Say that a manufacturer of cellular phones has just developed a new phone that can be used anywhere in the world. The company is eager to showcase its innovative product, and the best way to do that is to develop a plan—a marketing plan. A marketing plan is a step-by-step blueprint for introducing, advertising, selling, and delivering a product, a service, or even an idea. To develop such a…
Good jobs do not magically appear. Anyone who has been in the job market knows that landing the right job takes planning, preparation, perseverance, and patience. This is true whether you are looking for your first job, reentering the job market, trying to get a new job, or planning a mid-career change. This essay is designed to guide you through the process of finding a job, from helping you defi…
Education and Training High school and on-the-job training Salary Median—$15.16 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Auto parts counter workers, also known as auto parts salespersons, sell parts for motor vehicles. They deal in spare parts, replacement parts, accessories, and other equipment for cars, trucks, and other vehicles. In addition to selling directly to the public, auto parts salesper…
Education and Training High school and on-the-job training Salary Median—$18.61 per hour Employment Outlook Very good Auto sales workers sell new and used automobiles. Some work in used car lots, where they sell vehicles made by many manufacturers. Many work for car dealerships—companies that sell cars made by certain manufacturers. The manager of a dealership, sometimes called the d…
Education and Training On-the-job training Salary Median—$7.81 per hour Employment Outlook Fair Cashiers handle customers' payments in retail stores, restaurants, theaters, and offices. Their exact duties depend on the business that employs them. Usually cashiers scan or type the price of items into a computer that calculates a total. They then collect payment for goods and services,…
Education and Training High school and on-the-job training Salary Average—$24,643 per year Employment Outlook Fair Comparison shoppers work for retail department, specialty, and variety stores. They visit competitors' stores and Web sites to compare the prices, type, and quality of merchandise found there to the merchandise sold in their own store. Comparison shoppers make detailed w…
Education and Training: High school Salary: Median—$22,280 per year Employment Outlook: Good Merchandise displayers and window trimmers design, construct, and install displays of clothes, accessories, furniture, and other products in windows, showcases, and on the floor of retail stores to attract potential customers. Display workers use their artistic talent, imagination, and flair for col…
Education and Training On-the-job training Salary Average—$12.92 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Direct sales workers work for manufacturers of consumer goods. Through these sales workers, companies sell directly to consumers rather than to retail stores. At one time almost all direct sales workers went from door to door selling their goods. They arrived without phoning beforehand. Most of…
Education and Training High school and on-the-job training Salary Median—$24,400 per year Employment Outlook Poor Receiving, shipping, and traffic clerks help keep the flow of merchandise moving from one company to another. They pack and unpack merchandise and perform clerical tasks. They also keep records of incoming and outgoing merchandise. Receiving, shipping, and traffic clerks work fo…
Education and Training High school diploma preferred; on-the-job and classroom training Salary Median—$8.79 per hour Employment Outlook Very good When an individual or business needs an item but does not want to buy it, rental and leasing businesses offer an excellent and increasingly popular alternative. Rental clerks help customers get what they need through rental and leasing businesses.…
Education and Training On-the-job training Salary Median—$8.98 per hour Employment Outlook Good Retail store sales workers sell merchandise to store customers. They work in a variety of settings, including department stores, drugstores, discount stores, and shops that specialize in everything from books and gourmet foods to plants, electronic equipment, or other merchandise. Salespersons&#x…
Education and Training High school diploma preferred; sales experience and on-the-job training Salary Median—$32,720 per year Employment Outlook Fair Retail store sales worker supervisors manage salespeople, cashiers, stock clerks, and other entry-level employees who work in retail establishments. Sales worker supervisors are employed by general and discount department stores and by special…
Education and Training High school and on-the-job training Salary Median—$9.95 per hour Employment Outlook Good Sales demonstrators show merchandise to customers in order to interest them in buying a product or a line of products. Product promoters try to persuade retail stores to sell products and market them in a specific way. Both demonstrators and product promoters work for the manufact…
