How to hire an inventory and sales associate

How to hire an inventory and sales associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step inventory and sales associate hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an inventory and sales associate, 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

   An inventory and sales associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, inventory and sales associates 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of inventory and sales associates.

   Type of Inventory And Sales Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Inventory And Sales Associate	Retail sales workers include both those who sell retail merchandise, such as clothing, furniture, and automobiles, (called retail salespersons) and those who sell spare and replacement parts and equipment, especially car parts (called parts salespersons). Both types of workers help customers find the products they want and process customers’ payments.	$11-42
   Sales Clerk	A sales clerk is responsible for assisting customers in purchasing products, responding to customer inquiries, and providing product recommendations. Sales clerks require excellent customer service and communication skills to offer the best services to the customers and maintain good customer feedback for the business... Show more	$7-18

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Product Knowledge
   • Sales Floor
   • POS
   • Inventory Control
   • Retail Sales
   • Cycle Counts
   • Retail Environment
   • Loss Prevention
   • Inventory Management
   • Stock Room
   • Computer System
   • Stock Shelves
   • Customer Orders

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Supervise women's department, manage jewelry department, assist customers on finalizing purchases
   • Maintain inventory and assist owner operator in POS install and report capabilities.
   • Prepare quality food products, process accurate register transactions, maintain general appearance and cleanliness of store premises.
   • Improve customer solicitation pitch to increase Kohl's credit card application solicitations.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, inventory and sales associates' average salary in north dakota is 61% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level inventory and sales associates 74% less than senior-level inventory and sales associates.
   • Certifications. An inventory and sales associate 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 inventory and sales associate's salary.

   Average inventory and sales associate salary

   $46,091yearly

   $22.16 hourly rate

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   Entry-level inventory and sales associate salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 28, 2025

4. Writing an inventory and sales associate job description

   A job description for an inventory and sales associate 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 inventory and sales associate job description:

   Inventory and sales associate job description example

   $15.00 - $17.50 hourly

   Benefits:

   • Two Medical Plans to choose from.
   • $1,500 Health Savings Account annual contribution to assist in medical, dental, vision costs and investment options.
   • Dental and Vision plan is under $6 a month for employee.
   • Reasonable cost Dental and Vision plans for Families and Domestic Partners.
   • Generous leave policy.
   • Flexible investing 403b Retirement Program with annual matching contribution.
   • Discount for childcare at Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center.
   • Employee Assistance Program and Supplemental Insurance.

   Overview:

   Housing Hope and HopeWorks agencies are the major non-profit developer of affordable housing and provider of human services in Snohomish County and Camano Island. Our mission is to promote and provide affordable housing and tailored services to reduce homelessness and poverty for residents of Snohomish County and Camano Island. We achieve this through a variety of interventions including social enterprises, children’s services, subsidized housing opportunities and services, employment, education, and training services.

   Housing Hope is planning for a future of significant growth. This provides an excellent opportunity for new team members to expand their skills, interests, and career path. You will find a supportive culture that is committed to ensuring Housing Hope is an excellent place to work.

   Purpose:

   This position is responsible for assisting the Assistant Manager in operations associated with Renew Home & Decor. This includes obtaining and pricing inventory, inputting inventory into the on-line system and assuring quality control. In addition, providing customer service through store sales, online sales and research, pricing and selling of merchandise.

   Essential Functions:

   • An in-depth knowledge of the inventory system including:
     • Obtaining and pricing inventory
     • Uploading inventory to the Point-of-Sale software and Website on-line system
     • Assuring quality control of the inventory
   • Provide customer service by greeting and assisting customers in finding items that fit their needs
   • Operate point of sale, online sales, and handle credit transactions
   • Arrange appointments with consignors/donations to acquire merchandise.
   • Research furniture types and styles to determine appropriate pricing for merchandise.
   • Take pictures of furniture for online sales and move and stage furniture in the store
   • Update social media (includes Craigslist, Facebook)
   • Work alongside trainees from our program
   • General housekeeping, vacuuming, dusting
   • Assist with administrative tasks as assigned.

   Required Education & Experience:

   • High School Degree or equivalent
   • Experience with Microsoft Word and Excel
   • Re-sale retail experience preferred

   Other Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

   • Current Driver’s License Required
   • Excellent customer service skills
   • Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to write and communicate effectively
   • Ability to effectively prioritize multiple tasks, solve problems and meet deadlines

   Physical Demands:

   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

   • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly and extensively required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms, may be required to perform repetitious movements for long periods of time in order to complete a task.
   • The employee frequently is required to climb, walk, sit, and talk or hear.
   • The employee is regularly required to stand, climb, or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
   • The employee must occasionally lift, carry, plush and pull up to 25 lbs. frequently. Items that are over 25 lbs. must be lifted, carried, pushed, pulled, or moved with proper equipment for assistance and proper safety procedures must also be followed.
   • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
   • Ability to work in a general office environment as well as outdoor environment. Possible exposure to weather – heat, cold, wind, and noise.

   We at Housing Hope embrace and practice a high standard of diversity and inclusion and strive for equity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, citizenship, national origin, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, sex, age, status in regard to public assistance, or any other basis protected by local, state or federal law.

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5. Post your job

   To find inventory and sales associates 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 inventory and sales associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level inventory and sales associates 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.

   To find inventory and sales associate candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting inventory and sales associates requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 inventory and sales associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the inventory and sales associate position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the 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.

   To prepare for the new inventory and sales associate first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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