How to hire a junior sales associate

How to hire a junior sales associate, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the junior sales associate you need to hire. Certain junior sales associate 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

   Hiring the perfect junior sales associate also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of junior sales associates.

   Type of Junior Sales Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Junior 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.	$29-49

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Inventory Control
   • Customer Service
   • POS
   • Sales Transactions
   • Product Knowledge
   • Client Relationships
   • Sales Orders
   • Front Desk
   • Cold Calls
   • Buy Side
   • Sales Process
   • Sales Support
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Customer Complaints

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage numerous, highly confidential details for retirement plan deals from start to finish including meticulous preparation of PowerPoint presentations.
   • Update daily records of sales orders and maintain familiarity with dealership fleets including staying update regarding competitor products and offerings.
   • Perform minor repairs on Kohl's jewelry like changing watch batteries and removing watch links.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your junior sales associate job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A junior sales associate salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, junior sales associates' average salary in virginia is 36% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level junior sales associates earn 41% less than senior-level junior sales associates.
   • Certifications. A junior sales associate with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a junior sales associate's salary.

   Average junior sales associate salary

   $79,871yearly

   $38.40 hourly rate

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   Entry-level junior sales associate salary

   $61,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a junior sales associate job description

   A junior sales associate 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. Below, you can find an example of a junior sales associate job description:

   Junior sales associate job description example

   Ring's End, Inc. is seeking a determined full-time Junior Designer throughout our Lower Fairfield County locations in order to keep our paint operations running smoothly. This position requires travel to our various locations throughout Lower Fairfield County and earns a competitive pay and is eligible for great benefits , including traditional and Roth 401K, 3% 401K safe harbor company contribution, various medical insurance plans, FSA & DCA, employee discounts on our products and materials, life/accidental death & dismemberment insurance, long & short-term disability, paid holidays, paid time off (PTO), employee assistance program, and a legal counseling program. If this retail opportunity sounds like the right job for you, keep reading !

   Are you a hard worker who genuinely cares about your customers and will go out of your way to make them happy? Are you interested in teaming up with an established building material retailer to fortify your skills ? If yes, complete our initial 3-minute, mobile-friendly application for this Customer Service / Sales Associate position because we want to meet you!

   
   

   ABOUT RING'S END INC

   We are a Connecticut-based lumber and building materials retailer serving Connecticut, South County, Rhode Island, and Westchester County, New York. We are a third-generation, family-run company with a rich history dating back to 1902. Guided by a tradition of service and a commitment to innovation, we are dedicated to becoming the premier resource in the building material industry for builders and remodelers, painting contractors, architects, and homeowners.

   Our growth and success are due to our team of professionals. We employ the best team in the industry, ensuring we maintain a diverse and evolving work environment that values cooperation and teamwork . We look for innovation and continuous improvement in everything we do. We're looking for more to join us!

   
   

   A DAY IN THE LIFE AS A DESIGN AND DECOR JUNIOR SALES ASSOCIATE

   As a Design & Décor Junior Sales Associate for us, you help in our paint centers to assist our customers with color choices and finishes. In addition, you also sell wallpaper, window treatments, rugs, and fabric. You are kept busy with various tasks, from keeping our paint center showrooms neat and clean, handling telephone calls, greeting and helping clients in the store, handling point-of-sale transactions, and creating purchase orders for products. You use your excellent customer service skills every day and are smart and tasteful with your design guidance. This position requires the incumbent to sell paint, and paint accessories, keep shelves stocked, and deliver materials to contractors, builders and homeowners. The right candidate will be flexible and adaptable to the changes that quickly affect this job. Exceptional customer service and problem solving skills are a must as well as a clean driving record as the job does require travel between stores as well as to customers homes. Fluent in English and Spanish is a plus! You feel accomplished using your knowledge and skills to help our clients!

   
   

   QUALIFICATIONS

   Duties include, but are not limited to:

   -Sell the maximum output of allotted products at authorized prices, and in accordance with established merchandising plans and policies

   -Correspond with regular customer contacts and potential customers promoting the sale of all Ring's End products

   -Instruct customers on use of products

   -Handle instances of consumer dissatisfaction and specific customer complaints fairly, promptly, and effectively, and recommend adjustments to management

   -Stock Shelves with appropriate merchandise

   -Deliver merchandise to customer homes and job sites

   Do you have a positive attitude that contributes to a high company morale? Are you goal-oriented and self-motivated? Can you connect with our customers and build strong relationships? Are you an effective communicator? Do you present yourself professionally? If so, you may be perfect for this full-time retail position! Apply now!

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

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5. Post your job

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

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit junior sales associates, 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.

   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 junior sales associate

   Once you've found the junior sales associate 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new junior sales associate. 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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