How to hire a lead retail consultant

How to hire a lead retail consultant, step by step

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

What does a lead retail consultant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your lead retail consultant 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 retail consultant 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

   A lead retail consultant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead retail consultants 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of lead retail consultants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Lead Retail Consultant	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Retail Consultant		$8-41
   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
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • POS
   • Sales Floor
   • Basic Math
   • Product Knowledge
   • Punctuality
   • Store Sales
   • Operational Policies
   • Inventory Control
   • Customer Service
   • Store Opening
   • Account Issues
   • Store Operations
   • Retail Store
   • Customer Satisfaction

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist store leadership in effectively leading, managing and developing store and/or department operations and associates to maximize sales and profitability.
   • Operate POS (point of sale) station with responsibility for a balance cash drawer daily.
   • Complete POS and cash register functions such as hourly readings, balancing, voids and undo transactions when necessary.
   • Assist store leadership in effectively leading, managing and developing store and/or department operations and associates to maximize sales and profitability.
   • Gain buy-in and trust with persuasive proposals, marketing collateral, and PowerPoint presentations.

   More lead retail consultant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the lead retail consultant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A lead retail consultant 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 retail consultant in Nebraska may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level lead retail consultant. Additionally, a lead retail consultant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average lead retail consultant salary

   $39,319yearly

   $18.90 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead retail consultant salary

   $17,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average lead retail consultant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$56,110	$27
   2	Massachusetts	$56,025	$27
   3	Delaware	$54,760	$26
   4	New York	$53,650	$26
   5	Connecticut	$53,404	$26
   6	Oregon	$52,466	$25
   7	Washington	$52,064	$25
   8	Texas	$48,945	$24
   9	Mississippi	$42,778	$21
   10	Arizona	$42,244	$20
   11	Florida	$41,819	$20
   12	New Mexico	$41,027	$20
   13	Georgia	$40,636	$20
   14	Idaho	$40,086	$19
   15	Virginia	$40,067	$19
   16	Colorado	$39,801	$19
   17	Illinois	$39,674	$19
   18	Michigan	$38,653	$19
   19	Minnesota	$38,522	$19
   20	North Carolina	$38,118	$18

   Average lead retail consultant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Accenture	$148,807	$71.54	206
   2	Google	$138,366	$66.52	10
   3	Microsoft	$125,470	$60.32	1
   4	Barclays	$112,365	$54.02
   5	Swedish Hospital	$73,292	$35.24
   6	U.S. Bank	$72,415	$34.81	16
   7	Comerica	$63,638	$30.60
   8	Mattel	$63,463	$30.51	4
   9	Amazon	$62,778	$30.18	53
   10	KeyBank	$53,347	$25.65	3
   11	Stio	$49,194	$23.65
   12	T-Mobile	$44,201	$21.25	125
   13	Adidas North America Inc	$42,645	$20.50	40
   14	Sodexo Management, Inc.	$42,145	$20.26	4
   15	Farmers Insurance	$38,776	$18.64	4
   16	Providence Health & Services	$38,578	$18.55
   17	Compass Group USA	$37,561	$18.06	47
   18	Tillamook Ice Creamery	$37,453	$18.01
   19	University of Wisconsin System	$37,421	$17.99
   20	Roger Williams University	$36,860	$17.72	2

4. Writing a lead retail consultant job description

   A good lead retail consultant 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 retail consultant job description:

   Lead retail consultant job description example

   Description On our team, everyone plays a critical role providing genuine, helpful and friendly service to help our athletes perform at their best and enjoy their sport. We're committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce, reflecting the communities we serve. This role is an opportunity to make a difference and join the world's greatest sports team.The Fitness Lead is a technically focused role that prioritizes a health + wellness lifestyle, creating a differentiated experience specifically to those interested in fitness products. This individual will put from personal experiences and leverage product knowledge to create wholistic recommendations based on the athlete's needs.
   
   Meets the athlete where they are in their fitness journey, creating a tailored and unparalleled customer service experience; adapting sales style appropriately. Leverages fitness expertise to provide recommendations that meets the athlete's needs / goals.
   
   Communicates extensive product knowledge with a clear and compelling in-depth explanation of product features and benefits; also stays current with industry technology and insights.
   
   Helps athletes see what's possible by clearly positioning the added benefits and value of an at-home fitness space.
   
   Gathers an understanding of the available area within the athlete's living accommodations in order to accurately outfit the space with fitness equipment / products (either for short or long-term space transformation).
   
   Aligns complimentary workout accessories, and if appropriate, fitness regimens and pre/post workout techniques in order to create a wholistic fitness bundle.
   
   Walks athletes through available financing options, outlining an alternative payment approach to large purchases.
   
   Ensures the fitness pad is accurately set by flawlessly executing the game plan (i.e. presentation of merchandise).
   
   Assist store management team with general supervision and directing on-floor work assignments of fitness area.
   
   Lead and clearly communicate company objectives to associates, and provide on-floor training to all associates.
   
   Support and develop associates through regular coaching and feedback. As needed, assist in other areas within the store.All Teammates are required to adhere to all safety policies and procedures. Additionally, as business needs arise, other tasks may become necessary.Qualifications
   2 years of fitness related experience required. 1 year of retail experience preferred, but not require ***'S Sporting Goods is an Equal Opportunity Employer Committed to Inclusion and Diversity.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find lead retail consultants 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 retail consultants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level lead retail consultants 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 retail consultant job on Zippia to find and recruit lead retail consultant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with lead retail consultant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 retail consultant

   Once you've selected the best lead retail consultant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lead retail consultant. 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 retail consultant?