How to hire a counter manager

How to hire a counter manager, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your counter manager 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 counter manager 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 counter manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, counter 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.

   Here's a comparison of counter manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Counter Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Counter Manager	Counter Managers are responsible for selling products and achieving daily sales goals set by their organization. They work in retail departments, such as delis, bakeries, and cosmetics sections.	$13-29
   Team Lead/Manager	A team lead or manager is a professional who is responsible for guiding and directing employees so that they can achieve efficient operations within the organization. Team leads manage all the activities of their employees and distribute information to them as well as stakeholders... Show more	$25-69
   Department Manager	Department managers oversee the operations of the department they are assigned to. They manage all aspects of the operation, including finance, sales, quality control, and human resources... Show more	$18-55

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Store Management
   • Fragrance
   • Business Results
   • Customer Service
   • Merchandise Transfers
   • Vendor Events
   • Product Knowledge
   • Sales Associates
   • Store Events
   • Sales Floor
   • POS
   • Skin Care
   • Retail Sales

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Set and achieve Burberry and Nordstrom personal sales goals while supporting the goals of the team.
   • Manage with integrity, honesty and knowledge that promote the culture, values and mission of Nordstrom.
   • Manage accounts payable/receivable, administering an expansive QuickBooks database.
   • Assist all customers with a high level of customer service to enhance their experience using update technology and POS systems.
   • Display strong organizational leadership skills within fragrance department.
   • Execute POS system operations including management of personal client registry.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, counter managers' average salary in montana is 44% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level counter managers 52% less than senior-level counter managers.
   • Certifications. A counter 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 counter manager's salary.

   Average counter manager salary

   $42,396yearly

   $20.38 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level counter manager salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a counter manager job description

   A good counter 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 counter manager job description:

   Counter manager job description example

   By fulfilling the main mission of this role, you will contribute to all of the 5 pillars of the Group strategy: people-centric, brand-builder, consumer-obsessed, digitally minded, and commitment to responsible beauty.

   • Lead through empowerment and teach by example.
   • Motivate counter staff to meet daily sales goals and review specific goals for focus products.
   • Communicate upcoming in-store events and promotions with all counter staff. Maintain a daily communication log – keep everyone informed of prior events and daily priorities. Assign individual counter maintenance duties.
   • Uncover networking/outsourcing opportunities.
   • Recruit, develop and retain top talent for the counter. Consistently assess and provide ongoing performance feedback to all levels of the counter team. Recognize performance issues in a timely manner and partner with Account Executive to develop corrective action plans for resolution. Track personal/BA’s sales and service performance daily/weekly/monthly and provide feedback to encourage and motivate positive sales and service results.
   • Achieve overall retails sales and event goals.
   • Ensure all team members are achieving Club Clarins goals. Responsible for promoting our loyalty program.

   You are:

   • Customer-focused, results-oriented and brand addicted
   • Comfortable demonstrating products on the customer
   • Customer service oriented
   • Confident, positive and self-motivated

   You have:

   • Prior cosmetics experience
   • Minimum of 4-6 years of successful in-store sales experience, as well as, managerial experience
   • Ability to handle multiple projects, review and prepare event schedules and meet critical deadlines
   • Good interpersonal skills and sales experience
   • Strong sales ability and interpersonal skills
   • Ability to create activity and animation
   • Bilingual is a plus

   We have:

   • Standout brands: Clarins, My Blend
   • Distinctive, high-quality products and services
   • A longstanding commitment to social, economic and ecological initiatives
   • Growth opportunities
   • Learning & Development
   • An attractive compensation and benefits package

   If you have a curious mind and are always questioning how things can be done better, the ability to take risks and accept new challenges, join us!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find counter managers 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 counter manager job on Zippia to find and recruit counter manager 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 counter managers, 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 counter manager

   Once you've found the counter 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.

   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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