Professional Sales | Saint Cloud State University

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 41-4011.00

Skills

SpeakingPersuasionActive ListeningNegotiationSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationReading ComprehensionCoordination

Knowledge

Customer and Personal ServiceSales and MarketingEnglish LanguageAdministration and ManagementMathematics

Abilities

Oral ExpressionOral ComprehensionSpeech RecognitionSpeech ClarityWritten ComprehensionWritten ExpressionDeductive ReasoningNear VisionFluency of IdeasProblem Sensitivity

Tasks

Negotiate prices or terms of sales or service agreements.
Prepare and submit sales contracts for orders.
Visit establishments to evaluate needs or to promote product or service sales.

Technology

Customer relationship management CRM softwareData base user interface and query softwareData base management system softwareAccess softwareEnterprise application integration software

Tools

Laptop computersPersonal computersPersonal digital assistants PDATablet computers

Work Values

IndependenceAchievementWorking ConditionsRelationshipsRecognitionSupport

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET + BLS

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: medium41-4011.00	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	title_inference	$100,070 median$194,890 top	+1.88%	570

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: proficient (Level 3)(based on Post-Baccalaureate Certificate)

Complex multi-stakeholder negotiations — lead across price, delivery, service, and contractual terms with technical buyers, procurement teams, and executive decision-makers.
Non-standard or high-value sales contracts — draft, review, and finalize independently, recognizing legal and technical risk factors and escalating appropriately.
Full-cycle needs analysis for sophisticated accounts — conduct autonomously at customer sites, integrating knowledge of production processes, regulatory requirements, and technical constraints.
Enterprise CRM and database systems — leverage advanced query and reporting capabilities to manage a complex account portfolio and generate actionable pipeline intelligence.
Technical product knowledge — apply across the full breadth of a scientific or manufacturing product line to solve non-routine customer problems and differentiate the value proposition.
Competitive bid responses — develop comprehensive proposals by synthesizing pricing strategy, technical specifications, and customer ROI analysis under tight deadlines.
Strategic account plans — create and execute for key customers, aligning product roadmaps with long-term customer objectives and forecasting multi-year revenue potential.
Customer retention challenges — diagnose root causes using social perceptiveness and service orientation, then design and implement tailored recovery strategies.
Cross-functional coordination — facilitate between engineering, logistics, finance, and customer teams to resolve complex order, delivery, or application issues.
Critical thinking and judgment — apply to evaluate ambiguous customer situations, make autonomous go/no-go decisions on custom solutions, and manage commercial risk.

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.