How to hire a lead associate

How to hire a lead associate, step by step

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

What does a lead associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your lead associate 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 a lead associate 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a lead associate 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 a lead associate that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of lead associate salaries for various roles:

   Type of Lead Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Associate		$12-56
   Floor Supervisor	A floor supervisor is personnel hired by the hospitality and retail establishments who provide a quality experience to guests by inspecting the guest area's cleanliness. To maintain freshness, a floor supervisor collaborates with a manager to deploy custodial staff and train new employees... Show more	$10-16
   Shift Supervisor	Shift supervisors are responsible for the employees assigned to the shift that they are handling. Shift supervisors ensure that the employees who were expected to report to work at the specific shift came in... Show more	$12-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PET
   • Leadership
   • POS
   • Cleanliness
   • Sales Floor
   • HR
   • Patients
   • Project Management
   • Store Appearance
   • Quality Customer Service
   • Client Facing
   • Stock Room
   • Windows
   • Math

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead the review and overhaul of the QA and configuration management processes for the IPPS-A program.
   • Manage and care for all pets including: pet counts, medicating, cleaning, and selling.
   • Administer SharePoint server to include managing users and group on site to control large scale enterprise projects.
   • Manage and delegate over lumber-building materials department including millwork department.
   • Communicate team challenges and support strategic project management plans during daily leadership meetings; disseminate strategies and information to the team.
   • Solve customer service and billing issues and troubleshoot equipment for customers.

   More lead associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lead associate job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A lead associate 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 lead associate in Idaho may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level lead associate usually earns less than a senior-level lead associate. Additionally, a lead associate 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 lead associate salary

   $54,903yearly

   $26.40 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead associate salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average lead associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$113,785	$55
   2	New Jersey	$109,811	$53
   3	District of Columbia	$109,137	$52
   4	Connecticut	$100,655	$48
   5	New York	$97,973	$47
   6	Virginia	$94,421	$45
   7	Pennsylvania	$87,572	$42
   8	North Carolina	$80,530	$39
   9	Texas	$70,268	$34
   10	Florida	$69,675	$34
   11	Ohio	$69,494	$33
   12	Indiana	$68,915	$33
   13	Georgia	$67,900	$33
   14	Nebraska	$60,923	$29
   15	Minnesota	$59,231	$28
   16	California	$59,127	$28
   17	Illinois	$57,969	$28
   18	Utah	$50,391	$24
   19	Colorado	$49,297	$24
   20	Arizona	$45,866	$22

   Average lead associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	McKinsey & Company Inc	$154,407	$74.23
   2	ZS	$151,476	$72.83	1
   3	AstraZeneca	$145,845	$70.12
   4	SoCalGas	$133,460	$64.16
   5	Federal National Mortgage Association	$127,578	$61.34	15
   6	RAND	$123,344	$59.30
   7	Kiewit	$121,135	$58.24
   8	Pfizer	$119,913	$57.65
   9	Celanese	$117,948	$56.71
   10	SLCH President	$117,744	$56.61
   11	SAS Institute	$115,975	$55.76
   12	ERM	$114,467	$55.03
   13	Morgan Stanley	$113,306	$54.47
   14	Merck	$110,452	$53.10
   15	Kony	$109,900	$52.84
   16	Huron Consulting Group	$109,500	$52.64
   17	Yale New Haven Health	$108,000	$51.92	2
   18	UBS	$106,821	$51.36
   19	Accenture	$105,697	$50.82	474
   20	Fusion LLC	$103,753	$49.88

4. Writing a lead associate job description

   A good lead associate 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 lead associate job description:

   Lead associate job description example

   The Trade Desk is changing the way global brands and their agencies advertise to audiences around the world. How? With a media buying platform that helps brands deliver a more insightful and relevant ad experience for consumers - and sets a new standard for global reach, accuracy, and transparency. We are proud of the culture we have built. We value the unique experiences and perspectives that each person brings to The Trade Desk, and we are committed to fostering inclusive spaces where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work every day.
   
   So, if you are talented, driven, creative, and eager to join a dynamic, globally-connected team, then we want to talk!
   WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:
   
   Manage & coach a team of both Trading Analysts, Trading Specialists and Senior Trading Specialists. Lead trading vision for a portfolio of clients via effective storytelling & strategic account analysis. Expert at identifying ad hoc client opportunities and risks, and crafting a story with data to win effectively. Collaborate with internal teams across Client Services & Sales to create 12-month growth strategies for key client objectives. Create TTD client experts by being a trusted client resource and creative thinker. Work closely with Product Management and other cross-functional teams to help define features and enhancements to improve the platform. Help build our trading best practices, including creating training collateral and internal resources.
   
   WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE:
   
   5+ years of programmatic, hands-on DSP and/or online ad operations experience. 1+ years of team management experience. Strong leadership skills: ability to set and communicate goals, measure accomplishments, hold team accountable, and give useful feedback; delegate and develop; keep people informed, and provide effective coaching. Proven track record of growing accounts by forging a strong relationship with clients, understanding their objectives and recommending best strategies. Experience in working with ad exchanges, aggregators, ad servers, and other optimization platforms. Solid experience in trafficking and optimizing CPA, CPC direct marketing campaigns preferably in an RTB environment. Advanced MS Excel skills. Outstanding troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving abilities, along with an ability to collaborate cross-functionally in a get-it-done environment. Effective time management skills - ability to prioritize and meet deadlines. Self-starter - able to tackle new clients or territories with little guidance. Quick learner - able to rapidly grasp new technology and product change.
   
   #LI-AS2
   
   The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right lead associate for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with lead associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit lead associates who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your lead associate job on Zippia to find and attract quality lead associate 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 lead associates, 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 lead associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the lead 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.

   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 lead 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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How much does it cost to hire a lead associate?