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How to hire a field sales representative

Field sales representative hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring field sales representatives in the United States:

  • There are currently 731,605 field sales representatives in the US, as well as 228,254 job openings.
  • Field sales representatives are in the highest demand in Boston, MA, with 33 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a field sales representative is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new field sales representative to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a field sales representative, step by step

To hire a field sales representative, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a field sales representative:

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

What does a field sales representative do?

A field sales representative is an employee who is employed by business-to-business (B2B) and wholesale organizations to visit leads and sell products or services to their customers in person. Field sales representatives must attract new customers and win new accounts so that they can maximize profitability within their territory. They travel around their assigned territory and visit their customers regularly to educate them on how their products can benefit them. Field sales representatives must also maintain records of all sales leads and monitor the organization's competitor, new products, and market conditions.

Learn more about the specifics of what a field sales representative does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the field sales representative you need to hire. Certain field sales 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?

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

    Type of Field Sales RepresentativeDescriptionHourly rate
    Field Sales RepresentativeWholesale 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.$12-42
    Business Development RepresentativeA business development representative's role is to find new business and client opportunities through market research and networking. They are primarily responsible for participating in creating strategies to enhance client relations, improve sales, and reach out to potential clients through calls, correspondence, and meetings... Show more$12-39
    Sales Development RepresentativeA sales development representative qualifies leads at the sales funnel's initial stages. Sales development representatives need to conduct research for prospective clients and qualify the leads before handing them to the sales team... Show more$16-37
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Excellent Time Management
    • Customer Service
    • PowerPoint
    • Medicare
    • Account Management
    • Sales Presentations
    • Direct Sales
    • CRM
    • Product Knowledge
    • Develop Strong Relationships
    • Customer Relations
    • Broadband
    • POS
    • Sales Process
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Train and manage new DSR's.
    • Lead seminars for the CPA community for CPE credits.
    • Develop and manage sales in major retail accounts in the Mid-Atlantic region.
    • Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
    • Manage merchandising and POS materials at the retail store level ensuring meticulous compliance with all current corporate initiative regulations.
    • Conduct effective group Medicare HMO/PPO presentations/seminars, as well as one-on-one field sales presentations.
    More field sales representative duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, field sales representatives' average salary in west virginia is 60% less than in washington.
    • Seniority. Entry-level field sales representatives 70% less than senior-level field sales representatives.
    • Certifications. A field sales 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 field sales representative's salary.

    Average field sales representative salary

    $48,460yearly

    $23.30 hourly rate

    Entry-level field sales representative salary
    $26,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 21, 2025

    Average field sales representative salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Washington$82,931$40
    2Oregon$80,432$39
    3Nevada$79,505$38
    4California$77,534$37
    5Utah$71,104$34
    6Arizona$65,697$32
    7Texas$63,006$30
    8Wyoming$60,156$29
    9Virginia$57,208$28
    10Colorado$56,936$27
    11Georgia$56,519$27
    12Alabama$54,842$26
    13Arkansas$53,330$26
    14South Carolina$53,290$26
    15Oklahoma$50,627$24
    16Nebraska$50,191$24
    17New Hampshire$50,032$24
    18Maine$48,443$23
    19Maryland$47,395$23
    20Ohio$47,122$23

    Average field sales representative salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1VMware$164,115$78.90
    2Google$143,547$69.0195
    3Liberty Mutual Insurance$111,963$53.832
    4Oracle$106,322$51.121,778
    5Tripadvisor$101,469$48.78
    6TTI Maumee Equipment$97,723$46.98130
    7Nabors Industries$93,775$45.087
    8CVS Health$93,491$44.95198
    9Aetna$91,286$43.89
    10Arrow Electronics$87,399$42.02129
    11Merck$86,673$41.67387
    12Cigna$84,974$40.8523
    13Elevance Health$81,798$39.33
    14The Honest Company$80,440$38.679
    15TechnipFMC$80,112$38.521
    16Baker Hughes$79,090$38.0255
    17Oxford University Press$77,131$37.082
    18Cengage Learning$75,957$36.5228
    19Virgin Media$75,954$36.52
    20Rollins$75,878$36.482
  4. Writing a field sales representative job description

    A field sales 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 field sales representative job description:

    Field sales representative job description example

    We service over 12,000 organizations in 49 states and have access to nearly 1 million

    policyholders. We are backed by Washington National with $5.2 billion in invested

    assets and $3.9 billion in policy reserves.* Our excellent track record in marketing, sales, and

    customer service date back more than 20 years, as PMA USA is the insurance marketing powerhouse that emerged through the combination of three of the most successful regional

    insurance marketing firms in the United States.

    Unmatched Product Portfolio:

    We know that our sales are only as strong as the products we sell. You will be confident that

    what you are offering to clients is the best in the industry. Washington National, a company

    with more than 100 years of service to its policyholders, has paid nearly $5.6 billion in

    claims to supplemental health policyholders to help protect policyholders from the costs of illnesses, injuries, and accidents. Nearly $3 billion has been paid to policyholders through the

    return-of-premium and cash-value benefits.**

    Tremendous Income Opportunity

    Competitive commission compensation with generous bonus structures along with lifetime

    renewal income from your individual and team sales mean your earning potential is unlimited.

    Add in trips, prizes, recognition, and team support and you have a very unique opportunity to

    obtain the life you imagine for yourself, all while providing an invaluable service to the

    community.

    Earn what you’re worth, enhance the lives of others, and have a great time doing it!

    PMA USA is an Equal Opportunity Company.

    *Data as of September 2019

    **The claims and premium-return amount are based on ROP/CV and claims payments to Washington National policyholders from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2017. The return of premium (ROP) or cash value (CV) (in MO, “cash return”) benefit is subject to state and product

    availability. The benefit has an additional charge and may pay minus claims or regardless of claims based on the policy selected. The policy must remain in force until the end of the ROP/CV period for the benefit to be paid.

    Company DescriptionWashington National Company's largest American marketing partner, PMA USA, is looking for the right individuals who have the desire to earn a good living, work a flexible schedule and provide solutions for wealth preservation and creation to families and individuals. You can make a huge impact on your community and future by educating, advising and servicing clients to improve their quality of life.

    This position is a territory-based, outside sales role, with opportunity for rapid advancement to Field District Manager. You will be servicing our current customers.
  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right field sales 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 field sales representative job on Zippia to find and recruit field sales representative 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 field sales 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 field sales representative

    Once you've decided on a perfect field sales representative candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    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 field sales 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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a field sales representative?

There are different types of costs for hiring field sales representatives. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new field sales representative employee.

You can expect to pay around $48,460 per year for a field sales representative, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for field sales representatives in the US typically range between $12 and $42 an hour.

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