How to hire a business sales representative

How to hire a business sales representative, step by step

Here's a step-by-step business sales representative hiring guide:

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

What does a business sales representative do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a business sales representative, 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

   A business sales representative's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, business sales representatives 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 business sales representatives and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Business Sales Representative	Description	Hourly rate
   Business Sales Representative	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.	$14-51
   Sales Development Representative	A sales development representative qualifies leads at the sales funnel's initial stages. Sales development representatives need to conduct research for prospective clients and qualify the leads before handing them to the sales team... Show more	$16-37
   Sales Representative Internship	In a sales representative internship, an intern's duties depend on the directives of a supervising staff or manager. Typically, they are responsible for gaining industry insights while performing clerical tasks such as preparing and processing documents, greeting visitors, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Business Sales
   • Customer Accounts
   • Customer Service
   • Business Relationships
   • Lead Generation
   • Security Industry
   • ADT
   • Business Solutions
   • Product Knowledge
   • Customer Relationships
   • Outbound Sales
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Develop Strong Relationships
   • ROI

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead recruitment and marketing efforts via social media channels such as LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, etc.
   • Generate qualify leads through B2B telemarketing services specialize in identifying and nurturing prospects for computer hardware, software and technology services.
   • Assist with coordinating and organizing marketing projects such as direct mail and team telemarketing initiatives.
   • Generate qualify leads through B2B telemarketing services specialize in identifying and nurturing prospects for computer hardware, software and technology services.
   • Assist in the training of newly hire salespeople on technical aspects of CCTV camera systems.
   • Maintain a neat display kiosk that are up to par with Costco's standards

   More business sales representative duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your business sales representative job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A business sales representative salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, business sales representatives' average salary in hawaii is 56% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level business sales representatives earn 71% less than senior-level business sales representatives.
   • Certifications. A business sales representative 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 a business sales representative's salary.

   Average business sales representative salary

   $58,288yearly

   $28.02 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level business sales representative salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 25, 2025

   Average business sales representative salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$87,819	$42
   2	California	$86,327	$42
   3	New York	$79,533	$38
   4	Minnesota	$76,203	$37
   5	North Carolina	$69,857	$34
   6	New Hampshire	$69,487	$33
   7	Colorado	$62,188	$30
   8	Pennsylvania	$57,535	$28
   9	Florida	$56,766	$27
   10	Arkansas	$56,502	$27
   11	Iowa	$51,759	$25
   12	Texas	$49,352	$24
   13	Kentucky	$48,461	$23

   Average business sales representative salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Amazon	$120,113	$57.75	152
   2	Bloomberg	$119,780	$57.59	10
   3	ADT Security Services	$81,842	$39.35	256
   4	IBM	$79,476	$38.21	102
   5	Oracle	$76,550	$36.80	1,781
   6	FactSet	$71,716	$34.48	8
   7	Spectrum	$69,044	$33.19	3
   8	GPS Insight	$67,188	$32.30	2
   9	Bank of Hawaii	$66,655	$32.05	2
   10	Parker Global Strategies	$66,064	$31.76	90
   11	Hewlett Packard Enterprise	$61,240	$29.44	73
   12	Stack Sports	$60,988	$29.32
   13	Business Furniture, LLC	$60,982	$29.32
   14	Ricoh	$60,460	$29.07	10
   15	Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC	$58,170	$27.97	1
   16	RemX	$57,978	$27.87
   17	The Connection	$57,053	$27.43	11
   18	Eby-Brown	$56,911	$27.36
   19	Cable ONE	$53,310	$25.63	2
   20	Signal 88 Franchise Group Inc	$53,172	$25.56

4. Writing a business sales representative job description

   A business sales representative 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 a business sales representative job description:

   Business sales representative job description example

   Solar Cents is currently hiring for a full-time Clean Energy Sales / Business Representative to join our team in the Fairfield, NJ area. This sales position earns a competitive salary of $45,000 - $99,000/year , depending on experience and performance. In addition to competitive pay we also offer a fun and dynamic culture .

   So, now that you've learned the who, what, where, and why, you may be wondering HOW? It's easy! Just fill out our initial mobile-friendly online application . We hope to meet you soon!

   
   

   DAY-TO-DAY

   This position typically works from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

   As a Clean Energy Sales / Business Representative, you play an integral role in executing our company's strategic business growth initiatives. You are an effective problem solver who supports and develops the entirety of the business development process. Motivated to increase sales, you strive to create new goals and target new audiences to give our company a competitive advantage. You keep us organized by performing essential administrative work such as creating and managing key databases as well as maintaining a customer relationship management (CRM) tool.

   Diligently, you maintain important electronic share drive files, making them easy to find and access. You also support your team with their tasks, assisting with capture and proposal work as well as conducting internet searches to find necessary information. No matter what your team needs assistance with, you are there with a helping hand. You take pride in supporting and developing all stages of our business pipeline and helping us continue to grow and thrive!

   
   

   ABOUT SOLAR CENTS

   With over 20 years of experience in the industry, our team at Solar Cents provides comprehensive construction, design, and installation management services for energy-efficient projects. Our turnkey business personally handles every project from consultation to completion. We partner with owners of commercial and industrial properties to lease rooftops for solar panel installations, which simultaneously saves our clients money and cuts down on their carbon footprints. Our skilled team has a proven track record of success, and they are committed to the mission of providing cleaner energy to our community!

   We are passionate about driving the future of green energy, and we need a team of dedicated people who feel the same. Employees often find that their personal values align with our company's values , meaning they can develop personally and professionally while working with us. We offer our team members competitive compensation , great benefits , and a fun, dynamic work environment where everyone makes a difference. Join us in our mission to create a more sustainable future!

   
   

   OUR IDEAL CLEAN ENERGY SALES / BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE

   • Excellent communicator - communicates clearly and confidently
   • Creative - thinks outside of the box and provides fresh ideas
   • Flexible - works well both independently and as part of a team
   • Adaptable - quickly adjusts to a changing work environment
   • Hard worker - highly motivated to meet and exceed goals

   If this sounds like you, keep reading!

   
   

   REQUIREMENTS FOR A CLEAN ENERGY SALES / BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE

   • 2+ years of experience with pipeline development and pursuit identification
   • Experience conducting research, analytics, and industry insights to describe strategic value
   • Ability to work with internal and external proposal resources

   If you meet the above requirements, we need you. Apply today to join our team as a Clean Energy Sales / Business Representative!

   Location: 07004

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right business sales representative 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 business sales representatives they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit business sales representatives 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 business sales representative job on Zippia to find and recruit business sales representative candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit business sales representatives, 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.

   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 business sales representative

   Once you've selected the best business sales representative 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.

   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 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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