6 free templates by type. Download as DOCX or copy-paste.
For a small business, a sales representative is often one of the most important hires you make. The right rep grows revenue directly. The wrong one costs you months of salary and lost deals. The job description that brings them in does more than list tasks. It sets expectations on targets and pay, screens for the right kind of seller, and becomes the baseline for the ramp plan once you hire. A vague posting attracts people chasing a title. A specific one attracts people who can actually close.
At FirstHR, we build for small businesses that hire without an HR department, where the owner or COO writes the posting and the sales rep often reports straight to them. The six templates below cover the most common versions of the role: general, inside, outside, entry-level, B2B, and retail. Each is ready to use. Fill in the bracketed fields, adjust the responsibilities and comp to match your business, and post. For the general principles behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
Six free, ready-to-use sales representative job description templates for small businesses: General, Inside, Outside/Field, Entry-Level, B2B, and Retail. Download as DOCX, customize the bracketed fields, and post in minutes. Be specific about compensation and the reporting line, since those matter most for sales roles, then bridge into a ramp plan once they accept.
What Is a Sales Rep Job Description?
A sales representative job description is a short document that explains the role's purpose, responsibilities, compensation, and requirements so you can post a job and attract the right sellers. It typically covers a job summary, key responsibilities, required and preferred qualifications, the comp structure, and how to apply. The SHRM job description tools describe a job description as a plain-language tool that explains the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a position, and the same standard applies whether you are a national brand or a single shop.
For a sales role specifically, the document does double duty. It attracts applicants, and once someone is hired it becomes the reference point for the ramp plan and targets. That is why the templates here are written to be both candidate-facing and useful after the hire. If you are filling related roles too, the sales associate job description templates cover floor and retail roles, and the customer service job description templates cover support roles, both different from a sales rep.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template that matches the role you are filling. The core structure is the same across all six, but each one emphasizes the responsibilities, language, and comp model that fit a specific kind of sales rep. Use this guide to choose.
General
Any small business
The universal, industry-neutral baseline. Covers the full sales process, targets, and CRM use. Start here if your role does not fit a specific type.
Inside Sales
Phone and CRM selling
Lead-generation focused: outbound calls, lead qualification, CRM pipeline, and quotas. No travel. For phone and online selling.
Outside / Field
Territory and travel
Field-sales focused: an assigned territory, in-person meetings, travel, and relationship building. For territory and B2B field roles.
Entry-Level
First sales hire
No-experience-required language with a training and ramp plan. Built to attract motivated, coachable first-time sellers.
B2B / AE
Full-cycle B2B and SaaS
Account-executive style: full sales cycle, multi-stakeholder deals, OTE, and quota. For B2B and SaaS small businesses.
Retail Salesperson
Stores and shops
Floor-sales focused: customer service, POS, hourly pay, and shift schedule. For retail and in-store selling.
Match the Title to How They Sell
The fastest way to choose is to ask how the person will actually sell. By phone and CRM from a desk? Inside Sales. In a territory, meeting customers in person? Outside or Field. Owning complex deals end to end? B2B. On a store floor? Retail. If they will do a bit of everything, start with the General template and pull in lines from the others.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each one follows the same structure: company overview, job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, compensation, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets before you post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General, inside, outside, entry-level, B2B, and retail sales rep. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: General Sales Representative
The universal, industry-neutral baseline. Covers the full sales process, targets, CRM use, and relationship building. Use this for a general sales role that does not fit one specific type.
General Sales Representative Job Description
SALES REPRESENTATIVE JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: __ ([ ] On-site [ ] Remote [ ] Hybrid)
Reports to: __
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
Compensation: $_____ base + commission
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your business and what makes it a good place to
work.]
JOB SUMMARY
We are looking for a Sales Representative to find new customers, build
relationships, and close deals. You will manage the full sales process from
first contact to close, hit your targets, and represent our brand well. This
role suits someone driven, organized, and genuinely good with people.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Find and reach out to potential customers
•Present our products or services and explain their value
•Understand customer needs and recommend the right fit
•Manage the sales process from first contact to close
•Meet or exceed monthly and quarterly sales targets
•Keep the CRM accurate and up to date
•Build long-term relationships and follow up with customers
•Work with the team on pricing, proposals, and renewals
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
•Strong communication and relationship-building skills
Phone and CRM focused. This version emphasizes outbound calls, lead qualification, pipeline management, and quotas, with no travel. Ideal for desk-based and online selling.
