How to hire an hourly sales staff

How to hire an hourly sales staff, step by step

Here's a step-by-step hourly sales staff hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an hourly sales staff job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new hourly sales staff
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the hourly sales staff you need to hire. Certain hourly sales staff 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an hourly sales staff 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 an hourly sales staff that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of hourly sales staff salaries for various roles:

   Type of Hourly Sales Staff	Description	Hourly rate
   Hourly Sales Staff	Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations. They contact customers, explain product features, answer any questions that their customers may have, and negotiate prices.	$10-26
   Sales Representative Internship	In a sales representative internship, an intern's duties depend on the directives of a supervising staff or manager. Typically, they are responsible for gaining industry insights while performing clerical tasks such as preparing and processing documents, greeting visitors, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed... Show more	$12-20
   Sales Professional	A sales professional is an employee who is responsible for the management and assessment of the effectiveness of a company's sales representatives and sales team. By setting sales goals, sales professionals work with other departments to learn more about the company's products and services while developing strategies for acquiring new clients... Show more	$20-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • POS
   • Sales Floor
   • Product Knowledge
   • Customer Relations
   • Product Selection
   • Customer Complaints
   • Customer Inquiries
   • Inventory Control
   • Sales Reports
   • Cold Calls
   • Sales Associates
   • Customer Assistance
   • Sales Strategies

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage accounts and create invoices via QuickBooks.
   • Gain experience with inventory, cash handling, and POS register use.
   • Provide direct counter sales to customers, transaction handling via touchscreen POS cash register, and daily housekeeping.
   • Assist installers with a variety of HVAC systems, making sure the installation is conducted in compliance with local regulations.
   • Communicate directly with customers to establish long-term relationships and sell HVAC controls solutions base on specific customer needs.
   • Work with upper management to secure Medicare approval for durable medical equipment provider status to skil nursing facilities and hospitals

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your hourly sales staff job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An hourly sales staff can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, hourly sales staff' average salary in hawaii is 66% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level hourly sales staff 63% less than senior-level hourly sales staff.
   • Certifications. An hourly sales staff 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 an hourly sales staff's salary.

   Average hourly sales staff salary

   $35,089yearly

   $16.87 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level hourly sales staff salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing an hourly sales staff job description

   A job description for an hourly sales staff 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 an hourly sales staff job description:

   Hourly sales staff job description example

   Store Hourly in Sault Ste. Marie, MI at Advance Auto Parts
   
   Date Posted:9/17/2022
   
   Apply ({{ apply Url }}) Not ready to Apply?
   
   Career Snapshot
   
   + Employee Type:
   
   Full-Time
   
   + Location:
   
   3701 Interstate 75 Business Spur
   
   Sault Ste. Marie, MI
   
   + Career Type:
   
   Store Hourly
   
   Field Sales and Service
   
   + Date Posted:
   
   9/17/2022
   
   About Us
   
   At Advance Auto Parts we have a passion for YES. Each day we are motivated by a passion to help our Customers. We have a commitment to advance the lives of our fellow Team Members, Customers, and the Communities where we live and work.
   
   When you join our team, you become one of more of over 70,000 knowledgeable and experienced Team Members who are committed to providing outstanding customer service to our customers, communities and each other every day.
   
   With over 5,100 stores in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, we are a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider. With opportunities ranging from our front lines in our Stores to our Distribution Centers to our Corporate Support Center and our rapidly growing Professional Business, we have the career for you. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.
   
   Career DescriptionJob Description
   
   We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.This job posting is for any of the store hourly positions below:Store DriverSalespersonSales ProRetail Parts ProCommercial Parts ProManager in TrainingAssistant Store ManagerWhat is a Store Driver?Entry level store position capable of supporting delivery of parts to commercial customers. The role has the responsibility to deliver parts to our commercial customers and assist with task and inventory processes in the store. This position can be part time or full time. Must be able to drive and pass Advance's driving certification requirements.What is a Salesperson?Entry level sales position capable of supporting the DIY business and achieve our sales and service objectives. The role has good knowledge of store systems, basic automotive system knowledge and basic part knowledge. The role has the basic ability to source from stores, hubs, pdq, and external suppliers. The role has in-depth knowledge of the store inventory and maintenance processes. Position can be part time or full time. Being able to drive preferred.What is a Sales Pro?Advanced level DIY sales position with expert knowledge of DIY business. The role has expert knowledge of store operations, advanced automotive system knowledge and parts knowledge. This role is responsible for providing advanced automotive problem resolution including identification, trouble shooting and project assistance for DIY customers. The role has the ability to source from numerous places including special order, FDO, second source, etc. The role has in-depth knowledge of the store inventory and maintenance processes. Being able to drive preferred What is a Retail Parts Pro?Professional level sales position capable of supporting advanced functions of the DIY business. The role has expert knowledge of store systems, advanced automotive system knowledge and part knowledge. This role has the ability for advanced identification, trouble shooting and project assistance for DIY customers. The role has the ability to source from numerous places including special order, FDO, second source, etc. The role has in-depth knowledge of the store inventory and maintenance processes. Position is full time. Being able to drive preferred What is a Commercial Parts Pro?Professional level sales position capable of supporting advanced functions for both DIY and DIFM. The role has expert knowledge of store systems, advanced automotive system knowledge and part knowledge. This role has the ability for advanced identification, trouble shooting and project assistance for DIY/DIFM customers. The role has the ability to source from numerous places including special order, FDO, second source, etc. The role has in-depth knowledge of the store inventory and maintenance processes. Position is full time. Being able to drive preferred What is a Manager in Training (MIT)?Professional level sales and entry level management position responsible for supporting basic and advance functions on DIY and professional business. The role has knowledge of store systems, advance automotive system knowledge and parts knowledge, and has ability for identification, trouble shooting and project assistance for DIY customers. The role has in-depth knowledge of the store inventory and maintenance processes. The role owns responsibility for maintaining company standards around operating and product processes. MIT role is a developmental position to prepare for a General Manager role. The time in role should minimally be 6 months and is not recommended to exceed 1 year. MITs will participate in the GM learning journey. MITs must have the flexibility and desire to interview for and accept an open role within the district, region, or area based on business needs (vacancies, inventories, etc.). The MIT position is only full time. Being able to drive preferred What is an Assistant Store Manager?Our Assistant Store Managers lead and direct with their knowledge of store systems and expert knowledge of automotive systems and parts. They are the "go to" experts for parts identification, trouble shooting and project assistance for Advance Auto Parts customers. Being able to drive preferred

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find hourly sales staff 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 hourly sales staff job on Zippia to find and recruit hourly sales staff 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

   To successfully recruit hourly sales staff, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 hourly sales staff

   Once you've found the hourly sales staff 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new hourly sales staff. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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