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Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Occupation Detailed Description

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

The main tasks and work activities of Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents are to prepare sales or other contracts, process sales or other transactions, gather customer or product information to determine customer needs, review accuracy of sales or other transactions. In general, for the Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents, active Listening, reading Comprehension, persuasion, critical Thinking and other 16 skills are required.
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount 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 TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents jobs. 12.02% of Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 12.02% of Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
12.02%
Post-Secondary Certificate
12.02%
Some College Courses
2.35%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
12.02%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
61.59%

Tasks and Work Activities of Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

  • 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, or financial objectives.
  • Review all securities transactions to ensure accuracy of information and conformance to governing agency regulations.
  • 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, or personal contacts.
  • Review financial periodicals, stock and bond reports, business publications, or other material to identify potential investments for clients or to keep abreast of trends affecting market conditions.
  • Contact prospective customers to determine customer needs, present information, or explain available services.
  • Prepare documents needed to implement plans selected by clients.
  • Analyze market conditions to determine optimum times to execute securities transactions.
  • Explain stock market terms or trading practices to clients.
  • Inform and advise concerned parties regarding fluctuations or securities transactions affecting plans or accounts.
  • Calculate costs for billings or commissions.
  • Supply the latest price quotes on any security, as well as information on the activities or financial positions of the corporations issuing these securities.
  • Prepare financial reports to monitor client or corporate finances.
  • Keep accurate records of transactions.
  • Discuss financial options with clients and keep them informed about transactions.
  • Develop financial plans, based on analysis of clients' financial status.
  • Read corporate reports and calculate ratios to determine best prospects for profit on stock purchases.
  • Determine customers' financial services needs and prepare proposals to sell services that address these needs.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating 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.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Analyzing Data or InformationIdentifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Selling or Influencing OthersConvincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Prepare sales or other contracts.
  • Process sales or other transactions.
  • Gather customer or product information to determine customer needs.
  • Review accuracy of sales or other transactions.
  • Explain financial information to customers.
  • Identify potential customers.
  • Identify investment opportunities or strategies.
  • Monitor market conditions or trends.
  • Explain technical product or service information to customers.
  • Contact current or potential customers to promote products or services.
  • Analyze market conditions or trends.
  • Calculate costs of goods or services.
  • Estimate costs or terms of sales.
  • Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets.
  • Develop proposals for current or prospective customers.
  • Sell products or services.
  • Deliver promotional presentations to current or prospective customers.
  • Negotiate prices or other sales terms.
  • Develop professional relationships or networks.
  • Share sales-related or market information with colleagues.

Skills and Abilities for Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

  • Active ListeningGiving 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.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Problem SensitivityThe 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 RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Wearable computing devicese.g. Mobile computing devices
  • Notebook computerse.g. Notebook computers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Tablet computerse.g. Tablet computers
  • Desktop calculatore.g. 10-key calculators
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Notebook computerse.g. Notebook computers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Scannerse.g. Computer data input scanners
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
  • Special purpose telephonese.g. Multi-line telephone systems
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Photocopierse.g. Photocopying equipment
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge 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 AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Sales and MarketingKnowledge 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.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • ClericalKnowledge 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.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.