How to hire an inside account executive

How to hire an inside account executive, step by step

Here's a step-by-step inside account executive hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your inside account executive 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 an inside account executive 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

   An inside account executive's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, inside account executives 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 inside account executive salaries for various roles:

   Type of Inside Account Executive	Description	Hourly rate
   Inside Account Executive	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.	$22-60
   Lead Sales Representative	A lead sales representative is responsible for selling goods and services to existing and potential customers through electronic communications and area visits. Lead sales representatives should be highly-knowledgeable of the products that the company offers to discuss and demonstrate the features to the client accurately... Show more	$15-42
   Territory Account Manager	Territory account managers are sales professionals who take responsibility for the maintenance of customer relationships. These managers learn how clients do business and establish a better understanding of customer interaction... Show more	$21-47

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Inbound Calls
   • CRM
   • Sales Process
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Salesforce
   • MSC
   • Revenue Generation
   • Outbound Calls
   • Service Issues
   • Product Training
   • Business Development
   • Customer Issues
   • Excellent Time Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate Salesforce and manage opportunities accordingly.
   • Maintain all inside sales activities with CRM tools to track success and report metrics to management.
   • Account analysis and preparation, assessing customer needs, and preparation of professional sales recommendations tailor to each customer s business.
   • Present Groupon as a unique way to attract new customers and design specific features base around their needs.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, inside account executives' average salary in oklahoma is 55% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level inside account executives 62% less than senior-level inside account executives.
   • Certifications. An inside account executive 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 inside account executive's salary.

   Average inside account executive salary

   $77,391yearly

   $37.21 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level inside account executive salary

   $47,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing an inside account executive job description

   A job description for an inside account executive 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 inside account executive job description:

   Inside account executive job description example

   **Staples is business to business. You're what binds us together.**
   
   As an Inside Print Account Executive, you will be part of a Team of sales professionals focused on accelerating growth for the Print & Marketing Services line of business at Staples. You will be responsible for acquiring new business, retaining & growing existing accounts' print sales, and delivering for our customers. You will use Professional Selling Skills to navigate through a Need Satisfaction Selling Process including, applying collaborative techniques and funnel/pipeline management - be the go-to expert for Print Solutions!
   
   About Staples
   
   Staples is The Worklife Fulfillment Company, helping businesses of all sizes be more productive, connected and inspired - however and wherever they work today. With dedicated account teams, category professionals, innovative brands and a curated product assortment for businesses, Staples provides customized solutions to help organizations achieve their goals!
   
   **What you'll be doing**
   
   • Attain Sales Quota & Performance Metrics (growth, opportunities, and customer engagement goals) - provide an exceptional customer experience
   
   • Acquire new Print sales within existing Staples accounts and Retain & Grow existing Programs/accounts
   
   • Use Professional Selling Skills to navigate through a Need Satisfaction Selling Process - be able to identify customers' needs, satisfy & close opportunities
   
   • Use Print knowledge to provide digital solutions based on customers' needs
   
   • Make a high volume of proactive outbound calls and execute retention/growth activities
   
   • Use quoting tools & present proposals - perform site demonstrations to buying influences and decision makers
   
   • Advanced level funnel/pipeline and task management -maintain detailed opportunity notes in Salesforce.com
   
   **Qualifications :**
   
   **What's needed - Basic Qualifications:**
   
   • Effectively communicate through telephone, email, and video conference platforms
   
   • Proven effective time management skills
   
   • Self-aware, Inclusive, ability to collaborate, customer-centric focus
   
   • Previous B2B selling experience
   
   • Proficient in using Microsoft Office Products
   
   • High School Diploma
   
   **What's needed - Preferred Qualifications:**
   
   • Previous experience in the Printing Industry
   
   • Proficient problem solver, innovator
   
   _Interested in joining the team? Check out our_ _perks and benefits_ _!_
   
   _Staples believes Inclusion is a verb and we encourage diversity of thinking and ideas as well as backgrounds and experiences. Staples is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law._

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find inside account executives for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any inside account executives they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level inside account executives with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your inside account executive job on Zippia to find and attract quality inside account executive candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit inside account executives, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 inside account executive

   Once you've found the inside account executive 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 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 inside account executive. 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.)

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