Inside Sales Representative Job Description
INSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: __ ([ ] On-site [ ] Remote [ ] Hybrid)
Reports to: Sales Manager
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
Compensation: $_____ base + commission
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring an Inside Sales Representative to generate leads,
qualify prospects, and close deals by phone, email, and online. You will work
from one location, manage a pipeline in our CRM, and hit monthly targets. This
role suits someone persistent, organized, and comfortable selling without
in-person meetings.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
LEAD GENERATION AND OUTREACH
•Make outbound calls and send follow-up emails to prospects
•Qualify inbound leads and route or close as appropriate
•Hit daily and weekly call and email activity targets
PIPELINE AND CLOSING
•Manage opportunities through the pipeline in the CRM
•Present products, handle objections, and close deals
•Meet or exceed monthly sales quotas
•Coordinate with the team on handoffs and renewals
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
•Strong phone and written communication skills
•Comfort with outbound outreach and handling objections
•Organized, self-motivated, and goal-driven
•Comfort using a CRM and sales tools
•High school diploma or equivalent
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Previous inside sales or telesales experience
•Experience selling in [your industry]
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ base plus commission
Benefits: __
To apply, email __ with your resume by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Still Using Spreadsheets for Onboarding?
Automate documents, training assignments, task management, and track onboarding progress in real time.
Territory and travel focused. Adds an assigned territory, in-person meetings, travel expectations, and field relationship building. For territory and field B2B roles.
Outside / Field Sales Representative Job Description
OUTSIDE / FIELD SALES REPRESENTATIVE JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Territory: __
Reports to: Sales Manager
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
Travel: __ % of the time
Compensation: $_____ base + commission
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring an Outside Sales Representative to grow business within
an assigned territory through in-person meetings and relationship building. You
will travel to meet prospects and customers, present our products, and close
deals in the field. This role suits someone independent, road-ready, and great
at building face-to-face relationships.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
TERRITORY AND FIELD SALES
•Develop and grow business within your assigned territory
•Travel to meet prospects and customers in person
•Present products and run demos or in-person pitches
RELATIONSHIPS AND CLOSING
•Build and maintain long-term customer relationships
•Close deals and meet territory revenue targets
•Log visits, opportunities, and notes in the CRM
•Represent the company at trade shows or events as needed
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
•Strong in-person communication and relationship skills
•Self-directed and able to manage your own schedule
•Valid driver's license and willingness to travel
•Comfort using a CRM and mobile sales tools
•High school diploma or equivalent
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Previous field or territory sales experience
•Established network in [your industry or region]
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ base plus commission
Benefits: __ (car/mileage allowance, etc.)
To apply, email __ with your resume by _.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 4: Entry-Level Sales Representative
Built for a first sales hire with no experience required. Uses motivating, coachable-first language and emphasizes training and a ramp plan to attract new sellers.
Entry-Level Sales Representative Job Description
ENTRY-LEVEL SALES REPRESENTATIVE JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __
Location: __
Reports to: __
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
Compensation: $_____ base + commission
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring an Entry-Level Sales Representative. No sales
experience is required. We provide training and a clear ramp plan. We are
looking for someone motivated, coachable, and good with people who wants to
start a career in sales. If you are driven and willing to learn, we will teach
you the rest.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Learn our products, customers, and sales process (training provided)
•Reach out to leads by phone and email
•Support senior reps and shadow customer calls
•Work toward gradually increasing activity and sales targets
•Keep the CRM updated with your activity
•Ask questions and apply coaching feedback
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
•Motivated, coachable, and eager to learn
•Good communication skills
•Reliable and organized
•No sales experience required
PREFERRED (NICE TO HAVE)
•Any customer-facing, retail, or part-time work experience
Full-cycle B2B focused. Adds prospecting, discovery and demos, multi-stakeholder deals, OTE, and quota. For B2B and SaaS small businesses with longer sales cycles.
Every strong sales rep job description includes the same core sections. The templates above are built around them, so you can simply fill in the blanks, but it helps to know what each one is for.
Section
What it covers
Job title
A clear, searchable title like Sales Representative or Inside Sales Rep
Company overview
One or two lines about your business and what you sell
Job summary
Two to three sentences on the role's purpose and main focus
Key responsibilities
8 to 10 specific duties across prospecting, closing, and accounts
Compensation
Base, commission structure, and realistic on-target earnings
Required qualifications
The few things a candidate genuinely cannot sell without
Reports to
Who the rep answers to, often the owner or COO in a small business
Location and travel
On-site, remote, or field, plus any travel percentage
Keep the language neutral and inclusive throughout. The EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on protected characteristics, so avoid wording that could screen people in or out unfairly.
