How to hire a consumer sales associate

How to hire a consumer sales associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step consumer sales associate hiring guide:

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

What does a consumer sales associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your consumer sales associate job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a consumer sales associate for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   Type of Consumer Sales Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Consumer Sales Associate	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.	$23-61
   Consumer Sales Representative	Customer sales representatives' primary role is to present their employer's offerings to potential buyers. They may work out of an office, travel to conferences where their offerings might be suitable to attendees... Show more	$10-32

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Product Knowledge
   • Customer Service
   • Outbound Calls
   • Sales Floor
   • Inbound Calls
   • Technical Support
   • Customer Inquiries
   • Stock Merchandise
   • Quality Customer Service
   • Consumer Sales
   • Telephone Services
   • Product Development
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Customer Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage call center productivity levels by maintaining CSR schedule adherence.
   • Require multitasking, responding appropriately to customer questions and concerns, and negotiating sales for additional products and services.
   • Recognize opportunities to up-sell and often take the opportunity to do so to create a better Marriott experience and event.

   More consumer sales associate duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, consumer sales associates' average salary in alabama is 50% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level consumer sales associates earn 62% less than senior-level consumer sales associates.
   • Certifications. A consumer sales associate 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 consumer sales associate's salary.

   Average consumer sales associate salary

   $79,429yearly

   $38.19 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level consumer sales associate salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average consumer sales associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$126,166	$61
   2	California	$122,473	$59
   3	Alaska	$118,144	$57
   4	Rhode Island	$117,130	$56
   5	New Jersey	$110,364	$53
   6	Virginia	$107,827	$52
   7	Minnesota	$105,637	$51
   8	Delaware	$103,961	$50
   9	Illinois	$101,267	$49
   10	North Carolina	$97,734	$47
   11	Massachusetts	$92,370	$44
   12	Arizona	$92,194	$44
   13	Georgia	$85,298	$41
   14	Colorado	$84,210	$40
   15	Ohio	$81,808	$39
   16	Texas	$79,672	$38
   17	Nebraska	$78,007	$38
   18	Utah	$77,579	$37
   19	Florida	$77,312	$37
   20	Oklahoma	$63,434	$31

   Average consumer sales associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Citadel	$194,346	$93.44
   2	Google	$147,383	$70.86	34
   3	DoorDash	$147,243	$70.79	15
   4	Citi	$136,327	$65.54	7
   5	ZS	$132,595	$63.75	1
   6	Merkle	$127,440	$61.27
   7	Gap Inc.	$124,265	$59.74
   8	Goldman Sachs	$123,200	$59.23	10
   9	Lenovo	$120,495	$57.93	8
   10	Salesforce	$119,281	$57.35
   11	General Mills	$118,455	$56.95	41
   12	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$113,180	$54.41	348
   13	Spencer Stuart	$103,885	$49.94	4
   14	Eurofins	$103,543	$49.78	1
   15	Whirlpool	$94,238	$45.31	1
   16	Bath & Body Works	$90,083	$43.31	1,259
   17	UK Power Networks	$86,924	$41.79
   18	BlueWave	$86,141	$41.41
   19	Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC	$86,140	$41.41
   20	Metropolitan Bank	$84,899	$40.82	1

4. Writing a consumer sales associate job description

   A consumer sales associate 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 consumer sales associate job description:

   Consumer sales associate job description example

   At U.S. Bank, we're passionate about helping customers and the communities where we live and work. The fifth-largest bank in the United States, we're one of the country's most respected, innovative and successful financial institutions. U.S. Bank is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, among other factors.
   Job Description
   
   Responsible for originating consumer loans, including but not limited to home equity loans and lines of credit and purpose finance for existing or prospective clients primarily via proactive, outbound and inbound calling efforts. Client opportunities are generated through U.S. Bank leads, multiple digital channels, internal referrals or independently sourced. Meets specific loan volume origination goals, which are established annually. Identifies lending solutions for new and existing clients based on their needs. Completes the loan origination by engaging customers in the application process using a digital application process when applicable. Responsible for post-closing follow-up connections with customers. Develops collaborative partnerships with Consumer Direct Mortgage Loan Originators and 24hr Banking team to best serve clients.
   
   This position requires National Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) registration under the terms of the S.A.F.E. Act of 2008 and Regulation Z. You will be subject to the required registration process, which includes a criminal background and credit check. Failure to meet or maintain any of the NMLS registration requirements, including maintaining a satisfactory criminal and credit record, may result in a rescission of your offer or termination of employment.
   
   Basic Qualifications
   
   * High school diploma or equivalent
   * Three or more years of job-related, retail banking experience or a combination of lending/credit experience and commensurate training
   
   Preferred Skills/Experience
   
   * Comprehensive knowledge of all applicable bank and sales center policies, procedures and support systems
   * Effective written and verbal communication skills to include professional telephone etiquette
   * Strong customer service skills
   * Strong sales aptitude
   * Self-motivated with ability to achieve specific production goals
   * Proven ability to learn and adapt to new information and technology platforms, and ability to teach customers how to use digital technology
   * Effective problem-solving and active listening skills
   * Experience in financial services and knowledge of financial services industry, products and solutions preferred
   
   If there's anything we can do to accommodate a disability during any portion of the application or hiring process, please refer to our disability accommodations for applicants.
   
   Benefits:
   
   Take care of yourself and your family with U.S. Bank employee benefits. We know that healthy employees are happy employees, and we believe that work/life balance should be easy to achieve. That's why we share the cost of benefits and offer a variety of programs, resources and support you need to bring your full self to work and stay present and committed to the people who matter most - your family.
   
   Learn all about U.S. Bank employee benefits, including tuition reimbursement, retirement plans and more, by visiting careers.usbank.com.
   
   EEO is the Law
   
   Applicants can learn more about the company's status as an equal opportunity employer by viewing the federal EEO is the Law poster.
   
   E-Verify
   
   U.S. Bank participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program in all facilities located in the United States and certain U.S. territories. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
   
   Due to legal requirements, U.S. Bank requires that the successful candidate hired for some positions be fully-vaccinated for COVID-19, absent being granted an accommodation due to a medical condition, pregnancy, or sincerely held religious belief or other legally required exemption. For these positions, as part of the conditional offer of employment, the successful candidate will be asked to provide proof of vaccination or approval for an accommodation or exemption upon hire.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find consumer sales associates for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your consumer sales associate job on Zippia to find and recruit consumer sales associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit consumer sales associates, 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 consumer sales associate

   Once you've found the consumer sales associate 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.

   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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