How to hire an account manager

How to hire an account manager, step by step

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

What does an account manager do?

Post an account manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your account manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an account manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect account manager 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of account managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Account Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Account Manager	Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.	$20-52
   Sales Representative And Account Manager	A sales representative/account manager is responsible for supervising client portfolio accounts and maintaining long-lasting relationships with business partners. Sales representatives/account managers meet with existing and potential clients to discuss new services offered by the company, as well as addressing their requests for review... Show more	$19-50
   Business Development Account Manager	A business development account manager is in charge of developing strategies to identify new business and client opportunities, ensuring sales growth and customer satisfaction. They typically perform research and analysis to gather data, coordinate with analysts and experts, produce sales and progress reports, and maintain records of all transactions... Show more	$27-81

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Account Management
   • Healthcare
   • CRM
   • Product Knowledge
   • PowerPoint
   • Work Ethic
   • Project Management
   • Business Development
   • Sales Process
   • Sales Territory
   • Business Relationships
   • Payroll
   • HR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage financial departments with responsibility for managing payroll, bank re-consolidations, bank deposits, budgeting and cost control.
   • Manage $4 million territory encompassing three Mid-Atlantic states.
   • Manage new business and renewals for leading Saas legal solution.
   • Manage an inside sales territory of multiple states with Avaya technology solutions.
   • Negotiate and manage all contracts and pricing for IDN's in the territory.
   • Manage customers' accounts utilizing laptop and internet base CMS reporting software and ADM field guide.

   More account manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the account manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. An account manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an account manager in Florida may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level account manager. Additionally, an account manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average account manager salary

   $68,535yearly

   $32.95 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level account manager salary

   $42,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average account manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$87,739	$42
   2	Washington	$84,793	$41
   3	New Jersey	$81,900	$39
   4	New York	$81,562	$39
   5	Michigan	$79,398	$38
   6	Massachusetts	$74,931	$36
   7	Oregon	$74,654	$36
   8	Connecticut	$73,757	$35
   9	Virginia	$71,881	$35
   10	Maine	$71,441	$34
   11	District of Columbia	$70,905	$34
   12	Illinois	$67,979	$33
   13	Maryland	$67,541	$32
   14	Indiana	$67,018	$32
   15	Pennsylvania	$65,603	$32
   16	Arizona	$62,798	$30
   17	Nevada	$62,256	$30
   18	North Carolina	$61,216	$29
   19	Utah	$61,054	$29
   20	Texas	$59,441	$29

   Average account manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	NVIDIA	$154,382	$74.22	15
   2	Capgemini	$146,314	$70.34	16
   3	VMware	$141,140	$67.86
   4	Thoratec Corporation	$134,284	$64.56
   5	Infogain	$134,282	$64.56
   6	Brillio	$134,206	$64.52	2
   7	Infinite Computer Solutions	$134,085	$64.46
   8	Quinnox	$133,713	$64.29
   9	KPIT Technologies	$133,642	$64.25
   10	Infosys Public Service	$133,455	$64.16	24
   11	Persistent Systems	$133,400	$64.13
   12	AgreeYa Solutions	$133,353	$64.11	4
   13	Hexaware Technologies	$132,383	$63.65
   14	Tech Mahindra	$132,090	$63.50
   15	Birlasoft	$131,938	$63.43
   16	CitiusTech	$131,538	$63.24
   17	Renesas Electronics	$130,237	$62.61	3
   18	UST Global	$130,141	$62.57
   19	Google	$129,833	$62.42	77
   20	KLA	$129,596	$62.31	7

4. Writing an account manager job description

   An account manager 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. To help get you started, here's an example of an account manager job description:

   Account manager job description example

   COMSEC Sub-Account Alternate Manager I (Government) - 2239363Description AT&T Global Public Sector is a trusted provider of secure, cloud-based, network solutions and professional services to the Intelligence Community. We are dedicated to recruiting, developing, and empowering a diverse, high-performing workforce that is passionate about what they do, committed to our shared values and dedicated to our customers' mission.
   
   AT&T is a prime contractor on the SITE III IDIQ program for the Department of Defense. AT&T won the SITE III IDIQ in 2021 and anticipates award of a large enterprise IT WAN Task Order in 1st quarter FY 2023. For the Chief Information Office (CIO), the Task Order provides IT managed services for a Government TS/SCI network modernization program focused on specific technologies and hardware needed to operate the wide area network, or highway, that enables TS/SCI communications.
   
   AT&T has an opening for a COMSEC Sub-Account Alternate Manager responsible for the custody and accountability of centrally and locally accountable COMSEC material
   Duties/Responsibilities:
   
   Support of installation actions, shall account for and manage physical inventory of COMSEC equipment and be responsible for the receipt, custody, safeguarding, and updating of JWICS WAN devices per "COMSEC Standard Operating Procedures" document in classified bidder's library.
   Support COMSEC Management by managing JWICS COMSEC Sub-Account following guidance of DIA COMSEC Central Office of Record (COR).
   Responsible for the custody and accountability of centrally and locally accountable COMSEC material on the Task Order
   Successfully completing all tasks in assigned program areas.
   Oversee acquisition, control, and distribution of all classified COMSEC material associated with COMSEC account.
   Performs duties as functional user of associated COMSEC automated system(s).
   
   Required Clearance:
   TS/SCI with poly (#ts/sci) (#polygraph)
   Required Qualifications:
   
   Candidate must have a total of 6 years of applicable experience. The experience can be a combination of degree and work history. This can be a High School degree and 6 years of work history OR an Associate's and 4 years, a Bachelors' and 2 years, a master's and 2 years of relevant work history.
   Complete COMSEC Account management training course within 90 days following appointment of as COMSEC Manager(s).
   
   Ready to join our team? Apply Today!
   Job Field - Government LogisticsPrimary Location - Texas-San AntonioSchedule - Full-time Shift - Day JobEmployee Status - RegularJob Posting: Oct 10, 2022, 4:00:00 AM - Unposting Date: Oct 31, 2022, 4:00:00 AMJob Level - Associate/First Level Manager

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right account manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with account managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit account managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting account managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the account manager 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new account manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an account manager?