Chicago Estate Advisors | Water Tower Place | Magnificent Mile

Independent Contractor

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PRIORITY AVAILABILITY: FRIDAY & SATURDAY

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$200/DAY + 3% PERSONAL IN-STORE COMMISSION + $500 MONTHLY PERFORMANCE BONUS + ADDITIONAL BONUS OPPORTUNITIES

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WE’RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN SELL — AND BUILD BUSINESS.

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Chicago Estate Advisors is seeking an experienced, polished and proactive sales professional for our Water Tower Place location.

This is more than traditional retail. Our constantly changing inventory includes designer furniture, fine art, jewelry, luxury goods, antiques, vintage, collectibles, home décor and one-of-a-kind estate pieces.

Our customers include collectors, designers, professionals, residents and visitors. One customer may spend $25; another may spend $5,000, $10,000 or more.

You cannot determine someone’s buying power by looking at them. The $25 customer today may become the $25,000 customer tomorrow.

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THE ROLE

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We want someone who gets out from behind the counter, starts conversations, discovers what customers want, presents merchandise confidently, follows up and asks for the sale.

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Responsibilities include:

• Customer engagement and closing sales

• Product knowledge and communicating value

• Cross-selling and increasing transaction value

• High-ticket sales

• Building repeat customers, referrals and a personal book of business

• Personal shopping and client development

• Community outreach and business development

• Supporting events and promotions

• Maintaining a polished, sales-ready store

• Clover/POS and opening/closing procedures

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FRIDAY & SATURDAY ARE A PRIORITY

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We are particularly interested in candidates with regular Friday and/or Saturday availability.

MORE CUSTOMERS. MORE CONVERSATIONS. MORE OPPORTUNITIES. MORE SALES. MORE COMMISSION.

When traffic is slow, the job doesn’t stop. Follow up with customers, develop your database, research merchandise, improve displays and find opportunities to create future sales.

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BUILD YOUR BOOK OF BUSINESS

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Learn what your customers collect, which designers they love, what they’re furnishing and what they may be looking for next.

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When relevant merchandise arrives:

CONTACT THEM. SEND THE PHOTO. MAKE THE CALL. INVITE THEM BACK. CLOSE THE SALE.

Our goal is for customers to think:

“Before I buy it somewhere else, I should call my person at Chicago Estate Advisors.”

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COMMUNITY & NEW BUSINESS

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Help develop relationships with luxury residential buildings, interior designers, real estate professionals, concierges, hotels, corporate relocation professionals, collectors, dealers, local businesses and other potential referral partners.

Ask yourself:

WHO AROUND US SHOULD KNOW CHICAGO ESTATE ADVISORS EXISTS?

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COMPENSATION

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$200 contractual day rate for accepted shifts
+ 3% commission on qualifying personal in-store merchandise sales
+ $500 monthly performance bonus when you personally reach $25,000 in qualifying monthly Clover-collected sales

The 3% commission applies to qualifying company-owned/buyout and consigned merchandise, excluding applicable sales tax.

Experienced sales professionals may be considered for an alternative draw-against-commission structure with greater commission upside.

After six months, eligible team members may participate in the company-wide quarterly profit-sharing program. Chicago Estate Advisors currently allocates 5% of qualifying company net profit to a team bonus pool according to program terms.

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WHO SHOULD APPLY?

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Experience in luxury retail, resale, consignment, furniture, interior design, fine art, jewelry, antiques, vintage, fashion, personal shopping, hospitality, real estate, high-ticket sales, clienteling or business development is valuable.

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You should be sales-driven, outgoing, confident, self-motivated, reliable, professional and comfortable approaching customers, asking for the sale and selling $5,000+ merchandise.

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YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SELL.

 

TO APPLY — QUESTIONNAIRE REQUIRED

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Please submit your résumé AND complete the Chicago Estate Advisors Senior Sales Associate Candidate Questionnaire. Email this information to deb@chicagoestateadvisors.com, admin@chicagoestateadvisors.com and andy@chicagoestateadvisors.com

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Questions marked ★ are priority screening questions.

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1. ★ AVAILABILITY

Are you regularly available Friday, Saturday, both or neither? Briefly describe your weekend availability.

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2. ★ SALES EXPERIENCE

How many years? <1 / 1–2 / 3–5 / 5–10 / 10+
Briefly describe what you sold and your customer base.

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3. ★ PERSONAL SALES

What is the highest personal sales volume you generated in one month?
<$10K / $10K–$24,999 / $25K–$49,999 / $50K–$99,999 / $100K+ / Not tracked
If known, provide your average monthly sales.

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4. ★ $25 VS. $5,000 CUSTOMER

How would your approach differ between a $25 customer and someone considering a $5,000 purchase?

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5. ★ BOOK OF BUSINESS

Have you developed a customer database/client list/book of business? Yes/No
If yes, how did you build and maintain it? If no, how would you build one here?

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6. ★ SLOW BUSINESS

It’s Friday afternoon and traffic has been quiet for two hours. What would you do to create future sales?

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7. HIGH-TICKET SALES

What is the highest-priced item/service you personally sold? Include approximate price and how you closed it.

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8. CLIENT FOLLOW-UP

A customer loves a $7,500 piece but says, “I need to think about it.” What do you do next?

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9. PERSONAL SHOPPING

A customer is furnishing a new condominium but makes no purchase. What would you learn and how would you follow up?

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10. ★ BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Give three specific ways you would introduce Chicago Estate Advisors to potential customers or referral partners outside the store.

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11. PERFORMANCE COMPENSATION

Does a compensation structure of $200/day + 3% commission + $500 monthly performance bonus + additional opportunities motivate you? Yes/No. Explain briefly.

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12. ★ $25,000 SALES TARGET

How would you approach achieving or exceeding $25,000 in monthly personal sales?

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13. CUSTOMER APPROACH

A customer says, “I’m just looking.” What do you say or do?

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14. PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

A customer wants a $4,000 item, but you don’t know the designer/artist/maker. What do you do?

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15. OUT-OF-TOWN CUSTOMER

A visitor loves a large piece but says, “I live in another state.” How would you try to close the sale?

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16. TECHNOLOGY

Rate yourself Experienced / Some Experience / None with:
Clover/POS • Customer databases • Text/email follow-up • Social media engagement

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17. INITIATIVE

Give one example of something you initiated at a previous job without being instructed.

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18. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Briefly identify your experience/knowledge in:
Luxury Retail • Luxury Resale • Consignment • Furniture • Interior Design • Fine Art • Jewelry • Antiques • Vintage • Fashion • Personal Shopping • Hospitality • Real Estate • High-Ticket Sales • Client Development • Business Development • Community Outreach

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19. COMPENSATION PREFERENCE

A. $200/day + 3% commission + bonuses
B. Higher-commission draw-against-commission
C. Interested in both

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20. ★ WHY YOU?

Why would you be successful as a Senior Sales Associate at Chicago Estate Advisors? Be specific.

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APPLICANT INFORMATION

Name:
Phone:
Email:
Current/Most Recent Employer:
Position:
Years of Sales Experience:
Earliest Start Date:
Able to work as an independent contractor? Yes/No

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Please submit your résumé with your completed questionnaire.

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Selected candidates will be contacted regarding the next stage of the interview process.

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Thank you for your interest in joining Chicago Estate Advisors.