Sales Consultant Jobs
Sales consultants help customers choose, finance and buy new and used vehicles at dealerships.
A sales consultant greets customers, runs the test drive and the payment conversation, then works the CRM when the floor is quiet. Most stores train newcomers, so the decision that matters is the pay plan: get it in writing and read the chargeback section. Check whether your state requires a salesperson license.
Data as of October 20, 2026.
Open Sales Consultant positions
Also known as car salesperson, automotive sales consultant and car sales.
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A day as a Sales Consultant
You open with the sales meeting on inventory and incentives, then answer overnight leads in the CRM before a customer walks in. With an up, you find out what they are replacing and what payment they can live with, walk the vehicle and take the drive. A manager takes your numbers to the desk, and you carry the offer back to the customer.
Slow hours are where newcomers struggle. Midweek you call past customers and unsold ups and write notes a manager can follow when you are off. Saturday is the opposite: everyone is on the floor and the up rotation decides who talks to whom. At month-end the desk pushes and a bonus can hinge on a deal or two.
It suits you if you can hear no and make the next call, and live with income that moves month to month. It is a poor fit if you need the same paycheck every two weeks. New-car floors add trims, lease programs and incentive rules.
How to get in
Move Over from Retail or Hospitality
Stores hire from clothing, electronics and restaurants because those jobs teach you to greet strangers and settle complaints. Put the transferable part on your profile: repeat customers you built, a contest you won.
Start on the Lot or in the BDC
Porters, lot attendants and BDC representatives see how the store sells first, and managers know their names when a seat opens. BDC reps already have the phone habits and CRM notes that internet-heavy stores want.
Switch Stores with a Book of Customers
Your edge is repeat and referral business. Tell the manager how many past customers still call you and expect questions about your last pay plan. Changing brands means new incentive and lease vocabulary, so state which brands you have sold.
Skills and credentials
Selling
- A walkaround and test drive you can describe step by step.
- Answering a price objection with payment and trade value, not argument.
- Follow-up texts that mention the vehicle the person asked about.
- Asking for the referral at delivery.
Product and Numbers
- Reading a payment as price, trade, rate, term and down payment together.
- Your brand's trims, packages and current incentives, without a lookup.
- Lease versus buy in plain words, including mileage and turn-in.
- There is no ASE test for sales. Brand product courses and store training take its place.
Habits That Keep You Paid
- Logging every contact in the CRM the same day.
- Working your own call list on slow days.
- Keeping any state license current.
- Tracking your own deals and chargebacks so paychecks never surprise you.
How the job is paid
Consultant pay is a plan, not a wage: commission on front gross (profit on the vehicle itself), a minimum on thin deals, a volume bonus at a monthly unit count, and spiffs on certain models. Some stores add a base or a draw, which is an advance against commission. Ask whether the draw is recoverable and what happens if you sell nothing for a month.
Read the chargeback rules slowly. If a deal unwinds or a customer cancels a product, the store may reclaim commission, so ask how long that window runs and whether it covers deals you closed before you leave. There is no exact BLS occupation for this role, so no wage figure is shown here. Get the plan on paper.
Build your AutoHire profile
- Write a headline that names what you sell, such as new truck sales or used SUV sales, not a general line about loving cars.
- In the bio, say whether you work floor traffic, internet leads or both, and mention repeat and referral business.
- Under each past job, list searchable duties: CRM use, appointment setting, trade appraisals and follow-up calls.
- Add brand experience with the years on each brand, because employers can filter candidate search by brand and by years of experience.
- Switch on open to work, keep your location accurate for radius searches and complete ID verification for the Verified badge. A Spark is an employer inviting you to one of its open jobs.
Interview questions to expect
- Q1
Walk me through the last deal you were proud of.
How to answerName the customer's source, what they needed, how the trade was handled and where the deal nearly died. Use a real vehicle and a real objection. If you are new, use a retail sale.
- Q2
How were you paid at your last job, and what did each part come to?
How to answerExplain base or draw, commission, volume bonus and spiffs, and which part did the most work. Mention a chargeback if you had one.
- Q3
A customer says another store quoted lower. Now what?
How to answerAsk to see the quote, check that vehicle, fees and trade match, and bring in the manager. Do not cut the price on your own authority.
- Q4
How do you spend a slow Tuesday?
How to answerCalls to past customers and unsold ups, CRM notes, learning inventory. Saying you wait for ups loses the job.
- Q5
How do you handle an internet lead compared with a walk-in?
How to answerReply fast with an answer to what they asked, then move to a call and a set time. Qualify the walk-in in person.
Where the career goes
- 01
Senior Consultant
Deals and repeat customers earn lead priority, and often a move to a bigger store or a better plan.
- 02
Finance Office
Consultants who like lender rules and menu selling move to F&I. Ask the finance manager whether the store trains from within.
- 03
Sales Manager
Managers usually come from consultants who coach others. Ask to sit at the desk on busy days and learn how a payment is built.
Terms you will hear
- Up
- A customer who walks in, or your turn to greet the next one.
- Front Gross
- Profit on the vehicle before finance products.
- Unit
- One vehicle sold, the count behind volume bonuses.
- Draw
- An advance against future commission.
- Spiff
- A small extra payment for a specific vehicle or product.
- Chargeback
- Commission taken back when a deal unwinds or a product is cancelled.
Sales Consultant jobs: questions job seekers ask
Can I get a car sales job with no experience?
Yes. Many stores hire from retail and restaurants and train. Show that you can follow up and keep notes, and ask what the training looks like.
Do you need a license to sell cars?
It depends on the state. Some require a salesperson license and some license only the dealership. Check with your state regulator.
How do car salespeople get paid?
Mostly commission on front gross, plus volume bonuses and spiffs, sometimes with a base or draw. Get the plan in writing.
Should I sell new or used cars?
New floors teach brand and lease programs, used floors teach appraisal and pricing. Pick where training and the plan cover your first months.
What should I ask in a car sales interview?
How ups and internet leads are assigned, whether the draw is recoverable, the chargeback rules, and what happens to your customers if you leave.
How do I move from sales consultant to sales manager?
Sell steadily, help new consultants, learn desking and appraisal, and tell your manager you want the next desk seat.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (data as of October 20, 2026)
Data as of October 20, 2026.
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