Education and Training On-the-job training Salary Median—$9.66 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Stock clerks typically work in stores, warehouses, and factories, where they control the flow of supplies in and out of stockrooms. They receive and store merchandise or equipment that is retained for future use and issue these items from the stockroom when they are needed. In addition, they keep…
Education and Training On-the-job training minimum Salary Median—varies by position from $7.90 per hour to $15.08 per hour Employment Outlook Fair Supermarkets employ workers in a variety of jobs. Many supermarkets are part of chain operations that include branch stores, several warehouses, and a central location for their business office. The business offices of supermarket chains employ w…
Education and Training On-the-job training Salary Average—$23,520 per year Employment Outlook Poor Telemarketers are sales and marketing representatives who do business strictly by telephone. A wide variety of products and services from office supplies to savings accounts to resort memberships are sold through telemarketing. Some specialists sell directly, while others gather information th…
Education and Training On-the-job training Salary Median—$26,333 per year Employment Outlook Fair Vending machine servicers, also known as vending machine route workers, are the people who stock and service vending machines. There are millions of vending machines in the United States today that dispense everything from candy bars and hot soup to pencils and toiletries. Although vending mach…
Education and Training On-the-job training Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Good Warehouse workers receive, store, and ship merchandise that is kept in warehouses—buildings in which all kinds of goods are stored and protected from theft or deterioration. Commodities such as steel or wood sit in warehouses before they are used to create manufactured goods. Manufactured goo…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Average—$46,062 per year Employment Outlook Varies—see profile Auctioneers sell various kinds of property at public sales. Auction sales may be held for individuals or businesses or by court order. Most auctioneers specialize in one type of merchandise, such as antiques, livestock, real estate, industrial equipment, or inventory…
Education and Training High school minimum; on-the-job training and possibly college recommended Salary Median— $45,400 to $46,829 per year Employment Outlook Good Food brokers are independent sales agents who own their own businesses. They negotiate sales for producers and manufacturers of food and food products. Food brokers provide a service to both food producers and buyers by selling t…
Education and Training College preferred; training plus license mandatory Salary Median—$41,720 per year Employment Outlook Fair Insurance agents are hired by insurance companies to find customers and sell them insurance policies. The three main categories of insurance are life, health, and property-liability. Each protects its policyholder against possible financial loss. Life insurance pa…
Education and Training Typically college plus training Salary Median—$45,400 to $58,580 per year Employment Outlook Good Manufacturers' sales workers sell products to businesses. Sometimes called manufacturers' representatives, these sales workers work for many different industries. They sell computers, pharmaceutical supplies, equipment for industrial processes, and many othe…
Education and Training High school plus sixty to ninety hours of training and license Salary Median—$35,670 to $58,720 per year Employment Outlook Good Real estate brokers own real estate firms and employ real estate sales agents to help sell or rent property for the owners. Brokers charge fees, and sales agents earn commissions on the sale or rental of property. Brokers may also manage, ap…
Education and Training On-the-job training or apprenticeship Salary Median—$27,030 per year Employment Outlook Good Retail butchers prepare meat, fish, and poultry to sell to customers in stores. Some butchers work in supermarkets; others work in butcher shops. Many butchers own their shops and employ assistants. Butchers are sometimes called meat cutters, unless they deal only in fish. Fis…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Good Small business owners manage their own companies. Small businesses include not only retail stores such as gift shops and bookstores but also real estate, advertising, and employment agencies; self-service laundries; manufacturing firms; and franchise operations such as fast food restaurants an…
Education and Training High school mandatory, along with training; college preferred Salary Average—$39,420 per year Employment Outlook Fair Title examiners search, analyze, and evaluate records on titles to land, homes, and other buildings. They make sure that the title to a property is free of restrictions that may affect its sale or use. The findings of a title search and examination are…
