How to hire an account executive, key accounts

How to hire an account executive, key accounts, step by step

Here's a step-by-step account executive, key accounts 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, key accounts job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new account executive, key accounts
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an account executive, key accounts, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   An account executive, key accounts's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, account executives, key accounts from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of account executives, key accounts and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Account Executive, Key Accounts	Description	Hourly rate
   Account Executive, Key Accounts	Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations. They contact customers, explain product features, answer any questions that their customers may have, and negotiate prices.	$36-87
   New Business Development	New business development focuses on new business opportunities and new product innovation, including product design, business model design, and marketing. This includes a wide scope of responsibilities that includes marketing planning, strategic partnerships, and increased profitability... Show more	$27-58
   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:

   • Healthcare
   • CRM
   • Account Management
   • Revenue Growth
   • Product Line
   • C-Suite
   • Corporate Accounts
   • Salesforce
   • PowerPoint
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Business Development
   • Digital Marketing
   • Business Relationships
   • Geographic Territory

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage day-to-day activity of client relate projects including IP voice, MPLS infrastructures and CPE implementations in a deadline-orient high-pressure environment.
   • Maximize the use of CRM, category management, and global account management tools to plan and execute on key initiatives.
   • Develop all operating plans and parking performas for RFP process.
   • Select based on previous expertise to deliver cloud software, mainframe solutions, and content management platforms.
   • Guide and motivate sales team through proper use of internal CRM, opportunity tracking, and risk approval internal processes.
   • Compose and deliver PowerPoint presentations to multiple buyers.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your account executive, key accounts job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An account executive, key accounts can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, account executives, key accounts' average salary in hawaii is 62% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level account executives, key accounts 59% less than senior-level account executives, key accounts.
   • Certifications. An account executive, key accounts with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an account executive, key accounts's salary.

   Average account executive, key accounts salary

   $117,015yearly

   $56.26 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level account executive, key accounts salary

   $75,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing an account executive, key accounts job description

   A good account executive, key accounts job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an account executive, key accounts job description:

   Account executive, key accounts job description example

   At Cloudera, we believe that data can make what is impossible today, possible tomorrow. we empower people to transform complex data into clear and actionable insights. Cloudera delivers an enterprise data cloud for any data, anywhere, from the Edge to AI. Powered by the relentless innovation of the open source community, Cloudera advances digital transformation for the world's largest enterprises.
   
   Our Key Account Executives are top performers from established enterprise and fast moving start-up sales organizations, who have outperformed industry peers because of their ability to challenge and inspire their teammates, partners, and customers. They have a validated reputation as an adviser that creates business results and value for business and technology leaders in enterprise organizations of different size and complexity. Cloudera Key Account Executives earn respect by showcasing use cases that transform a customer's business by using a customer's existing data as a weapon to influence their industry. Key Account Executives provoke the intellectual exploration through peer customer success stories that challenge some of the basic fundamentals in their customers' business.
   
   Are you able to quickly understand where individuals are and where they want to go and build trust and lead them down a specific path to generate big results?Are you able to challenge the status quo, engage customers in new ways and earn their trust and business?Are you ready to be intellectually stimulated and earn financial rewards along the way?
   RESPONSIBILITIES:
   Align with company's strategic objectives, handle and grow revenue and market share at designated accounts to improve customer success at all levels in the customer organization. Develop and deliver business plans to address customer and prospect priorities and critical needs Convey public and acquired intelligence about customer technology footprints, strategic growth plans, technology strategies and competitive landscape and trends Introduce domain product and service experts/specialists while maintaining account oversight Own account relationships and drive overall customer success for assigned accounts Build consensus and develop relationships at multiple levels - executive sponsors, influencers and decision makers Lead large scale transactions to close large scale deals Build pipeline, forecast business, lead the internal team, communicate key updates and competitive intelligence Exceed quarterly and annual new and expansion software subscription, renewals, professional service and training business goals
   
   ABOUT OUR TOP SALES PERFORMERS:
   Minimum 10+ years of exceeding enterprise software sales targets Fast moving start-up and vertical use case driven experience Data management experience Data warehousing experience Containers, Kubernetes and public cloud infrastructure technology knowledge and experience BA/BS or equivalent educational background
   
   #LI-SF1

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find account executives, key accounts for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your account executive, key accounts job on Zippia to find and recruit account executive, key accounts candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit account executives, key accounts, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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, key accounts

   Once you've selected the best account executive, key accounts candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been 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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