needs.
Demonstrate use of solar and related equipment to customers or dealers.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Sales and Marketing
94%
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.
Customer and Personal Service
93%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
76%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Engineering and Technology
73%
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Design
70%
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Mathematics
69%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Economics and Accounting
67%
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Administration and Management
66%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Building and Construction
65%
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Clerical
61%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Top 10 Skills
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
78%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation
73%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Critical Thinking
70%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Persuasion
70%
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Reading Comprehension
70%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
70%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Negotiation
68%
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Complex Problem Solving
65%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Writing
65%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
78%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Clarity
75%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Deductive Reasoning
73%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Speech Recognition
73%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension
73%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Near Vision
70%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Written Expression
70%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
68%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Fluency of Ideas
63%
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).
Top 10 Work Activities
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
87%
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.
Selling or Influencing Others
87%
Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
Getting Information
83%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
83%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
82%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Interacting With Computers
79%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
73%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Thinking Creatively
73%
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
71%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
71%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Detailed Work Activities
Develop content for sales presentations or other materials.
Develop proposals for current or prospective customers.
Prepare sales or other contracts.
Customize energy products or services to meet customer needs.
Explain technical product or service information to customers.
Explain financial information to customers.
Gather customer or product information to determine customer needs.
Evaluate potential of products, technologies, or resources.
Identify potential customers.
Take product orders from customers.
Assess locations for potential green technology installations.
Prepare drawings or diagrams of products or services.
Develop marketing plans or strategies.
Demonstrate products to consumers.
Work Context
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Coordinate or Lead Others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Education
Majors based on the broader career Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Major
Interests
Enterprising
96%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
53%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic
43%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social
39%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative
29%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
24%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Top 10 Work Styles
Initiative
91%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Persistence
91%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Dependability
89%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail
88%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
85%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Integrity
85%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Achievement/Effort
83%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Self Control
76%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Independence
75%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Concern for Others
73%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Work Values
Achievement
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
65%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Recognition
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
