How to hire a general merchandise manager

How to hire a general merchandise manager, step by step

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

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

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your general merchandise manager 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 general merchandise manager 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 general merchandise manager 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 manager that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of general merchandise managers.

   Type of General Merchandise Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   General Merchandise 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.	$33-88
   Manager	Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department... Show more	$17-44
   Day Manager	A day manager oversees the daily operations of an organization, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently according to company standards and regulations. As a day manager, it is their duty to set priorities and goals, establish timelines and guidelines, manage budgets, delegate responsibilities among teams, and supervise staff performances, solving issues or concerns when any arise... Show more	$14-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Inventory Control
   • Front End
   • Sales Floor
   • Loss Prevention
   • Inventory Management
   • Store Operations
   • Customer Complaints
   • Product Availability
   • Product Knowledge
   • Store Management
   • Groceries
   • Store Sales
   • Merchandise Presentation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Train and manage FOH staff and improve overall quality, organization and professionalism of restaurant and bakery.
   • Maximize sales in jewelry, electronics, home appliances, and all apparel departments.
   • Assist in all administrative responsibilities including opening and closing store, organization standards, scheduling and payroll processing.
   • Train and manage FOH staff and improve overall quality, organization and professionalism of restaurant and bakery.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, general merchandise managers' average salary in hawaii is 64% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level general merchandise managers 63% less than senior-level general merchandise managers.
   • Certifications. A general merchandise manager 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 general merchandise manager's salary.

   Average general merchandise manager salary

   $113,362yearly

   $54.50 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level general merchandise manager salary

   $69,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 27, 2025

4. Writing a general merchandise manager job description

   A general merchandise manager 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 general merchandise manager job description:

   General merchandise manager job description example

   Job Title: GM Department Manager
   
   Department: General Merchandise
   
   FLSA: Non-Exempt
   
   General Function:
   
   Sets the department standards for customer service, employee relations, cleanliness, sanitation, professional appearance and overall profitability. Coordinates the delivery of the best quality product at a competitive retail price.
   
   Core Competencies
   
   * Partnerships
   * Growth mindset
   * Results oriented
   * Customer focused
   * Professionalism
   
   Reporting Relations:
   
   Accountable and Reports to: District Store Director, Store Manager, Assistant Manager of; Health Wellness Home, Store Operations, and Perishables
   
   Positions that Report to you: GM Department Employees
   
   Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
   
   * Maintains a positive attitude; creates an atmosphere of friendliness and fun through flexibility and teamwork.
   * Generates a friendly atmosphere by encouraging employees to greet and speak to customers; providing prompt, courteous, and efficient service to customers and sets a good example.
   * Sets the department standards for customer service, employee relations, cleanliness, sanitation, professional appearance and overall profitability.
   * Provides prompt, efficient and friendly customer service by exhibiting caring, concern and patience in all customer interactions and treating customers as the most important people in the store.
   * Smiles and greets customers in a friendly manner, whether the encounter takes place in the employee's designated department or elsewhere in the store.
   * Makes an effort to learn customers' names and to address them by name whenever possible.
   * Assists customers by: (examples include)
   * escorting them to the products they're looking for
   * securing products that are out of reach
   * loading or unloading heavy items
   * making note of and passing along customer suggestions or requests
   * performing other tasks in every way possible to enhance the shopping experience.
   
   * Answers the telephone promptly when called upon, and provides friendly, helpful service to customers who call.
   * Recruits, hires, trains, supervises, disciplines, and evaluates all department employees.
   * Determines department goals with store director.
   * Determines weekly work schedule and establishes a daily work plan for the department.
   * Inspects signage and displays for quality and quantity of merchandise and orders product for replenishment.
   * Communicates with employees regarding sales and ideas.
   * Handles and satisfies customer issues.
   * Figures retail pricing and insures correct pricing.
   * Extends invoices, posts invoices, and oversees department bookkeeping procedures.
   * Analyzes weekly and monthly sales and trends and compares to actuals, prepares ad projections, and write ads.
   * Conducts inventory of the department.
   * Plans displays, promotions, and determines pre-orders.
   * Insures proper temperatures and storage procedures are maintained to guarantee freshness and control shrink of product.
   * Understands and troubleshoots equipment and ensures maintenance is performed.
   * Maintains strict adherence to department and company guidelines related to personal hygiene and dress.
   * Adheres to company policies and individual store guidelines.
   * Reports to work when scheduled and works expected number of hours.
   
   Secondary Duties and Responsibilities:
   
   * Ensures pricing is competitive in the market area.
   * Attends meetings and seminars and participates in continuing education.
   * Fills displays and works in the sales area.
   * Unloads trucks, checks in delivered merchandise and places product in appropriate storage area.
   * Performs departmental duties as needed.
   * Assists in other areas of the store as needed.
   * Performs other job related duties and special projects as required.
   
   Supervisory Responsibilities:
   
   Instructing, assigning, reviewing, and planning the work of others, maintaining standards, allocating personnel, and coordinating the activities of others.
   
   Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Worker Characteristics:
   
   * Must have the ability to solve practical problems; variety of variables with limited standardization; interpret instructions.
   * Ability to do arithmetic calculations involving fractions, decimals, and percentages.
   * Must have the ability to file, post, and mail materials; copy data from one record to another; interview to obtain basic information; guide people and provide basic direction.
   
   Education and Experience:
   
   High school diploma and one to three years of similar or related work experience.
   
   Physical Requirements:
   
   * Must be able to physically perform medium work: exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and 20 pounds of force frequently, and 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
   * Visual requirements include vision from less than 20 inches to more than 20 feet with or without correction, depth perception, color vision, and field of vision.
   * Must be able to perform the following physical activities: Climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, reaching, standing, walking, pulling, lifting, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
   
   Working Conditions:
   
   This position is exposed to dirt, noise, and equipment movement hazards on a daily basis. Has occasional exposure to electrical shock. This is a fast pace work environment.
   
   Equipment Used to Perform Job:
   
   Pallet jack, computer, two-wheeler, telephone, C.A.R.S. system, box cutter, and calculator.
   
   Financial Responsibility:
   
   Responsible for purchasing product for the department.
   
   Contacts:
   
   Has daily contact with suppliers/vendors, and the general public.
   
   Confidentiality:
   
   Has access to confidential information including pricing.
   
   Are you ready to smile, apply today.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right general merchandise manager 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 managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit general merchandise managers 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 manager job on Zippia to find and recruit general merchandise manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with general merchandise manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of 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 manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect general merchandise manager 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new general merchandise manager. 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 manager?