How to hire a general merchandise clerk

How to hire a general merchandise clerk, step by step

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

Post a general merchandise clerk job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a general merchandise clerk, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or 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 general merchandise clerk 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 general merchandise clerk that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of general merchandise clerks and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of General Merchandise Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   General Merchandise Clerk	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$12-20
   Stower	A stower is responsible for scanning a product and appropriately placing it to the right shelf for customer's consumption. Duties of a stower include inspecting the item for any defects and escalating damaged items to the supervisor ensuring adequately labeled products... Show more	$10-16
   Clerk	Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Product Knowledge
   • Product Displays
   • Customer Service
   • Stock Shelves
   • Sales Floor
   • Math
   • Basic Math
   • Pallet Jack
   • Customer Complaints
   • Meijer
   • Back Room
   • POS
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Groceries

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide great customer service while effectively bagging groceries.
   • Collect all carts from outside help cashiers bag groceries for customers and sometimes help the customers take groceries to their car.
   • Execute grain futures orders for special accounts that require extraordinary attention to detail as well as personalized service.
   • Work in almost every department in the Kroger store.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your general merchandise clerk job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A general merchandise clerk salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, general merchandise clerks' average salary in north carolina is 27% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level general merchandise clerks earn 36% less than senior-level general merchandise clerks.
   • Certifications. A general merchandise clerk with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a general merchandise clerk's salary.

   Average general merchandise clerk salary

   $16.55hourly

   $34,415 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level general merchandise clerk salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing a general merchandise clerk job description

   A job description for a general merchandise clerk role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a general merchandise clerk job description:

   General merchandise clerk job description example

   PeopleReady of Natick, MA is now hiring Retail General Labors! As a Retail General Labor, you will perform duties related to customer service and sales.
   
   Apply today and you could start as soon as tomorrow. No resume or interview required – yep, you read that right.
   As a PeopleReady associate you'll benefit from:
   
   * The freedom to work where you want, when you want and as often as you want.
   
   * Next-day pay* for many of our open positions.
   
   * The ability to choose long-term positions for steady work or short-term positions if you just want some extra cash.
   
   * The ability to sign up for jobs right from our mobile app, JobStack!
   
   Pay Rate:
   
   The pay rate for this job is $15.50 / hour
   
   What you'll be doing as a Retail General Labor:
   
   * Greet and engage with customers
   
   * Accurately operate cash registers and provide customers with professional service
   
   * Increase in-store sales, cross-sell products, and direct customers to merchandise
   
   * Stock shelves, maintain the stock room, and help to set-up displays within the store
   
   * Keep store clean and organized
   
   Available shifts:
   
   Shift Timings: 1st Shift(Day)
   
   Job requirements:
   
   * Previous retail experience preferred but not required
   
   * Flexibility to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
   
   * Basic math skills - addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division on the fly
   
   * Strong communication skills and a positive attitude
   
   * Background check required
   
   Ready to take control of the way you work?
   
   Complete our application to join the PeopleReady team today. In case you missed it, no resumes or interviews are required!
   
   \#TIER1
   
   PeopleReady is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religious affiliation, color, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by law. We will get to know you and connect you with jobs that match your skills, experience and preferences. We work hard every single day to find jobs so each employee has opportunity and variety in their work.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right general merchandise clerk for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with general merchandise clerks they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit general merchandise clerks who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your general merchandise clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit general merchandise clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit general merchandise clerks, 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 merchandise clerk

   Once you've decided on a perfect general merchandise clerk 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new general merchandise clerk. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a general merchandise clerk?