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How to hire an assistant store manager

Assistant store manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring assistant store managers in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire an assistant store manager is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per assistant store manager on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 606,164 assistant store managers in the US, and there are currently 428,619 job openings in this field.
  • New York, NY, has the highest demand for assistant store managers, with 144 job openings.

How to hire an assistant store manager, step by step

To hire an assistant store manager, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire an assistant store manager:

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

What does an assistant store manager do?

Assistant store managers are considered second-in-command to store managers. They help oversee operations and take over when the manager is unavailable. Assistant store managers may be assigned to focus on certain aspects of store operations such as marketing, finance, human resources, or quality control. They should be familiar with running the store and with all the other tasks needed to be done. Assistant store managers should have decision-making skills, interpersonal skills, and business acumen. They should also be able to do the work usually done on the operations floor in case of a lack of manpower.

Learn more about the specifics of what an assistant store manager does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the assistant store manager you need to hire. Certain assistant store manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    An assistant store manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, assistant store managers 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.

    This list presents assistant store manager salaries for various positions.

    Type of Assistant Store ManagerDescriptionHourly rate
    Assistant Store ManagerTop executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.$15-24
    Co-ManagerA co-manager's role is to supervise business operations and perform administrative tasks as support to a manager. One of the primary functions of a co-manager is to delegate tasks of team members and arrange schedules... Show more$16-57
    Co-Manager/Store ManagerA co-manager/store manager oversees the daily operations of a store, ensuring smooth workflow and customer satisfaction. They are in charge of setting goals and sales targets, establishing guidelines and timelines, delegating responsibilities among staff, and developing strategies to optimize store operations... Show more$14-26
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Store Management
    • Payroll
    • Loss Prevention
    • Sales Floor
    • Customer Inquiries
    • Taking Care
    • Store Sales
    • PET
    • Patients
    • Customer Service
    • Home Health
    • Retail Store
    • Drive Sales
    • Customer Complaints
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Develop and implement operational strategies utilizing less payroll expenses and allot hour usage to accomplish logistical and operational excellence.
    • Execute all associate training in customer service, all operational and POS training, inventory, safety and sales floor operations.
    • Maintain store appearance and cleanliness by utilizing delegation with focus on time management.
    • Process and track payroll on a weekly basis using Kronos software.
    • Maintain appropriate staffing metrics with available store payroll via Kronos system.
    • Wash walls and equipment; use ladders when require in work assignments.
    More assistant store manager duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your assistant store manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An assistant store manager salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, assistant store managers' average salary in utah is 48% less than in district of columbia.
    • Seniority. Entry-level assistant store managers earn 37% less than senior-level assistant store managers.
    • Certifications. An assistant store manager 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 assistant store manager's salary.

    Average assistant store manager salary

    $40,759yearly

    $19.60 hourly rate

    Entry-level assistant store manager salary
    $32,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 5, 2025

    Average assistant store manager salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$52,070$25
    2South Dakota$48,672$23
    3Wisconsin$46,408$22
    4Virginia$46,255$22
    5Maryland$45,533$22
    6Minnesota$44,748$22
    7North Carolina$44,510$21
    8Pennsylvania$43,634$21
    9Tennessee$43,011$21
    10Ohio$43,005$21
    11Colorado$42,385$20
    12Alabama$41,964$20
    13Illinois$41,724$20
    14Indiana$40,952$20
    15Georgia$40,526$19
    16Nebraska$40,137$19
    17Washington$40,038$19
    18South Carolina$39,879$19
    19Michigan$39,799$19
    20Kansas$38,917$19

    Average assistant store manager salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1US Foods$47,387$22.7829
    2Coty$47,140$22.6617
    3Dodge$46,645$22.437
    4Timberland$46,638$22.4212
    5Global Partners$46,289$22.2519
    6Taco John's$46,112$22.1768
    7Forever 21$45,981$22.112
    8Steve Madden$45,770$22.00220
    9Boulder County$45,708$21.987
    10Lucky Brand$45,454$21.8558
    11Jubilee Ministries$45,446$21.856
    12Wolverine World Wide$45,348$21.806
    13Michael Kors$45,276$21.7748
    14Mount Sinai Health System$45,087$21.685
    15San Francisco Foundation$45,061$21.66
    16Peet's Coffee$44,998$21.6319
    17Tory Burch$44,942$21.6117
    18Techtronic Industries TTI$44,915$21.5910
    19Carter Lumber$44,828$21.5515
    20Pandora$44,715$21.5020
  4. Writing an assistant store manager job description

    A good assistant store manager 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 assistant store manager job description:

    Assistant store manager job description example

    2-4 years of retail sales experience with management experience (preferred)

    Specialty retail experience (preferred)

    Experience working with children (preferred)

    Experience implementing merchandising strategies and changing visual sets

    Proven ability to manage people

    A passion for fashion trends and a love of selling

    Outstanding communication and problem-solving skills

    Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic company

    Ability to process information and operate store systems accurately

    Availability to work when needed, including nights, weekends, and holidays

    Be at least 18 years old

    Job Description – Janie and Jack Page 2 of 2 10/21

    Why You’ll Love Working with Us

    The Product—is so good, and you’re able to use your employee discount on all of it!

    The People—ask anyone who works here…we have incredible people on our team!

    The Experience—you’ll enjoy a rewarding career at a respected global children’s brand!

    The Benefits—a generous employee discount that you can use on all in-store merchandise!

    Competitive Paid Time Off plan*

    Extensive 401(k) plan with company matching*

    Employee stock purchase plan*

    Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance*

    Employee Assistance Program with resources like financial and legal assistance, childcare and elderly care, emotional work/life counseling, health, and wellness resources, travel assistance

    *For eligible employees

    What Else?

    Health and safety are our top priorities and we are committed to evolving our health and safety practices to keep our teams, customer, and communities at the core of every decision we make. We’re taking care by requiring employees to wear in our stores and asking our customers to do the same where mandated. In addition, our stores have health guards at checkout, increased cleaning and sanitation efforts, and physical distancing guides. We’ve also implemented health screenings and require all employees to do a health check at the start of each shift.

    The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities, and qualifications for this job. Janie and Jack, LLC is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and make all employment decisions without regard to any protected status.

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right assistant store manager for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your assistant store manager job on Zippia to find and recruit assistant store manager 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 assistant store managers, 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.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    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 assistant store manager

    Once you've decided on a perfect assistant store manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new assistant store manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  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 assistant store manager?

Before you start to hire assistant store managers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire assistant store managers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

Assistant store managers earn a median yearly salary is $40,759 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find assistant store managers for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $15 and $24.

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