How to hire a General Manager

How to hire a general manager, step by step

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

What does a General Manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The general manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

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

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   Hiring the perfect general manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

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

   Type Of General Manager	Description	Hourly Rate
   General Manager	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$19-60
   Manager On Duty	A manager on duty's role is to oversee operations in a store or a particular department, ensuring efficient workflow and workforce performance. They mainly evaluate and delegate tasks among employees, arrange schedules, set goals and budget, handle issues and concerns, and impose disciplinary actions... Show More	$12-25
   Multi-Unit Manager	A multi-unit manager is responsible for supervising multiple departments and overseeing various process sectors within an organization. Multi-unit managers handle the budget limitations for each unit, allocating adequate resources to support business functions and client requirements... Show More	$23-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Cleanliness
   • Food Safety
   • Guest Service
   • Payroll
   • Math
   • Ladders
   • Inventory Control
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • POS
   • Inventory Management
   • Guest Satisfaction
   • Customer Relations
   • Cash Control

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Generate positive EBITDA and improve cash flow by managing costs and inventory.
   • Manage all recruiting and training efforts, and develop systems to track ROI comparison results.
   • Work as a FOH AGM and train to manage all staff functions including training, hiring, food and labor controls.
   • Develop yearly budget for multiple hotels that include revenue, labor, fix and variable costs to achieve overall EBITDA goal.
   • Task primarily with building logistics infrastructure, managing operational expenses, and supporting start up strategies.
   • Train and manage FOH staff and improve overall quality, organization and professionalism of restaurant and bakery.

   More General Manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your general manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A general manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a general manager in Wyoming may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level general manager usually earns less than a senior-level general manager. Additionally, a general manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average general manager salary

   $71,581yearly

   $34.41 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level general manager salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2025

   Average general manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	California	$98,643	$47
   2	Washington	$93,660	$45
   3	New York	$90,656	$44
   4	District of Columbia	$90,607	$44
   5	Massachusetts	$81,775	$39
   6	Nevada	$78,488	$38
   7	Virginia	$70,308	$34
   8	Maryland	$70,146	$34
   9	Pennsylvania	$67,980	$33
   10	Oregon	$67,193	$32
   11	North Carolina	$65,097	$31
   12	Texas	$62,095	$30
   13	Colorado	$61,412	$30
   14	Wisconsin	$61,061	$29
   15	Illinois	$59,793	$29
   16	Michigan	$59,551	$29
   17	Maine	$59,128	$28
   18	Florida	$58,994	$28
   19	Ohio	$58,539	$28
   20	New Mexico	$56,429	$27

   Average general manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	NVIDIA	$209,406	$100.68	22
   2	Google	$194,200	$93.37	44
   3	Meta	$193,727	$93.14	155
   4	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$178,290	$85.72	34
   5	VMware	$177,416	$85.30
   6	Exxon Mobil	$175,656	$84.45	24
   7	Microsoft	$174,650	$83.97	54
   8	Zoetis	$172,301	$82.84	3
   9	Abbott	$169,824	$81.65	66
   10	AEA Investors	$168,631	$81.07	113
   11	Apple	$167,846	$80.70	70
   12	Golden State Water	$165,811	$79.72
   13	Amphenol	$165,595	$79.61	2
   14	Bridgewater Associates	$163,672	$78.69
   15	UST Global	$163,428	$78.57	1
   16	General Electric	$162,696	$78.22	21
   17	Fluke	$162,058	$77.91	1
   18	Mapbox	$161,163	$77.48	1
   19	Clean Harbors	$159,864	$76.86	243
   20	CITGO Petroleum	$155,812	$74.91

4. Writing a General Manager Job Description

   A good general 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 general manager job description:

   General Manager job description example

   Job DescriptionAs the restaurant general manager, you are the #1 leader! Your leadership of one of the world's largest brands is a big responsibility, but you can reach higher than you ever imagined with your KFC Family supporting you!
   Restaurant General Manager Responsibilities: Ownership of your restaurant's success metrics and lead the restaurant team to reach goals Lead the guest experiences in your restaurant that includes friendly interactions, a clean restaurant, and fresh meals Grow and mentor your KFC family through training, development, and onboarding of new team members Lead communications of your team's goals, upcoming promotions, business updates, etc. Inspire the overall positive and collaborative family environment Partner with other Restaurant General Managers and Area Coaches to grow and move the business forward
   Success Factors: Leads by example with high standards in customer service, food quality, and cleanliness True business partner and has an ownership mindset relating to business results Mentors and coaches team effectively through training and development resources. Builds a team through selecting and onboarding new hires Takes absolute pride in everything you do Goal-oriented leader that enjoys a fast-paced environment Deep appreciation and commitment to customer service and our guest's experience
   Additional Info:
   You must be 18 years old with a valid driver's license and reliable personal transportation.
   
   Benefits: Free Medical insurance up to family-level of coverage Free employee life insurance Optional Dental & Vision insurance available Paid vacation after one year of employment 401(k) Employee Discount (free meals while working)
   Supplemental Pay: Bonus pay based on performance
   Keep in mind that this is just basic information. You'll find out more after you apply.
   
   Independently owned franchised or licensed locations may have different requirements and are solely responsible for setting their restaurants' terms and conditions of employment.
   This job posting is for a position in a restaurant that is independently owned and operated by a KFC franchisee.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right general manager 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 general manager job on Zippia to find and recruit general manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit general managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 general manager

   Once you've found the general 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.

   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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How much does it cost to hire a general manager?