J-1 Visa Sales Trainee Jobs
Sales Trainee positions in the United States are accessible to early-career professionals through the J-1 visa Trainee program category, which requires a designated sponsor organization to issue your DS-2019. Securing a host employer willing to file a structured training plan is the first step toward J-1 sponsorship.
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INTRODUCTION
Hajoca Corporation is one of the country’s largest privately-held wholesale distributors of plumbing, heating & cooling, and industrial supplies. Founded in 1858, Hajoca is a company based on the principles of “Service, Integrity, Reliability,” and on relationships of trust and support with teammates, customers, and suppliers. Throughout its history, Hajoca has played an active role in shaping advances in plumbing. However, we attribute our success to two simple truths; a unique business philosophy and talented people. Hajoca is all about the people, who give us our advantage, and who will guide us successfully into the future.
Although Hajoca is a large company, we work in a decentralized environment where each of our locations, called Profit Centers (PCs), is run by the Profit Center Manager as if it were their own small business. A typical Profit Center is the heart of our business and consists of a warehouse, counter, sales office, and (sometimes) a showroom. Our PCs conduct business under unique trade names and offer a customized business approach, honoring what’s special about each local marketplace.
Modern Supply Co. is one of those trade names and is looking for a SLDP - Sales & Leadership Development Program Trainee at their Knoxville, TN location.
Pay for SLDP - Sales & Leadership Development Program Trainee is between $25 and $30 per hour at this location.
Are you looking to pursue a long-term career in sales, business operations, or management? Do you have a strong work ethic and an eagerness to learn? Do you enjoy interacting with people and building relationships? If so, then we’d like you to join our team as a SLDP - Sales & Leadership Development Program Trainee.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
The Sales & Leadership Development program is a multi-year rotational program aimed at investing in each trainee's future by providing exposure to all aspects of our business. During the program, we work in a structured, thorough manner to develop an aligned understanding of your skill set and long-term career goals.
- Live into your dreams. We'll pair your passion, skill set, and career goals with our business needs. When the program is complete, you'll have the opportunity to pursue a long-term career in sales, operations management, profit center management, or a variety of other career paths that suit your individual goals and the needs of the business.
- Learn the business. Your learning path will include on-the-job experience supplemented with coaching from experienced managers, book and computer courses, and visits with customers and vendors. You'll learn about all aspects of our business (including warehouse procedures, operations, and sales) with guidance along the way from mentors and managers.
HERE'S A LOOK AT WHAT YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH IN EACH PHASE:
Phase 1:
- Learn about and perform work related to our business operations such as receiving and shipping material, processing returned goods, making deliveries, and learning about proper truck maintenance.
- Participate in vendor product knowledge sessions.
- Complete related online courses that facilitate and supplement your learning.
Phase 2:
- Learn about and gain experience working in counter sales including assisting customers and other teammates, processing sales orders, providing reliable product information, and maintaining the display area.
- Participate in vendor product knowledge sessions.
- Gain experience working with residential, commercial, and repair and remodel contractors.
Phase 3:
- Learn about and gain experience working in sales. Complete tasks related to pricing and margin management, bids, quotes and submittals, product procurement, and job scheduling.
- Develop relationships with vendors.
- Participate in joint sales calls with outside salespersons.
Phase 4:
- Participate in an in-depth career discussion with your assigned Profit Center Manager and discuss which aspect of business you’re interested in pursuing.
ABOUT YOU:
- College degree or equivalent experience.
- Experience in customer service, sales, management, or leadership roles.
- Able to drive for company business. As a company business driver, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Possess a proper and valid driver's license.
- Have a driving record that meets the criteria for being an Authorized Driver in accordance with company policy.
OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL ALSO:
- Be able to build influential relationships and trust with customers and key vendor partners through open and interactive communication.
- Be able to build positive working relationships and inspire teamwork with co-workers.
- Possess excellent communication and listening skills, with the ability to persuade.
- Be able to quickly adapt and react to changes within the work environment.
- Possess a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Effectively prioritize work projects and multi-task.
- Be able to learn and operate applicable software systems and technology used in day-to-day business operations.
- Demonstrate an awareness of personal strengths and areas of improvement and act independently to improve and increase skills and knowledge.
- Be able to learn how to safely operate warehouse material-handling equipment.
- Read, write, speak, and understand English.
- Be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
- Be able to quickly gain knowledge of products sold in the Profit Center.
- Effectively use Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel) to communicate via email, to maintain weekly sales plans, call reports, customer contact files, and to analyze customer data.
THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH US:
Our culture is well-suited for exceptional people who use their talents to drive business and want to share in the financial success their efforts yield. In addition to a competitive starting wage, we offer a Profit-Sharing Program that provides each team member with an opportunity to earn a direct share of the profits on an annual basis. In addition to our generous compensation package, Hajoca also offers:
Full-time benefits (for team members working 30 or more hours per week):
- Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage.
- Accident, Hospital Indemnity, and critical care coverage.
- Life insurance and Long Term Disability.
- Pre-tax accounts for healthcare, dependent care, and commuter benefits.
- Paid vacation, holidays, and sick time (sick time also offered to PT team members as required by state law).
- Paid pregnancy and parental leave.
- Paid day of community service.
Full-time and part-time benefits:
- 401(k).
- Retirement cash account with company contributions.
- Targeted training programs focused on your personal and professional growth.
- Company wellness program.
- Employee discounts.
- College tuition benefits.
- Please note that benefit offerings may differ for teammates covered under a collective bargaining agreement or employed through an intern program.
Hajoca Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer (Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled).
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected category pursuant to federal, state or local laws and will not be discriminated against on the basis of any such categories/status. Hajoca is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities including, but not limited to, during the application process. Please let us know if you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability.
We are a drug free workplace. Employment is contingent upon pre-employment drug screening, and successful completion of a criminal background investigation subject to any federal, state and local laws.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Sales Trainee
Build a training plan before applying
Designated sponsors require a detailed Training/Internship Placement Plan (DS-7002) before issuing your DS-2019. Draft a week-by-week breakdown of the sales skills you'll develop so host employers can sign off without delays.
Confirm your J-1 Trainee category eligibility
The Trainee category requires a degree plus one year of relevant work experience, or five years of sales experience without a degree. Gather employer references and pay stubs before outreach so you can document this quickly when asked.
Target employers with existing training infrastructure
Host employers for J-1 Trainees must provide structured supervision, not just a job. Focus your search on mid-size distributors, SaaS companies, and retail chains that already onboard cohorts, since they're accustomed to formal training documentation.
Use Migrate Mate to find J-1-aligned sales roles
Search Migrate Mate for Sales Trainee openings at U.S. employers that have hosted international exchange visitors before. Filtering by sponsorship history saves weeks of cold outreach to companies unfamiliar with the DS-2019 process.
Clarify the two-year home residency rule early
Some J-1 Trainee placements trigger a two-year home-country residency requirement based on your nationality or government funding. Ask your designated sponsor whether your program is subject to this requirement before accepting any offer.
Negotiate offer timing around DS-2019 processing
Designated sponsors typically need four to six weeks to issue a DS-2019 after approving your training plan. Build this window into your start-date conversation with the host employer so your consular appointment doesn't slip.
Sales Trainee J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category covers Sales Trainee positions?
Sales Trainee roles fall under the J-1 Trainee category, not the Intern category. Trainee is designed for individuals who have completed their degree and have at least one year of prior sales or business experience. Current students who haven't yet graduated and are doing a curriculum-linked placement would use the Intern category instead. Your designated sponsor confirms the correct category based on your background.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa for a Sales Trainee role?
Your visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, not your host employer. Organizations like Cultural Vistas, CIEE, or AIPT issue the DS-2019 and monitor your placement for compliance. The company you work for is the host employer. They sign your training plan and supervise your daily work, but they don't hold the sponsorship designation or file any visa paperwork with the State Department.
How do I find host employers open to J-1 Sales Trainee placements?
Search Migrate Mate for Sales Trainee roles at U.S. employers familiar with exchange visitor programs. Companies that have hosted J-1 participants before already understand the DS-7002 training plan requirement and are far less likely to withdraw an offer once they learn about the designated sponsor process. Cold outreach to employers with no sponsorship history often stalls because they're unfamiliar with the DS-2019 and the liability it involves.
Can my J-1 Trainee program be extended if my sales training isn't complete?
J-1 Trainee programs have a maximum duration of 18 months. Extensions within that limit are possible but require your designated sponsor to approve an amended DS-7002 and issue a new DS-2019 before the original expires. Extensions beyond 18 months aren't permitted under the Trainee category. If you want to continue working after your program ends, you'd need to transition to a different visa status, which requires a separate employer-sponsored process.
Does the host employer pay for J-1 sponsorship costs?
Program fees are typically paid by the host employer, the exchange visitor, or split between both, depending on what your designated sponsor charges and what you negotiate with the host. There's no government filing fee to USCIS for J-1 visas the way there is for H-1B visa petitions, but designated sponsors charge administrative fees for issuing the DS-2019 and monitoring the placement. Clarify who covers these fees before signing any offer letter.