How To Hire A Field Sales Representative

Research 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.

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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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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:

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

1
Identify Your Needs

The first step to find field sales representatives for hire is determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

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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 the salaries of various field sales representative 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
Show More

2
Create An Ideal Candidate Profile

Ideally, you should have the perfect candidate profile in mind before you write a field sales representative job description. This means you should have a clear idea of the skill set they need to be proficient in, what their main responsibilities will be, and what kind of background they'll have.

Field sales representatives typically have the following skills:

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

Here is a list of common responsibilities that field sales representatives may be expected to fulfill:

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.
Check all Duties

Beyond the nuts and bolts, cultural fit is an important factor. It might help to ask yourself how your ideal field sales representative will live by the company's mission statement and contribute to the team dynamic you already have in place. Clearly communicating this vision in your field sales representative job description will help attract candidates who are better suited for the role.

Most Common States For Field Sales Representatives In The US

Rank #State# Of Jobs% of PopulationAvg. Salary
1Pennsylvania4,48835%$41,800
2New Jersey3,70741%$60,132
3Massachusetts3,38649%$47,533
4Minnesota2,26541%$44,296
5Colorado1,83333%$57,076
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Professional Project Manager CV example

3
Make A Budget

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

  • 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.

Updated March 16, 2023

Field Sales Representative Salary Estimate

$48,460

$23.30 hourly
Entry level Salary
$26,000 yearly

Field Sales Representative Average Salary By Location

RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1Washington$82,931$408
2Oregon$80,432$397
3Nevada$79,505$3812
4California$77,534$374
5Utah$71,104$344
Show More

Field Sales Representative Average Salary By Company

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1VMware$164,115$78.9028
2Google$143,547$69.01124
3Liberty Mutual Insurance$111,963$53.8339
4Oracle$106,322$51.121,324
5Tripadvisor$101,469$48.78
6TTI Maumee Equipment$97,723$46.983
7Nabors Industries$93,775$45.084
8CVS Health$93,491$44.95816
9Aetna$91,286$43.8923
10Arrow Electronics$87,399$42.02120
11Merck$86,673$41.6744
12Cigna$84,974$40.8589
13Anthem$81,798$39.33
14The Honest Company$80,440$38.6710
15TechnipFMC$80,112$38.528
16Baker Hughes$79,090$38.02141
17Oxford University Press$77,131$37.08
18Cengage Learning$75,957$36.5286
19Virgin Media$75,954$36.524
20Rollins$75,878$36.48
Show More

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:

Example of Full Job Description

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 A 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 Process

Recruiting field sales representatives involves bringing your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they introduce 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 a good idea to ask about candidates' special skills and talents to see if they map with 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 also include details such as 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 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources needs to make sure that a new employee file is created for internal recordkeeping.

8
Go Through The Checklist For The Hiring Process

  • 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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Hiring Field Sales Representatives FAQs

How Much Does A Good Field Sales Representative Cost?

A good field sales representative costs $23.3 an hour in the US. However, it can vary based on factors such as the field sales representative experience, abilities, industry, and the specific requirements of your business.

What Are The Duties Of A Field Sales Representative?

The duties of a field sales representative are:
  • 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.

Should I Hire A Field Sales Representative With No Experience?

Yes, you should hire a field sales representative with no experience. Hiring an entry-level field sales representative with no experience offers versatility for your team. They may lack some qualifications, but are adaptable and have not yet formed problematic habits. However, more training may be required compared to experienced.

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Updated March 16, 2023