How to hire a general service manager

How to hire a general service manager, step by step

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

What does a general service manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the general service manager you need to hire. Certain general service manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A general service manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, general service managers 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.

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

   Type of General Service Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   General Service 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.	$25-65
   Manager Of Business Services	Business Service Managers are administrative professionals who oversee different service-related functions in the company. They manage the teams involved in serving various functions... Show more	$32-67
   Division Manager	Division managers supervise a section of the company and are responsible for that division's success. General duties include organizing, planning, allocating resources, and managing the daily operations of the sector... Show more	$24-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Business Plan
   • Employee Development
   • Oversight
   • Financial Statements
   • Direct Reports
   • Client Satisfaction
   • Excellent Guest
   • HVAC
   • Financial Performance
   • Food Quality
   • Cash Handling
   • Culinary

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead team through ISO certification which increase quality and processes.
   • Lead RFP process for CRM software to include extensive evaluation and contract negotiation.
   • Stabilize logistics organization, recruit and train 2 key positions, achieve zero staff turnover for two years.
   • Coordinate and participate with the installation teams to help troubleshoot problems and resolve customer concerns while managing service and commissioning engineers.
   • Maximize repair/assembly departments' workflow, parts inventory, and logistics.
   • Improve quality systems across all plants and obtain QS or ISO certification at all sites.

   More general service manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your general service manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A general service 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 service manager in Wyoming may be lower than in California, and an entry-level general service manager usually earns less than a senior-level general service manager. Additionally, a general service 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 service manager salary

   $85,187yearly

   $40.96 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level general service manager salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

   Average general service manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$106,827	$51
   2	New Jersey	$95,208	$46
   3	New York	$78,326	$38
   4	Texas	$77,244	$37
   5	Massachusetts	$74,820	$36
   6	Nevada	$73,417	$35
   7	North Carolina	$70,933	$34
   8	Rhode Island	$69,662	$33
   9	Washington	$68,641	$33
   10	Virginia	$66,855	$32
   11	Colorado	$62,714	$30
   12	Georgia	$58,449	$28
   13	Florida	$56,430	$27
   14	Tennessee	$56,310	$27
   15	Michigan	$56,096	$27
   16	Ohio	$54,092	$26
   17	Indiana	$51,662	$25
   18	Illinois	$46,155	$22
   19	Nebraska	$42,433	$20
   20	Iowa	$41,610	$20

   Average general service manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Stanford University	$118,249	$56.85	2
   2	Amazon	$117,061	$56.28	1,275
   3	Better	$114,233	$54.92
   4	Equifax	$104,830	$50.40
   5	L3Harris	$103,501	$49.76	20
   6	Lenovo	$91,580	$44.03	4
   7	City of Jacksonville	$85,166	$40.95
   8	Commonwealth	$83,728	$40.25	3
   9	WestRock	$83,140	$39.97	17
   10	Mental Health Partners	$78,743	$37.86
   11	Cerner	$77,212	$37.12
   12	Delta Air Lines	$77,009	$37.02	4
   13	Frontier Airlines	$76,633	$36.84	5
   14	Schindler Elevator	$75,588	$36.34	12
   15	Toyota Financial Svc	$74,407	$35.77
   16	Goodwin Recruiting	$72,480	$34.85	1
   17	BlueScope Buildings North America	$70,830	$34.05
   18	Lazydays	$70,083	$33.69
   19	Truliant Federal Credit Union	$64,950	$31.23
   20	Louis Vuitton	$63,925	$30.73	9

4. Writing a general service manager job description

   A good general service 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 service manager job description:

   General service manager job description example

   Maris Grove is a beautiful 87-acre continuing care retirement community located in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. We're part of a growing network of communities developed and managed by Erickson Senior Living, a national provider of senior living and health care with campuses in 11 states-and growing.
   
   The General Manager oversees all aspects of the mealtime preparation, service, and the overall efficiency of the kitchen, restaurant, café, and catering services.
   Compensation: Commensurate with experience starting at $70,000.00 annually.
   
   How you will make an impact:
   Manage the dining program through meal service, menu development, preparation, and financial aspects Supervise and train the dining and kitchen staff Assure the dining program complies with all Federal, State, and Local regulations Ensure food and supplies are inventoried, ordered, received, and stored according to company standards Participate in resident and employee satisfaction programs and activities
   
   What we offer:
   Quality of life - most of our restaurant's employees are out before 9 pm!A "career for life" approach to professional and personal development for our greatest asset; our employees. Competitive benefits packages including medical, dental, vision, and PTO401k for all employees 18 and over. Company contribution up to 3% once eligible.Onsite medical centers, providing wellness visits and sick care for all employees over 18 years of age.Education assistance, certification reimbursement, and student loan refinancing partnership programs are available.Free onsite parking at all of our communities and corporate officesA culture of diversity and inclusion, which builds on our values, vision, and mission.
   
   What you will need:
   Minimum of 5 years of food service management experience required, including production, service, and sanitation. Ability to manage a large number of employees College Degree in Restaurant Management or Hospitality preferred.Bachelor's degree in Restaurant Management, Dietetics, or Institutional Management may be a substitute for up to 1 year of experience.Able to work some weekends and holidays
   
   Erickson Senior Living, its affiliates, and managed communities are Equal Opportunity Employers and are committed to providing a workplace free of unlawful discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, veteran status, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find general service managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your general service manager job on Zippia to find and recruit general service 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 service 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 service manager

   Once you've found the general service 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 service manager?