OCCUPATION: SALES ASSOCIATE

Name: Christina R. Alexander

Company: Nordstrom

Thumbs up: “I like working with customers and putting outfits together. I feel as if I’m shopping all day long.”

Thumbs down: “There really isn’t anything I don’t like. Occasionally I have to work weekends and holidays.”

Next step: Department manager and then a buyer.

Advice: “It helps to have an outgoing personality; some retail experience wouldn’t hurt, either.”

Salary range: Depending on experience and the company, $4.25 to $12.50 an hour plus commission.

Fringe benefits: Most employees receive paid vacation, medical, dental, vision and life insurance, paid sick leave, and retirement plans.

Educational and training requirements: Hiring policies vary from company to company, but in general, retail selling is open to inexperienced workers with a high school education or less. Qualifications that employers rate as very important are: meeting employer grooming standards, public contact, customer service and good oral communication skills, and the ability to work independently and operate a computerized cash register.

Size of work force: Very large. In Orange County, 38,400 to 43,600 people, or 27.9% of the labor force, work in retail sales.

Expected demand: Steady growth is expected.

Job description: Retail salespeople sell a wide variety of merchandise to the public: furniture, motor vehicles, appliances or apparel.

Major employing industries: Department, general merchandise, apparel, accessory, food, drug, and furniture stores; car dealers.

For more information: Call or visit the job service window at any office of the state Employment Development Division. In Orange County, the offices are at 900 E. Pacifico Ave. in Anaheim ((714) 978-7421), 233 E. Commonwealth Ave. in Fullerton ((714) 680-7800), and 1001 S. Grand Ave. in Santa Ana ((714) 558-4294). Employers are also invited to call with job openings.