How to hire a commercial sales specialist

How to hire a commercial sales specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step commercial sales specialist 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 sales specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new commercial sales specialist
• 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 sales specialist you need to hire. Certain commercial sales 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

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

   This list presents commercial sales specialist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Commercial Sales Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Commercial Sales Specialist	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.	$23-53
   Outside Sales	An outside sales representative is responsible for generating the company's sales and revenues by offering goods and services to existing and potential clients, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns about the products, and researching on possible leads. Outside sales representatives monitor the current industry trends to identify new business opportunities that would help the business adjust to market changes to achieve profitability goals... Show more	$26-50
   Sales Consultant	Sales consultants are employees who work in the sales department of a company. They are usually more skilled than usual sales employees... Show more	$17-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Accounts
   • Customer Complaints
   • Inventory Control
   • CRM
   • Building Relationships
   • Trade Shows
   • Account Management
   • Sales Territory
   • Sales Presentations
   • Customer Service
   • Business Sales
   • General Contractors
   • Treasury
   • Post Sales

   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.
   • Assist customers in store with custom quotes, calculations, and DIY projects.
   • Build door and window designs for different DIY's, contractors, and professional customers.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, commercial sales specialists' average salary in hawaii is 53% less than in nevada.
   • Seniority. Entry-level commercial sales specialists 57% less than senior-level commercial sales specialists.
   • Certifications. A commercial sales specialist 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 sales specialist's salary.

   Average commercial sales specialist salary

   $73,492yearly

   $35.33 hourly rate

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   Entry-level commercial sales specialist salary

   $48,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a commercial sales specialist job description

   A good commercial sales specialist 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 commercial sales specialist job description:

   Commercial sales specialist job description example

   A World-Changing Company
   
   At Palantir, we're passionate about building software that solves real problems. We partner with the most important institutions in the world to transform how they use data and technology. Our software has been used to stop terrorist attacks, discover new medicines, gain an edge in global financial markets, and more. If these types of projects excite you, we'd love for you to join us.
   
   The Role
   
   Around the world, data is being generated at an exponential rate, and many government agencies and commercial institutions worldwide are ill-equipped to handle data at scale. Palantir's software helps these organizations build data assets that enables efficient analysis and more effective management of their data, empowering them to solve their most critical problems.
   
   The Sales Team is responsible for getting Palantir's software to these organizations. Sales Reps find, evaluate, and pursue new business opportunities for a targeted institution or geography, seeking partners whose missions, objectives, and values align with our own. Each institution is different and each country has its own way of procuring software, and Sales Reps see these distinctions as opportunities - for creative thinking, diligent research, and value creation. Successful Sales Reps tailor their approach to Palantir and to each unique opportunity, rather than relying on past strategies for selling other enterprise software.
   
   Armed with a deep knowledge of the product and its real-world applicability, Sales Reps cultivate existing relationships and work diligently to build new ones. Motivated by the knowledge that the software they sell is directly responsible for uncovering fraud, stopping wrongdoing, and saving lives, Sales Reps exceed ambitious sales quotas and come up with new targets.
   Core ResponsibilitiesIn coordination with Palantir leadership, develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for growing the company's presence in a defined government or commercial institution and/or geography, typically focused on a single or limited number of customers.Generate new leads and business opportunities, working closely with Palantir counterparts to determine goals and targets. Serve as the key point of contact between Palantir and given institution(s), and represent Palantir's Sales Team at industry events and conferences. Develop deep familiarity with Palantir's software platforms and how they can be used to solve a wide range of real-world problems. Exceed stated sales quota by winning enterprise contracts. Work with the other Sales team members to improve and streamline internal processes.
   What We ValueProven track record of large-scale enterprise sales to government or commercial institutions.Intricate familiarity with procurement processes.Excellent communication skills. Ability to compellingly articulate Palantir's product offering to audiences with varying levels of technical skill and seniority.Ability to understand potential customers' requirements and how Palantir's software can address them.Demonstrated project management skills and a love of getting things done, no matter the circumstances.Experience building and managing relationships, and collaborating with internal partners and external counterparts. Ability to travel (50%+) per business needs.
   To ApplyPlease submit a cover letter and resume along with a record of your sales experience, including the size of the deals you have closed (feel free to use X for the values you are not able to disclose; for instance, $XX million). Please upload them as a single PDF file using the “Attach Resume/CV" tool on the applicant page.If preferable, you may respond to the Optional Additional Questions instead of (or in addition to) submitting a cover letter.
   Palantir is committed to promoting a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We believe that all Palantirians share the responsibility of upholding our commitment to these values and encourage candidates from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences to join us in solving the world's hardest problems. Palantir does not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Palantir is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. Please see the United States Department of Labor's EEO poster and EEO poster supplement for additional information.
   
   Palantir is committed to making the job application process accessible to everyone. If you are living with a disability (visible or not visible) and need to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please reach out and let us know how we can help.

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5. Post your job

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

   Post your job online:

   • Post your commercial sales specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit commercial sales specialist 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

   Recruiting commercial sales specialists 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.

   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 commercial sales specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the commercial sales specialist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new commercial sales specialist. 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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