Education and Training On-the-job training; college preferred Salary Median—$45,400 to $58,580 per year Employment Outlook Good Wholesale sales workers sell merchandise to retail outlets and other businesses. These individuals work in many industries ranging from plumbing supplies to clothing, drugs, and health care products. Sales workers represent wholesale houses, which buy products made…
Education and Training Bachelor's degree minimum Salary Median—$40,300 per year Employment Outlook Good Advertising account executives, also known as advertising sales agents, work for advertising agencies. Account executives are the link between the agency and its clients. They sell the agency's services to the client—the client is usually a company—and work clo…
Education and Training Bachelor's degree minimum; master's degree preferred Salary Median—$63,610 to $107,030 per year Employment Outlook Very good Companies employ advertising managers to publicize their goods or services. Just as most companies have departments that handle marketing, accounting, production, and human resources, they also have a department that handles advert…
Bachelor's degree minimum; master's degree preferred; previous Information Technology (IT) experience necessary Salary Median—$84,246 per year Employment Outlook Very good As the twenty-first century advances many companies are finding new markets and new customers by offering products and services on the World Wide Web. E-commerce marketing managers are responsible for develo…
Education and Training Master's degree in business; extensive experience in other marketing positions required Salary Median—$138,470 per year Employment Outlook Very good Marketing directors oversee a company's marketing strategy. For the most part marketing directors concern themselves with market segments, which are large groups of consumers defined by income, ethnicity, ag…
Education and Training Bachelor's degree minimum Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Very good Marketing research workers gather and analyze information about how and why people spend money. This information helps a business make many important decisions, including whether to manufacture a new product, what to call the new product, and which advertising media to use for its …
Education and Training Bachelor's degree and specialized training or on-the-job training Salary Median—$56,279 per year Employment Outlook Very good Media buyers work for advertising agencies and media-buying agencies. They buy advertising space in magazines or newspapers and purchase advertising time on radio or television. Depending on the kind of media in which they work, they may…
Education and Training Bachelor's degree minimum; typically a master's degree in business administration plus training Salary Median—$95,900 per year, including bonuses Employment Outlook Very good Product managers are responsible for planning and developing the marketing strategy for a single product or group of products. They work with various company departments, including …
Education and Training Bachelor's degree and on-the-job training; master's degree necessary for positions with some companies Salary Median—$47,680 per year Employment Outlook Fair Purchasing agents are in charge of all buying for their company. Unlike retail or wholesale buyers who purchase products for resale, purchasing agents buy the raw materials, goods, and services thei…
Education and Training At least two years of college, on-the-job training, and a state license Salary Median—$43,390 per year Employment Outlook Very good Real estate appraisers investigate all aspects of buildings and land to determine their value. This value is used for purchase, sale, investment, mortgage, or loan purposes. The value of a building is determined by making an appraisal…
Education and Training Bachelor's degree and training program Salary Median—$42,230 per year Employment Outlook Fair Retail buyers work for retail stores, including department and variety stores, specialty shops, and chain stores. They buy the goods that a store sells to its customers. Buyers who work for large department stores usually specialize in one type of merchandise such as h…
Education and Training Bachelor's degree, prior experience, and training Salary Median—$70,620 per year Employment Outlook Good Sales engineers demonstrate and sell highly technical products such as computer networks or manufacturing equipment to large companies and institutions. They also work with their company's engineering and research and development departments to devise…
Education and Training Bachelor's degree minimum and prior experience Salary Median— $84,220 per year Employment Outlook Very good Sales managers train, direct, and supervise their sales staff. They coordinate the operation of their sales department by establishing territories, goals, and quotas for their sales workers. Reviewing market analyses helps them to determine customer needs…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Median—$58,748 per year Employment Outlook Very good Trade show managers are responsible for the overall production of expositions. They may manage public exhibitions, trade shows, or exhibitions sponsored by associations or professional societies. Their work begins with the choice of a site for the show and does not finish until every…
