How to hire a client account manager

How to hire a client account manager, step by step

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

What does a client account manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The client account manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A client account manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, client account 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 client account manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Client Account Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Client Account Manager	Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.	$20-55
   Account Development Manager	An account development manager's responsibilities revolve around securing and reaching sales targets, creating business plans, developing strategies, and building positive relationships with clients. They must also reach out to clients through calls and correspondence, offer products and services, and address any issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently... Show more	$20-57
   Account Operations Manager	An account operations manager is responsible for handling project operations for client accounts and ensuring that the team meets the account requirements and specifications. Account operations managers handle budgeting and resource allocation to support business functions and maintain the highest client satisfaction... Show more	$20-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Account Management
   • Client Service
   • Client Accounts
   • PowerPoint
   • Digital Marketing
   • Project Management
   • Client Satisfaction
   • General Ledger
   • Business Development
   • Healthcare
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Client Facing
   • Reconciliations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage vendor selections, through the RFP, negotiation, and implementation phases.
   • Manage company tax payments for an organizations annual payroll liabilities.
   • Update CRM system with details of customer conversations for tracking and trouble shooting.
   • Develop and improve processes to ensure efficient customer response, tracking and support through existing and enhance CRM system.
   • Create executive level PowerPoint presentations for clients.
   • Provide measurable performance standards with various graphs and PowerPoint visuals to communicate performance against objectives.

   More client account manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your client account manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A client account manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, client account managers' average salary in louisiana is 37% less than in oregon.
   • Seniority. Entry-level client account managers 63% less than senior-level client account managers.
   • Certifications. A client account manager 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 a client account manager's salary.

   Average client account manager salary

   $69,699yearly

   $33.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level client account manager salary

   $42,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average client account manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$86,420	$42
   2	Oregon	$80,594	$39
   3	Michigan	$79,997	$38
   4	New York	$78,893	$38
   5	Washington	$78,763	$38
   6	Indiana	$77,253	$37
   7	New Jersey	$76,419	$37
   8	Connecticut	$75,928	$37
   9	Virginia	$75,425	$36
   10	Missouri	$74,824	$36
   11	Massachusetts	$73,483	$35
   12	Wisconsin	$68,853	$33
   13	Nevada	$66,450	$32
   14	Maryland	$65,820	$32
   15	Illinois	$65,344	$31
   16	North Carolina	$65,269	$31
   17	Pennsylvania	$64,830	$31
   18	District of Columbia	$64,687	$31
   19	Colorado	$64,073	$31
   20	Florida	$60,254	$29

   Average client account manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Accenture	$158,538	$76.22	63
   2	VMware	$137,076	$65.90
   3	Deloitte	$126,248	$60.70	95
   4	Lord Abbett	$123,134	$59.20
   5	SE2	$110,820	$53.28
   6	Reddit	$110,565	$53.16	19
   7	Softvision	$108,050	$51.95
   8	Avanade	$104,617	$50.30
   9	Baird	$104,530	$50.25	69
   10	Twitter	$104,029	$50.01	6
   11	State Street	$101,436	$48.77	14
   12	DLA Piper	$98,273	$47.25	24
   13	BOK Financial	$96,999	$46.63	49
   14	Wpp Us Holdings Inc	$96,880	$46.58	35
   15	Infor	$96,689	$46.49
   16	Merchants Fleet	$91,617	$44.05
   17	BNY Mellon	$90,647	$43.58	109
   18	Jacobs Engineering Group	$89,208	$42.89
   19	AECOM	$88,364	$42.48	35
   20	Medical Mutual	$86,696	$41.68

4. Writing a client account manager job description

   A good client account 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 a client account manager job description:

   Client account manager job description example

   As a Client Account Manager (CAM), you will be responsible for top line growth across the Californiawater market. Additionally, working with our delivery team, the CAM will ensure that Jacobs achieves complete client satisfaction to make sure that Jacobs has a thorough understanding of the client's needs and is seen as their best advocate for accomplishing their goals.
   
   Bring your energy and desire to take your career to the next level in this position by leading the following activities:
   
   Representing Jacobs to the client in a positive, caring, solutions-delivery approach by engaging the broader firm
   
   Identifying, chartering, and leading client service teams comprised of multi-disciplinary project managers and regional practice leaders around common vision of success
   Securing management commitment and influence/attract key staff for pursuits Advocating on client's behalf by actively engaging the firm to address client needs, and recommend strategic actions to optimize our business development investment and market share growth Facilitating the creation of at least 10 different, deep, personal, valuable client relationships between Jacobs personnel and client personnel (management, technical, functional, delivery) to weave a fabric of broad-based relationships between our firm and the clients Developing trust and credibility with clients by engaging in business discussions to formulate winning and portfolio diversification solutions Identifying higher levels of client engagement for executive sponsors Coaching client service teams through coordinating and facilitating Go/No Go decisions, and helping develop required sales costs aligned with opportunity potential and return on investment objectives Actively engaging with your Client Account Partner (CAP) and client service teams by leading them through the disciplined sales process including developing the win strategy, proposal document, interviews and presentations. Leading a project team in the delivery of a key project, where appropriate. Facilitate the engagement of Jacobs in regional programs and committees that align with the company's values and interests Mentoring and developing Jacob's personnel in business development and sales acumen
   
   Bachelor's degree in a technical or business management or related work experience in lieu of a degree Progressive experience in engineering and/or related disciplines associated with the water market sector Proven track record of coordinating teams and winning work on an area or statewide basis Sales knowledge on how to identify contracts well in advance, respond to RFPs/solicitations, interview and win new work Strong business acumen Negotiation's experience
   Ideally, you'll also have:
   Ability to lead an account team, set a vision and strategy, coach/mentor and motivate the team, reach within Jacobs to offer best-in-class solutions, manage commercial and legal negotiations, and close deals Technical background/experience in delivering or managing large infrastructure projects or programs is considered a positive and adds credibility in consulting, engineering, construction industry service offerings and delivery
   #westwater

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find client account managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any client account managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level client account managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting client 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.

   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 client account manager

   Once you've found the client account manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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 client 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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a client account manager?