Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers sell goods or services door-to-door or on the street.

  • Explain products or services and prices and demonstrate use of products.
  • Develop prospect lists.
  • Deliver merchandise and collect payment.
  • Write and record orders for merchandise or enter orders into computers.
  • Arrange buying parties and solicit sponsorship of such parties to sell merchandise.
  • Answer questions about product features and benefits.
  • Distribute product samples or literature that details products or services.
  • Circulate among potential customers or travel by foot, truck, automobile, or bicycle to deliver or sell merchandise or services.
  • Persuade customers to purchase merchandise or services.
  • Set up and display sample merchandise at parties or stands.
  • Order or purchase supplies.
  • Stock carts or stands.
Work Context
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 88% responded "A lot of freedom".
  • Structured versus Unstructured Work — 80% responded "A lot of freedom".
  • Deal With External Customers — 70% responded "Extremely important".
  • Telephone — 55% responded "Every day".
  • Electronic Mail — 70% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 53% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 50% responded "Once a week or more but not every day".
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Work Activities
  • Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — 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.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
  • Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Arrange delivery of goods or services.
  • Process sales or other transactions.
  • Take product orders from customers.
  • Explain technical product or service information to customers.
  • Demonstrate products to consumers.
  • Contact current or potential customers to promote products or services.
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Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service
  • 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.
Sales and Marketing
  • 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.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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Skills

Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Persuasion
  • Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Social Perceptiveness
  • Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation
  • Actively looking for ways to help people.
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Abilities

Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Recognition
  • The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity
  • The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software
  • Data entry software Hot Technology
Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
Route navigation software
  • Route mapping software
Internet browser software
  • Web browser software