Inside Sales Representative

Job Title: Inside Sales Representative IJob DescriptionThe Inside Sales Representative I is a developing sales professional responsible for delivering exceptional customer service, supporting daily sales activities, and building a strong foundation in the companys products, services, systems, and operations. In this role, you handle inbound customer inquiries, prepare quotes, process orders, and assist with pricing, delivery coordination, buyouts, and value-added processing. Under the guidance of experienced sales associates and leadership, you progressively develop the skills needed to independently manage customer accounts and contribute to profitable sales growth.

Responsibilities

• Respond promptly and professionally to customer inquiries regarding products, pricing, availability, and order status.
• Provide phone coverage throughout the day, ensuring customers receive timely support and clear communication.
• Expedite orders when needed and proactively support customer needs to maintain high satisfaction levels.
• Build and maintain positive, long-term customer relationships, escalating complex issues to senior team members when appropriate.
• Prepare accurate, basic quotations for standard products and services in accordance with established pricing guidelines.
• Process customer orders with precision, ensuring all details are correctly entered into company systems.
• Coordinate with internal departments to support timely and complete order fulfillment, including production, logistics, and operations teams.
• Develop a working understanding of pricing structures, margins, and profitability to support sound sales decisions.
• Learn the buyout process for non-stock material and obtain vendor pricing to support customer requirements.
• Prepare basic buyout and value-added processing quotes under the guidance of more experienced associates.
• Quote standard saw cutting and coordinate routine processing requirements with internal teams.
• Identify and escalate complex sourcing or processing needs to appropriate team members to ensure effective resolution.
• Develop detailed knowledge of the companys metal products, services, systems, and industry applications across sectors such as aerospace, defense, industrial, power, and medical.
• Support customer retention efforts by providing consistent, reliable service and identifying opportunities to strengthen relationships.
• Assist in account development and sales opportunities by recognizing customer needs and collaborating with the sales team.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date customer and sales information in company systems, including orders, quotes, and account notes.
• Demonstrate strong attention to detail while working with a large volume of product codes to minimize errors and protect profitability.
• Wear multiple hats in a fast-paced environment, contributing flexibly to various sales support and customer service activities as needed.
• Uphold a positive, professional demeanor that reflects a service-oriented, welcoming culture in all customer and internal interactions.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree with at least 1 year of experience in customer service, order processing, sales support, or a related field, OR a minimum of 3 years of inside sales experience, ideally within a related industry.
• Proven customer service skills, with the ability to manage inquiries, resolve issues, and support ongoing customer relationships.
• Experience with order processing and sales support, including preparing quotes and entering orders into business systems.
• Strong phone presence, with clear communication skills and a professional, friendly manner.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated self-motivation and the ability to work independently under guidance, as well as part of a collaborative team.
• Comfort working with a large number of product codes and technical details, with a focus on minimizing errors.
• Basic understanding of account management and inside sales support principles.
• ERP system knowledge is a plus, with the ability to learn and navigate enterprise resource planning tools.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in metals, manufacturing, industrial distribution, or a related industry is highly beneficial.
• Familiarity with purchase orders and general purchasing processes.
• Background in account management or inside sales support, including quoting and customer follow-up.
• Ability to quickly learn product lines, including various metals and value-added processing services.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize work in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
• Personality that aligns with a high-service, hospitality-style culture, similar to well-known service-focused brands.
• Positive, energetic outlook with genuine enthusiasm for coming to work and contributing to team success.
• Willingness to grow into more advanced sales responsibilities over time, with potential to move into outside sales.
• High level of reliability and integrity, with a commitment to accuracy in pricing, quoting, and order entry.
• Openness to feedback and coaching from experienced sales associates and leadership to support professional development.

Work EnvironmentThis role operates within a large, established metals service center environment that supports a broad range of industries, including space, commercial aerospace, defense, industrial, power, and medical. The company provides value-added metals processing services and distributes a full line of more than 100,000 metal products, including brass and bronze, stainless steel, super alloys, and carbon steel, to over 125,000 customers across many locations. You work closely with a small, collaborative inside sales team consisting of a manager and two team members, in a setting where attention to detail is critical due to the volume of product codes and the impact of errors on customers and profitability. The position is 100% onsite, with standard hours of approximately 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., limited overtime, and flexibility on start times once fully trained, with some team members starting as early as 6:30 a.m. The role is contract-to-hire, offering the opportunity to grow into a permanent position. The culture emphasizes being detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to wear multiple hats, while maintaining a positive, upbeat attitude. Team members are encouraged to be excited about their work, bring a service-oriented mindset, and demonstrate a friendly, welcoming presence similar to well-known customer-centric brands. The environment is stable and growth-oriented, with room for career progression as the company continues to expand, including potential future opportunities in outside sales for those who excel. Job Type & LocationThis is a Contract to Hire position based out of Santa Fe Springs, CA. Pay and BenefitsThe pay range for this position is $30.00 - $31.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits

available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Job Type & LocationThis is a Contract to Hire position based out of Santa Fe Springs, CA. Application DeadlineThis position is anticipated to close on Nov 16, 2026. Workplace TypeThis is a fully onsite position in Santa Fe Springs,CA.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.