How to hire a garden associate

How to hire a garden associate, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your garden 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 garden 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a garden associate to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a garden associate that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of garden associate salaries for various roles:

   Type of Garden Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Garden 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.	$11-20

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Product Knowledge
   • Sales Floor
   • Stock Merchandise
   • Electric Pallet Jack
   • Customer Service
   • Drive Sales
   • Customer Assistance
   • Quality Customer Service
   • Water Plants
   • Customer Inquiries
   • Front End
   • Stock Shelves
   • Nursery
   • Customer Vehicles

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Participate in ordering of all nursery stock and managing inventory.
   • Help patients obtain secondary insurance coverage through Arkansas Medicaid, and/or exploring Arkansas Medicaid options for uninsure or exhaust benefits.
   • Play an active role in driving sales through upselling and sales support for the womens shoe team.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, garden associates' average salary in idaho is 46% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level garden associates 47% less than senior-level garden associates.
   • Certifications. A garden associate 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 garden associate's salary.

   Average garden associate salary

   $15.41hourly

   $32,047 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level garden associate salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

4. Writing a garden associate job description

   A garden 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a garden associate job description:

   Garden associate job description example

   As one of the great gardens of the world located just 30 miles outside of Philadelphia, Longwood Gardens is rooted in a steadfast mission of excellence in horticulture, education, and the arts. Across our many departments, each and every staff member creates the magic that makes our Gardens distinctive. Our team of dynamic professionals is what sets us apart, and our spirit of legacy, innovation, and opportunity is what guides us. While beauty is our heart, our people are our soul.
   
   Longwood Gardens is seeking seasonal Garden Shop Retail Associates to support our onsite retail operations in our 6000 Sq. Ft Garden Shop. The Retail Associates are responsible for the operational readiness and daily assignments required to deliver an extraordinary experience to our guests in our Gardens Shop. Specific responsibilities will include:
   • Assisting and maintaining visual presentations and merchandise placement.
   • Maintaining a clean, organized, and safe environment for both guests and staff.
   • Processing point-of-sale purchases.
   • Maintaining accurate cash handling.
   • Supporting and achieving sales goals and other statistical sales expectations assigned by the retail leadership team.
   
   We are looking for candidates who have exceptional customer service, communication and hospitality skills. General plant knowledge appreciated, but not required. Candidates must have experience with Microsoft Applications, as well as Point of Sale systems. Job requires the ability to work standing or sitting for long periods time and the ability to lift at least 10 pounds. The work schedule includes weekends, days, evenings, and holidays.
   
   Successful applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Exceptions to the COVID vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons.
   
   Longwood Gardens is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that diversity, equality, and inclusion strengthen our institution and the world around us.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find garden associates for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any garden associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level garden associates with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your garden associate job on Zippia to find and recruit garden associate 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 garden 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 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 garden associate

   Once you've decided on a perfect garden associate 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.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   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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