Sales Representative Responsibilities and Duties
Sales rep responsibilities fall into four categories. A good job description picks the specific duties from each category that apply to your business rather than listing every possible task. These are the responsibilities most often expected of the role.
Prospecting
Find and reach out to leads
Qualify prospects against your criteria
Build a healthy pipeline
Selling and closing
Present products and explain value
Handle objections and negotiate
Close deals and hit targets
Process and CRM
Keep the CRM accurate
Forecast and report on the pipeline
Follow the sales process
Relationships
Build long-term customer relationships
Follow up and manage renewals
Represent the brand well
The most common short version of this list is prospect, present, close, and manage the CRM. The templates expand on these so you can tailor the responsibilities to your sales motion. For help scoping any role precisely, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through a simple process.
Inside vs Outside vs B2B: Which Variation to Choose
The three most commonly confused versions are inside, outside, and B2B. This table shows how they differ so you can pick the right template and set accurate expectations in the posting.
Factor
Inside Sales
Outside / Field
B2B / AE
Where they sell
Phone, email, online
In-person, in a territory
Mix, often full-cycle
Travel
None
Frequent
Occasional
Deal size
Smaller, higher volume
Larger, relationship-driven
Complex, multi-stakeholder
Sales cycle
Shorter
Longer
Longest
Best for
Volume and online products
Territory and field sales
B2B and SaaS
Many small businesses blend these. If your rep will do both phone and field work, start with the General template and add the relevant lines from the inside and outside versions.
How to Write a Sales Representative Job Description
A strong sales rep job description takes about 20 minutes to write if you follow a clear structure. Here is the process the templates are built around. If this is your first sales hire, the small business hiring guide covers the steps around the posting itself.
1
Choose the right template
Pick the version that matches how the person will sell: general, inside, outside, entry-level, B2B, or retail. The template already emphasizes the right duties and comp model.
2
Write a clear title and summary
Use a plain, searchable title. Open with two or three sentences covering who you are, what you sell, and what the role does. Keep it human, not corporate.
3
List 8 to 10 real responsibilities
Include the duties your role actually involves, grouped by prospecting, closing, CRM, and relationships. If the rep manages accounts and renewals too, say so.
4
Be specific about compensation
State the base, how commission works, and realistic on-target earnings. For sales roles, a clear comp plan attracts strong candidates more than anything else in the posting.
5
Add reporting line, location, and apply steps
Name who the rep reports to, state whether the role is on-site, remote, or field, include an equal opportunity statement, and give simple application instructions.
Sales Representative Salary and Outlook
Set your compensation using government data as a baseline, then build your commission structure on top. Sales pay almost always combines a base with commission, so total earnings depend heavily on the comp plan you design.
Sales Representative Pay and Demand (BLS)
Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives earn a median of about $74,100 per year, with reps selling technical and scientific products earning a median near $100,070. Despite slow projected growth, about 142,100 openings are expected each year on average over the decade (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). For small businesses, that means steady demand and ongoing competition for strong sellers.
Pay varies widely by what you sell and how. Technical and B2B reps earn above the median, while retail and entry-level roles start lower and lean more on hourly pay. Whatever the level, publish a clear comp structure. It is what separates a posting that attracts experienced closers from one that only gets beginners.
Writing the Job Description Without an HR Department
Corporate sales rep templates assume a sales management layer, formal hiring processes, and an HR team to run them. A small business has none of that. The rep often reports straight to the owner, the role is broader, and the posting goes up the same day it is written. Here is how to write it for that reality.
Your sales rep may report straight to you
At a small business, a sales rep often reports directly to the owner, operations manager, or COO rather than a sales manager. Say so in the job description and be clear about who they answer to. Candidates want to know the reporting line, and naming it signals an organized business.
The role is often broader than a single sales function
A small business sales rep may prospect, close, handle accounts, and even help with marketing or support. Pick the responsibilities that match your actual operation rather than copying an enterprise template built for one narrow stage of the funnel.
Commission structure is your strongest hook
For a small business, the comp plan is what attracts strong sellers. Be specific about the base, the commission, and the realistic earning potential. Vague phrases like competitive pay get ignored. A clear, motivating comp structure pulls better applicants than a long requirements list.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the foundation for the offer letter and the ramp plan. Sales reps need structured onboarding more than most roles, because they cannot sell effectively until they know the product, the process, and the CRM.
Why Onboarding Decides If a Rep Succeeds
Only 12% of employees strongly agree their organization does a great job onboarding new employees (Gallup). For a sales rep, weak onboarding shows up directly in slow ramp time and early turnover, which is costly when you are a small team relying on every hire to produce.
