How to hire a commercial representative

How to hire a commercial representative, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the commercial representative you need to hire. Certain commercial representative 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

   A commercial representative's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, commercial 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.

   This list presents commercial representative salaries for various positions.

   Type of Commercial Representative	Description	Hourly rate
   Commercial 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.	$14-45
   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
   Business Services Representative	The job of a business services representative involves clerical work in organizations. This position directly benefits the customers of the company or organization... Show more	$12-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Business Development
   • Technical Support
   • Financial Statements
   • Inbound Calls
   • Negotiation
   • Customer Accounts
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Commercial Banking
   • Outbound Calls
   • Customer Issues
   • Market Analysis
   • Billing Issues
   • Business Plan
   • Commercial Loans

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Analyze and support development and execution of underwriting, automation and operational strategies to efficiently and effectively manage the portfolio.
   • Analyze and support development and execution of underwriting, automation and operational strategies to efficiently and effectively manage the portfolio.
   • Home OfficeThe Florida/Georgia DSR position requires working completely independent from a home office utilizing multiple sales disciplines.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, commercial representatives' average salary in hawaii is 55% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level commercial representatives 68% less than senior-level commercial representatives.
   • Certifications. A commercial representative 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 commercial representative's salary.

   Average commercial representative salary

   $53,767yearly

   $25.85 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level commercial representative salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 16, 2026

4. Writing a commercial representative job description

   A commercial 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. Below, you can find an example of a commercial representative job description:

   Commercial representative job description example

   • Earnings: up to $63,000 annually
   • Now offering sign-on bonus of $10,000 (at six months)
   • Endorsements reimbursed

   Benefits

   • 401k – company matched up to 5%
   • 17 PTO days annually, plus 7 paid holidays
   • Safety Incentive program
   • $1000 employee referral program
   • Comprehensive competitive healthcare benefits
   • Employee propane discount
   • Career advancement opportunities – annual performance reviews
   • Uniform provided
   • First class company paid training

   Role:

   As an AmeriGas driver you can expect to return home every night. You will represent the AmeriGas brand while safely delivering propane to residential and commercial customers in the communities we serve.

   Requirements:

   • Willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions
   • Must be at least 21 years old
   • CDL B with Hazmat endorsement
   • Great driving record
   • Add any special State licensing requirements for the position here

   AmeriGas is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. The Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other legally protected class in its practices.

   AmeriGas is a Drug Free Workplace. Candidates must be willing to submit to a pre-employment drug screen and a criminal background check. Successful applicants shall be required to pass a pre-employment drug screen as a condition of employment, and if hired, shall be subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with AmeriGas policies. As a federal contractor that engages in safety-sensitive work, AmeriGas cannot permit employees in certain positions to use medical marijuana, even if prescribed by an authorized physician. Similarly, applicants for such positions who are actively using medical marijuana may be denied hire on that basis.
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right commercial representative 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 commercial representative job on Zippia to find and attract quality commercial representative candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting commercial representatives 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 commercial representative

   Once you've selected the best commercial 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.

   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.

   To prepare for the new commercial representative 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 commercial representative?