How to hire securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients. • Buy or sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies, or other securities on behalf of investment dealers. • 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. • Keep accurate records of transactions. • Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities. • Monitor markets or positions. • Report all positions or trading results. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, monitoring, active learning, reading comprehension and speaking skills • Working knowledge of customer and personal service, economics and accounting, English Language and mathematics • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $37.82 an hour ($78,660 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to buy or sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies, or other securities on behalf of investment dealers. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to complete sales order tickets and submit for processing of client-requested transactions. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to interview clients to determine clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, or financial objectives. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents do
- Agree on buying or selling prices at optimal levels for clients.
- Buy or sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies, or other securities on behalf of investment dealers.
- 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.
- Keep accurate records of transactions.
- Make bids or offers to buy or sell securities.
- Monitor markets or positions.
- Report all positions or trading results.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +1.4% over ten years, little or no change · about 35,100 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| New York | $168,340 |
| Massachusetts | $100,310 |
| Illinois | $99,840 |
| Connecticut | $98,560 |
| South Dakota | $86,780 |
| Alabama | $49,230 |
| Louisiana | $48,040 |
| Mississippi | $46,680 |
See securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Advertising Sales Agents
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Travel Agents
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.