Job prospects Retail Sales Representative in Nova Scotia

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "retail sales representative" in Nova Scotia or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Nova Scotia

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be good for Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers (NOC 64100) in Nova Scotia for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Over the longer term, new technologies such as self-checkouts may reduce the need for the number of salespersons in a store. Even so, retailers in some parts of the province are encountering a shortage of job applicants, so prospects are good for individuals looking for work in this occupation. Unfavourable working conditions, such as part-time hours and low wages, appear to be contributing factors of the insufficient supply of labour for these positions.

Here are some key facts about Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers in Nova Scotia:

• Approximately 14,150 people work in this occupation.
• Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 69%
  • Food and beverage stores (NAICS 445): 15%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 56% compared to 82% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 43% compared to 18% for all occupations
• 49% of retail salespersons and visual merchandisers work all year, while 51% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 39 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of retail salespersons and visual merchandisers are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 45% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: 55% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 14% compared to 10% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 44% compared to 27% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 8% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 17% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 13% compared to 20% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Nova Scotia by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "retail sales representative" Retail salespersons (NOC 64100) or across Canada.

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