Summary Report for:
41-3031.01 - Sales Agents, Securities and Commodities
Buy and sell securities in investment and trading firms and develop and implement financial plans for individuals, businesses, and organizations.
Sample of reported job titles:
Investment Specialist, Investment Executive, Investment Consultant, Registered Representative, Stock Broker, Investment Advisor, Broker, Financial Consultant, Financial Representative, Fixed Income Manager
Tasks | Tools & Technology | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment
Tasks
- Complete sales order tickets and submit for processing of client requested transactions.
- Interview clients to determine clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, and financial objectives.
- Record transactions accurately, and keep clients informed about transactions.
- Develop financial plans based on analysis of clients' financial status, and discuss financial options with clients.
- Review all securities transactions to ensure accuracy of information and that trades conform to regulations of governing agencies.
- Offer advice on the purchase or sale of particular securities.
- Relay buy or sell orders to securities exchanges or to firm trading departments.
- Identify potential clients, using advertising campaigns, mailing lists, and personal contacts.
- Review financial periodicals, stock and bond reports, business publications and other material in order to identify potential investments for clients and to keep abreast of trends affecting market conditions.
- Contact prospective customers to determine customer needs, present information, and explain available services.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Desktop computers |
| Notebook computers |
| Personal computers |
| Tablet computers |
| Wearable computing devices — Mobile computing devices |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Data base user interface and query software — Data entry software; FundCount Web |
| Desktop communications software — ADP/Vantra VOLTS; Imagine Software Imagine Trading System |
| Financial analysis software — AnalyzerXL software; Derivicom FinOptions XL; SunGard MicroHedge; Trading Blox software |
| Office suite software — Microsoft Office |
| Word processing software — Microsoft Word |
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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. |
| Economics and Accounting — Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data. |
| English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. |
| 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. |
| Clerical — 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. |
| Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. |
| Administration and Management — 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. |
| Law and Government — Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process. |
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Skills
| Active Listening — 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. |
| Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
| Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. |
| Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
| Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
| Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| Management of Financial Resources — Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures. |
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Abilities
| Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. |
| Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. |
| Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. |
| Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. |
| Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
| Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). |
| Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
| Problem Sensitivity — 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. |
| Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. |
| Category Flexibility — The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. |
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Work Activities
| Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| 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. |
| Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions. |
| 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. |
| Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
| Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| 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. |
| Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
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Work Context
| 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? |
| Electronic Mail — How often do you use electronic mail in this job? |
| Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? |
| Deal With External Customers — How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? |
| Duration of Typical Work Week — Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? |
| Spend Time Sitting — How much does this job require sitting? |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company? |
| Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? |
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Job Zone
| Title |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed |
| Overall Experience |
A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. |
| Job Training |
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. |
| Job Zone Examples |
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives. |
| SVP Range |
(7.0 to < 8.0) |
| Education |
Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not. |
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Interests
Interest code: EC
| Enterprising — 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 — 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. |
| Social — Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others. |
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Work Styles
| Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical. |
| Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. |
| Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. |
| Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. |
| Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. |
| Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. |
| Independence — 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. |
| Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
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Work Values
| Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. |
| Achievement — 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. |
| Recognition — 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. |
| Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions. |
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Related Occupations
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Wages & Employment Trends
National
Median wages data collected from Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents.
Employment data collected from Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents.
| Median wages (2007) |
$32.90 hourly, $68,430 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
320,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Much faster than average (21% or higher)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
161,000 additional employees |
State & National
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2007 wage data
and 2006-2016 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2006-2016). "Projected need" represents job openings due to growth and net replacement.
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