A clear first 90 days with ramp targets gets a new rep producing faster and reduces early turnover. Once you have your offer ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and a structured 30-60-90 day plan template gives the rep a clear ramp. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, and onboarding workflow in one place so a small business can manage the full process without an HR department.
Key Takeaways
A sales rep job description attracts the right sellers and becomes the baseline for the ramp plan once you hire.
Use the template that matches how they sell: general, inside, outside, entry-level, B2B, or retail.
Be specific about compensation. For sales roles, a clear base-plus-commission plan attracts strong candidates more than anything else.
Name the reporting line. In a small business the rep often reports to the owner or COO, and candidates want to know.
Use BLS data as a pay baseline: wholesale and manufacturing sales reps earn a median of about $74,100, with technical reps near $100,070.
Plan the ramp before they start. Only 12% of employees say onboarding is done well, and for reps that gap shows up as slow ramp and early turnover.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the duties and responsibilities of a sales representative?
A sales representative finds new customers, presents products or services, manages the sales process from first contact to close, and meets sales targets. Core duties include prospecting, qualifying leads, running presentations or demos, handling objections, closing deals, and keeping the CRM up to date. They also build long-term customer relationships and manage follow-ups and renewals. The exact mix depends on the type of role. An inside sales rep focuses on phone and CRM selling, an outside rep works a territory in person, and a B2B rep manages full-cycle deals with multiple stakeholders.
What is the difference between inside and outside sales?
Inside sales reps sell remotely, by phone, email, and online, usually from one location and often with higher activity volume and shorter sales cycles. Outside sales reps, also called field reps, sell in person within an assigned territory, travel to meet customers, and typically handle larger or more relationship-driven deals. Inside sales tends to suit higher-volume, lower-cost products, while outside sales suits complex or high-value sales that benefit from face-to-face contact. Many small businesses blend the two. The templates here include separate inside and outside versions so you can match the posting to the actual role.
What is the difference between a sales representative and a sales associate?
The titles overlap but usually signal different roles. A sales representative typically owns a sales process: prospecting, presenting, and closing deals, often with a base plus commission. A sales associate is more commonly a retail, floor-based role focused on helping walk-in customers, operating the register, and restocking, usually paid hourly. If your role is about actively finding and closing customers, use a sales representative job description. If it is about serving customers in a store, a sales associate job description fits better. Pick the title that matches the work and the pay structure.
How much does a sales representative make?
Sales pay usually combines a base salary with commission, so total earnings vary widely. As a benchmark, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives earn a median of about $74,100 per year. Reps selling technical and scientific products earn more, with a median around $100,070, while those selling other products earn a median closer to $66,780. Retail salespeople are usually paid hourly at a lower rate. Always state the base, the commission structure, and realistic earning potential in your posting, since a clear comp plan is what attracts strong sellers.
Should a sales rep job description include commission details?
Yes. For sales roles, the compensation structure is one of the most important parts of the posting because it directly affects who applies. State the base pay, how commission works, and the realistic on-target earnings. Vague phrases like competitive pay or unlimited earning potential get ignored by experienced sellers. Being specific signals that you have a real, thought-through comp plan, which strong reps look for. Many states also now require a pay range in job postings, so check your local rules. The templates here include a compensation section built for base plus commission.
How long should a sales rep job description be?
Aim for one page. A sales representative job description should include a short job summary, 8 to 10 clear responsibilities, required and preferred qualifications, the compensation structure, location and travel expectations, and how to apply. Avoid padding the duties list, since a tight, specific posting attracts candidates who match the real role. For entry-level sales roles especially, a shorter posting that emphasizes training and earning potential pulls a far larger applicant pool than a dense list of requirements that screens out coachable, motivated people.
Who does a sales representative report to in a small business?
In a larger company, a sales rep usually reports to a sales manager or director. In a small business, the rep often reports directly to the owner, operations manager, or COO, since there may be no dedicated sales leadership. State the reporting line clearly in your job description. Candidates want to know who they will answer to, and naming it sets accurate expectations. It also signals an organized business, which matters when you are competing with larger employers that have more structured sales teams and clearer career paths.
What happens after I hire a sales representative?
Once a candidate accepts, the job description becomes the basis for the offer letter and the onboarding and ramp plan. Sales reps need structured onboarding more than most roles, because they need product knowledge, sales process training, and CRM setup before they can sell effectively. A clear first 90 days with ramp targets gets a new rep producing faster and reduces early turnover, which is high in sales. FirstHR handles the offer letter, document collection, and onboarding workflow in one place, so a small business can move a new sales rep from hire to quota-ready without an HR department.
