How to hire an associate specialist

How to hire an associate specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step associate specialist hiring guide:

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

What does an associate specialist do?

Post an associate specialist job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the associate specialist you need to hire. Certain associate specialist 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?

   Yes

   No

   An associate specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, associate specialists 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 associate specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Associate Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Associate Specialist	Retail sales workers include both those who sell retail merchandise, such as clothing, furniture, and automobiles, (called retail salespersons) and those who sell spare and replacement parts and equipment, especially car parts (called parts salespersons). Both types of workers help customers find the products they want and process customers’ payments.	$30-64

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Windows
   • Product Knowledge
   • Phone Calls
   • HR
   • Customer Service
   • Sales Floor
   • GMP
   • Health Insurance
   • Project Management
   • FDA
   • Process Improvement
   • SharePoint
   • Data Analysis
   • Escalate

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage FDA regulate products requirements for ISO2000 quality assurance.
   • Manage coordination, implementation and installation of next generation telemarketing system, an nt-base, client server environment.
   • Implement SharePoint business practices for 10k end users.
   • Organize an update data find in CRM system.
   • Generate daily client correspondence as well as special CRM promotional letters.
   • Install new motors and run new conduit for new installs and repairs.

   More associate specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the associate specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. An associate specialist 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 associate specialist in Michigan may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level associate specialist. Additionally, an associate specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average associate specialist salary

   $93,288yearly

   $44.85 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level associate specialist salary

   $64,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

   Average associate specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Hawaii	$188,062	$90
   2	New York	$123,358	$59
   3	District of Columbia	$109,761	$53
   4	New Jersey	$108,540	$52
   5	Minnesota	$107,799	$52
   6	Illinois	$107,682	$52
   7	Virginia	$106,875	$51
   8	North Carolina	$104,337	$50
   9	California	$104,000	$50
   10	Delaware	$101,689	$49
   11	Texas	$101,657	$49
   12	Arizona	$100,535	$48
   13	Georgia	$100,505	$48
   14	Missouri	$99,773	$48
   15	Massachusetts	$98,404	$47
   16	Tennessee	$96,882	$47
   17	Florida	$92,437	$44
   18	Colorado	$86,740	$42

   Average associate specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of Hawaii Foundation	$121,294	$58.31	1
   2	Nintendo	$115,383	$55.47
   3	Vistex	$113,945	$54.78
   4	Goldman Sachs	$113,285	$54.46	8
   5	SS&C Technologies	$110,872	$53.30	6
   6	Arisglobal	$109,862	$52.82
   7	PepsiCo	$108,868	$52.34	7
   8	AstraZeneca	$108,242	$52.04	4
   9	Northern Trust	$106,129	$51.02	2
   10	Tesla	$104,939	$50.45
   11	QI-Solutions	$104,047	$50.02
   12	Mars	$102,879	$49.46	3
   13	Emergent BioSolutions	$102,778	$49.41
   14	Unum	$102,036	$49.06	3
   15	Edwards Lifesciences	$100,516	$48.33	6
   16	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$99,514	$47.84	32
   17	Alere	$99,316	$47.75
   18	Sotheby's	$99,268	$47.73	2
   19	CenterPoint Energy	$98,232	$47.23
   20	Incyte	$98,108	$47.17

4. Writing an associate specialist job description

   An associate specialist 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 associate specialist job description:

   Associate specialist job description example

   Unum is a company of people serving people. As one of the world's leading employee benefits providers and a Fortune 500 company, Unum's financial protection benefits help protect more than 36 million working people and their families from the financial impact of illness or injury. Unum's two distinct, but similarly focused US businesses - Unum US and Colonial Life - are each a market leader in making disability, life, accident, critical illness, dental, and vision insurance accessible in the workplace. Headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Unum also has significant US operations in Portland, Maine and Baton Rouge, Louisiana - and over 35 field offices nationwide. Colonial Life is headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina with over 40 field offices nationwide.
   
   Associate Leave Reps are responsible for understanding the FMLA and state regulations, processing of leaves, review of medical certifications, and ongoing relationship management with employees requesting leaves and their Employer contacts. The leave specialist must exercise a high level of independent judgment and critical thinking in decision making, and be fully versed on the FMLA, applicable state leave laws as well customer specific processing requirements. Partnering with other business areas (Benefits Center, Contact Center, etc.) is also important to the success of the leave management operation. This position remains under the supervision and guidance of a Trainer/Mentor.
   Principal Duties and Responsibilities
   Processing of new leaves and all daily follow-ups assigned Determine eligibility and availability of leave time for each employee requesting leave for FMLA, State, and applicable Corporate protections Determine and generate appropriate communications to comply with FMLA regulations and customer procedures Review medical certifications and other documentation submitted; consult with Nurse Case Manager and IME unit if needed Determine the appropriate status of leave under FMLA and state leave regulations taking into consideration regulatory requirements, company-specific requirements, and analysis of documentation received (medical, legal, etc.) Communicate medical or absence information with other internal units (STD, Intake) Management of a leave through duration, reporting status to Employer, employee and other internal units Respond to leave questions and issues from employees or Employer contacts May perform other duties as assigned
   
   Job Specifications
   Successful completion of the Leave Management training program, passing score on the final exam and quality audit and mentor sign-off.4-year degree or similar experience preferred Strong interpersonal skills and customer relationship skills Strong business communication skills (telephone, e-mail, written) Knowledge of Windows; general keyboard and computer skills (Word, Excel, Access) Decision making and analytical skills Attention to detail and organizational skills Understanding of STD processes and work flows and insurance industry preferred
   
   Our company is built on helping individuals and families, and this starts with our employees. We want employees to maintain a positive balance, which is why we provide access to the benefits and resources they need to invest in themselves. From our onsite fitness facilities and generous paid time off to employee professional development programs, we are committed to helping employees live and work their best - both inside and outside the office.
   
   Unum is an equal opportunity employer, considering all qualified applicants and employees for hiring, placement, and advancement, without regard to a person's race, color, religion, national origin, age, genetic information, military status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or protected veteran status.
   
   Company:
   Unum
   
   In accordance with Colorado's Equal Pay For Equal Work Act, if you are a resident of the state of Colorado and wish to review the salary information for a role posted in Colorado, please fill out the form below and our Unum HR representative will reply to your inquiry within three business days.
   
   Colorado's Equal Pay For Equal Work Act
   
   In accordance with New York City Human Rights Law, if you wish to review the salary information for a role posted in New York City, please fill out this form and our Unum HR representative will reply to your inquiry within three business days.
   
   New York City Human Rights Law

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right associate specialist 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 associate specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit associate specialists 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.

   To find associate specialist candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit associate specialists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 associate specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect associate specialist 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 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an associate specialist?