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How to hire a lead generator

Lead generator hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring lead generators in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a lead generator is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per lead generator on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 5,151 lead generators in the US and 6,802 job openings.
  • New York, NY, has the highest demand for lead generators, with 8 job openings.
  • Austin, TX has the highest concentration of lead generators.

How to hire a lead generator, step by step

To hire a lead generator, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a lead generator:

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

What does a lead generator do?

A lead generator is someone who attracts and converts interested strangers and prospects to buy a product or service from a company. Lead generators need to establish a lead generation process to attract leads. In marketing, they initiate customer inquiries or interest in services or products. The skills required for this job include business development, digital and email marketing, leadership, communication, attention to detail, and business management. They also must be knowledgeable in the field of marketing.

Learn more about the specifics of what a lead generator does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the lead generator you need to hire. Certain lead generator 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?

    A lead generator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead generators 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 presents lead generator salaries for various positions.

    Type of Lead GeneratorDescriptionHourly rate
    Lead GeneratorTop executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.$7-17
    Business ManagerA business manager is responsible for directing the overall operations of the company, ensuring that all employees do their tasks efficiently and accurately. Business managers' duties include developing strategic solutions, evaluating employees' performance, identifying business opportunities to grow, monitoring the company's expenses to meet its budget goals, implementing techniques to boost the company's revenue and profitability, and adhering to the company's legal policies and procedures... Show more$22-69
    Customer Service ManagerCustomer service managers are in charge of overseeing a group of customer service associates. They ensure that key metrics are met by the employees... Show more$16-50
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Lead Generation
    • Good Communication
    • CRM
    • Digital Marketing
    • Life Insurance
    • Customer Service
    • Telemarketing
    • Outbound Calls
    • Sales Appointments
    • Business Development
    • Salesforce
    • Product Knowledge
    • HVAC
    • HR
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage LinkedIn group membership and posting of announcements.
    • Lead hiring and management over a team of sales, graphics and HTML programmers.
    • Generate leads to qualify them and enroll them in the Facebook exclusive educational support program.
    • Manage marketing activities including development and scheduling of campaigns, reporting, lead nurturing, and ROI.
    • Follow up on all leads generate by the website and cold calling, update all activity in SalesForce.com.
    • Generate new leads through home shows, booths at various Costco stores, fairs, and other misc.
    More lead generator duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the lead generator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A lead generator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a lead generator in West Virginia may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level lead generator. Additionally, a lead generator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average lead generator salary

    $11.61hourly

    $24,158 yearly

    Entry-level lead generator salary
    $15,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 20, 2025

    Average lead generator salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$36,724$18
    2Connecticut$36,427$18
    3District of Columbia$34,382$17
    4Colorado$31,809$15
    5Illinois$30,009$14
    6Washington$29,974$14
    7Maryland$29,966$14
    8Wisconsin$29,808$14
    9California$28,437$14
    10South Dakota$27,969$13
    11Pennsylvania$27,048$13
    12Texas$26,979$13
    13Virginia$26,097$13
    14Florida$25,367$12
    15Nevada$24,528$12
    16Arizona$24,391$12
    17Minnesota$24,151$12
    18North Carolina$23,700$11
    19Michigan$23,503$11
    20Georgia$23,120$11

    Average lead generator salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Google$132,583$63.74
    2Metro Sales$71,444$34.35
    3Merkle$60,918$29.29
    4General Electric$56,595$27.21
    5Aetna$54,186$26.05
    6Vista Equity Partners$44,321$21.31
    7Wind River$39,128$18.81
    8CarMax$36,907$17.74
    9Amazon$34,588$16.632
    10Tesla$33,111$15.92
    11Cox Enterprises$32,420$15.59
    12Fluent$31,607$15.20
    13Cox Automotive$31,312$15.05
    14Minnesota State Fair$30,784$14.80
    15Service Corporation International$30,534$14.68
    16Paychex$29,805$14.33
    17Lifetime$29,804$14.33
    18Innovative Solutions$29,152$14.026
    19American Cancer Society$28,982$13.93
    20NRG Energy$28,514$13.71
  4. Writing a lead generator job description

    A lead generator 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 lead generator job description:

    Lead generator job description example

    What does a great Proactive Lead Generator do?

    The Inside PLGG (Proactive Lead Generation Group) Sales person will focus on customer acquisition. This position involves cold calling new potential clients, client business referrals, and web leads. Work with the client to generate interest that directly supports their needs and consult through the sales process, including handoff to a Business Consultant (BC) to close the sale. May also be responsible for establishing appointments with the client and the direct sales person (BC).

    This is an entry level sales position with career advancement opportunity to grow into a Business Consultant.

    Job specific responsibilities

    • Cold calling; making multiple outbound calls to potential clients; call expectation of 100+ calls daily; Telesales.
    • Qualifying leads from different campaigns; identifying the decision maker, uncovering their needs and generate interest in our solution suite.
    • Presenting and delivering information to potential clients.
    • Building pipelines with channel partners and team members to close sales.
    • Working with various sales teams to assist in closing the sale.
    • Maintaining database of prospective client information (CRM).
    • Remain knowledgeable and up-to-date on changes and developments of product line, the payments industry, and the overall business environment.

    Job Requirements

    • High School degree or equivalent. Sales experience is a plus.
    • Coachable and adaptive.
    • Persuasive and goal-oriented.
    • Energetic, well-spoken, and eager to close sales and increase revenue.
    • Tenacity to handle rejection and continue on with a positive attitude when reaching the next potential client.
    • Knowledge of the sales process from initiation to close.
    • Collaborative team player with an ability to work independently.
    • Organizational and multi-tasking skills.

    To support the total well-being of our associates, Fiserv takes a broad approach to our benefits. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that provides flexibility and affordability with a variety of medical, dental, vision, life insurance and disability options.

    We are of our benefits and well-being programs. Our commitment to wellness, wellness education, preventive services and fitness activities are designed to meet you where you are.

    The Global Business Solutions Lending team at Fiserv provides the innovative financing solutions businesses need to fund growth and drive economic vitality in communities around the country. Our solutions help thousands of businesses of all sizes quickly adapt to changing market needs from accelerating ecommerce sales and reimagining the retail experience to purchasing inventory, securing equipment and creating jobs.

    We welcome and encourage diversity in our workforce. Fiserv is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

  5. Post your job

    To find lead generators 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 lead generators they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level lead generators 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 lead generator job on Zippia to find and recruit lead generator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit lead generators, 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. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    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 generator

    Once you've decided on a perfect lead generator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new lead generator. 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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a lead generator?

There are different types of costs for hiring lead generators. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new lead generator employee.

You can expect to pay around $24,158 per year for a lead generator, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for lead generators in the US typically range between $7 and $17 an hour.

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