Careers · Explore one path
Parts Salespersons
Sell spare and replacement parts and equipment in repair shop or parts store.
Other titles employers use
Parts Advisor · Parts Consultant · Parts Counter Salesperson · Parts Counterman · Parts Counterperson · Parts Person · Parts Salesman · Parts Salesperson
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Receive payment or obtain credit authorization.
- Assist customers, such as responding to customer complaints and updating them about back-ordered parts.
- Fill customer orders from stock, and place orders when requested items are out of stock.
- Receive and fill telephone orders for parts.
- Locate and label parts, and maintain inventory of stock.
- Prepare sales slips or sales contracts.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and persuading work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Persuasion
- Reading Comprehension
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Administration and Management
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Near Vision
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Recognition
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.0 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 3.8 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.2 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 2.5 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Most employers do not ask for a formal credential. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 47%
- A certificate or some college 30%
- A four-year degree 14%
- A two-year degree 9%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Document management software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Inventory management software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 30,350
- Job openings each year
- 3,700
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 15.4%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 30,350 | 3,700 | 15.4% |
| California | 26,600 | 3,120 | 1.9% |
| Florida | 15,730 | 1,910 | 12.9% |
| New York | 11,340 | 0 | −2.3% |
| North Carolina | 11,020 | 1,320 | 9.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 10,530 | 1,230 | — |
| Illinois | 9,790 | 1,150 | 2.4% |
| Ohio | 9,500 | 1,110 | 1.1% |
| Georgia | 9,440 | 1,140 | 12.9% |
| Michigan | 7,490 | 870 | — |
| Tennessee | 6,750 | 810 | 10.7% |
| Indiana | 6,640 | 770 | — |
| Wisconsin | 6,470 | 770 | 7.8% |
| Arizona | 6,440 | 790 | 18.6% |
| Missouri | 6,230 | 730 | — |
| Washington | 5,840 | 730 | 6.4% |
| Minnesota | 5,660 | 670 | 2.9% |
| New Jersey | 5,350 | 630 | 3.3% |
| Iowa | 5,020 | 590 | 4.8% |
| Louisiana | 4,590 | 540 | 3.1% |
| Maryland | 4,490 | 530 | 3.9% |
| Utah | 4,130 | 500 | 15.0% |
| Kentucky | 3,880 | 460 | 5.1% |
| Puerto Rico | 3,830 | 470 | 19.3% |
| Oklahoma | 3,680 | 430 | 2.5% |
| Kansas | 3,490 | 410 | 2.9% |
| Mississippi | 2,930 | 350 | 3.2% |
| Idaho | 2,590 | 310 | 10.2% |
| Nevada | 2,410 | 290 | 10.0% |
| Nebraska | 2,360 | 280 | 3.5% |
| West Virginia | 2,080 | 240 | 3.0% |
| South Dakota | 2,050 | 250 | 10.8% |
| Montana | 2,020 | 240 | 12.8% |
| New Mexico | 1,960 | 230 | 7.7% |
| Maine | 1,690 | 190 | −3.4% |
| North Dakota | 1,680 | 200 | 6.3% |
| Rhode Island | 1,300 | 160 | 7.4% |
| Massachusetts | 1,240 | 150 | 4.2% |
| Alaska | 870 | 100 | 4.8% |
| Vermont | 630 | 80 | 5.0% |
| Guam | 340 | 40 | 25.9% |
| Virgin Islands | 30 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
- Degrees each year
- 580
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
Fashion Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 481
- Admit rate
- 58%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Texas A & M University-College Station
- Degrees each year
- 311
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Degrees each year
- 232
- Admit rate
- 43%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Kent State University at Kent
- Degrees each year
- 232
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- Degrees each year
- 229
- Admit rate
- 79%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Saint Joseph's University
- Degrees each year
- 151
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $24,000
University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Degrees each year
- 147
- Admit rate
- 61%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Compare every college offering general sales, merchandising and related marketing operations