How to hire an account executive

How to hire an account executive, step by step

Here's a step-by-step account executive hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an account executive job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new account executive
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an account executive do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The account executive hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

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   Hiring the perfect account executive also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of account executive salaries for various roles:

   Type of Account Executive	Description	Hourly rate
   Account Executive	Account Executives are responsible for looking after the company's client as well as keeping the company-client relationships at a high standard. Their goal is to increase the amount of business a company does with those clients.	$21-52
   Marketing/Sales Representative	The job of marketing/sales representatives is to pitch a company's products and services to potential customers. They work to drive brand awareness through face-to-face consumer interaction... Show more	$20-44
   Territory Sales Representative	A territory sales representative is responsible for selling goods and services, assisting customers with their inquiries and concerns, and monitoring the assigned area's sales reports. Territory sales representatives coordinate with the rest of the sales team to develop effective marketing strategies and promotional techniques to increase revenues and profitability... Show more	$7-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • CRM
   • Healthcare
   • Sales Process
   • Salesforce
   • Work Ethic
   • Product Knowledge
   • Business Development
   • Customer Relationships
   • Account Management
   • PowerPoint
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Business Sales
   • Patients

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create and manage Facebook and twitter accounts.
   • Have achieve Google certification for both SEM and SEO sales.
   • Lead proposal team in winning a $1MM RFP, turning around a key account relationship.
   • Manage all aspects of new FedEx implementations (automation set-up, operational support and training of customers).
   • Develop and manage networking, VoIP, IP/TV, video, cloud, wireless, and security/disaster recovery projects.
   • Source all leads by means of cold calling, leveraging linkedin, referrals, and upselling to existing customers.

   More account executive duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your account executive job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An account executive salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, account executives' average salary in hawaii is 36% less than in oregon.
   • Seniority. Entry-level account executives earn 60% less than senior-level account executives.
   • Certifications. An account executive with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an account executive's salary.

   Average account executive salary

   $69,618yearly

   $33.47 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level account executive salary

   $44,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average account executive salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Oregon	$86,549	$42
   2	California	$82,643	$40
   3	Washington	$79,091	$38
   4	Rhode Island	$76,941	$37
   5	District of Columbia	$74,998	$36
   6	Connecticut	$74,956	$36
   7	Nevada	$74,135	$36
   8	Michigan	$73,531	$35
   9	New York	$72,869	$35
   10	Illinois	$72,786	$35
   11	Maryland	$72,783	$35
   12	Kansas	$72,532	$35
   13	Utah	$71,994	$35
   14	Minnesota	$71,719	$34
   15	Maine	$71,545	$34
   16	Wisconsin	$71,451	$34
   17	Massachusetts	$71,048	$34
   18	Missouri	$70,650	$34
   19	Indiana	$69,703	$34
   20	Virginia	$69,589	$33

   Average account executive salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Hitachi Vantara	$141,895	$68.22	10
   2	Databricks	$141,107	$67.84	24
   3	Google	$139,637	$67.13	81
   4	IBM	$134,367	$64.60	54
   5	Microsoft	$128,688	$61.87	51
   6	Dynatrace	$127,961	$61.52	14
   7	STMicroelectronics	$127,558	$61.33
   8	VMware	$127,116	$61.11
   9	Tableau	$126,258	$60.70
   10	PayPal	$125,530	$60.35	17
   11	Cadence Design Systems	$125,273	$60.23	8
   12	Intel	$124,920	$60.06	1
   13	SAP	$124,728	$59.97	145
   14	Workday	$118,722	$57.08	18
   15	Daysmart	$118,570	$57.00
   16	Apple	$118,320	$56.88	24
   17	Cloudflare	$118,252	$56.85	38
   18	Yahoo	$117,637	$56.56
   19	Dell	$117,574	$56.53	13
   20	TripActions	$116,980	$56.24

4. Writing an account executive job description

   An account executive job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an account executive job description:

   Account executive job description example

   + Conduct virtual meetings and calls by leading custom product demonstrations based on a solid understanding of customer business processes and workflows
   + Up-sell current customers on additional Azuga products to drive increased recurring revenue.
   
   + Combine technical expertise, product knowledge, and industry knowledge with sales acumen in order to thoroughly educate customers on the product and close business
   
   + Intimately learn industry and use cases for Azuga's products
   
   + Maintain a general understanding of the competitive landscape and be able to articulate and demonstrate why Azuga's products are best-in-class solutions for our customers
   
   Typically requires a minimum of 1 year of related experience with a bachelor's degree
   
   The Sales Executive is the technical expert for Azuga's add-on products. The ideal SE must be a hungry self-starter with a proven track record in technical sales and knowledge of technology. You must be able to explain complex information and concepts in simple-to-understand and practical business context. The candidate will be organized and analytical, able to eliminate sales obstacles through creative and adaptive approaches. Must possess strong presentation skills and be able to communicate professionally verbally as well as in written communication.
   
   Azuga, a Bridgestone Company, is a mission-driven team committed to remaining the fastest growing enterprise fleet management mobility solution in the industry. With vehicle GPS fleet tracking, safety camera solutions, driver safety and vehicle diagnostics for small business and enterprise fleets, our fleet management system, and therefore our teams, are helping fleet managers and drivers make smarter decisions when it comes to vehicle maintenance, cost-savings and safety. We are a group of builders and doers - building the foundations of a dynamic marketing team and marketing strategy to deliver amazing results for our customers and our sales partners. We are a team with a strong commitment to customer-driven innovation, data-based decision making and a commitment to learning through experimentation. As a part of Bridgestone, the opportunities can be endless across the broad spectrum of businesses in the Bridgestone portfolio. If this is your type of work and the type of environment you want to work in, we encourage you to explore our job opportunities.
   
   Bridgestone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. It is our policy to consider for employment all individuals regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find account executives for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any account executives they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level account executives with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your account executive job on Zippia to find and attract quality account executive candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with account executive candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new account executive

   Once you have selected a candidate for the account executive position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an account executive?