How to hire a management trainee program

How to hire a management trainee program, step by step

Here's a step-by-step management trainee program hiring guide:

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

What does a management trainee program do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a management trainee program, 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

   Hiring the perfect management trainee program 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.

   Here's a comparison of management trainee program salaries for various roles:

   Type of Management Trainee Program	Description	Hourly rate
   Management Trainee Program		$17-32
   Project Director	A project director is a professional responsible for supervising workers from various departments given specific tasks to complete a given project. They create a budget to complete a job while monitoring the amount of money spent to ensure that overspending is avoided... Show more	$33-77
   Project Administrator	A project administrator is a professional who assists the project manager in the preparation, reporting, and analysis of projects. Project administrators are given tasks with administrative responsibilities such as managing the budget for supply orders, coordinating meetings with contractors, and doing site visits... Show more	$15-39

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Leadership
   • PowerPoint
   • Human Resources
   • Development Programs
   • Logistics
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • Financial Statements
   • Data Analysis
   • Management Training
   • Cost Control
   • Classroom Training
   • Business Management
   • Financial Analysis

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage internal marketing programs including telemarketing and email campaigns to increase customer activity.
   • Contract closeout manager for the entire department and sole management of closeout SharePoint site.
   • Coordinate with program managers and all offices to collect PowerPoint slides and collate and review slides for presentation.
   • Position gear toward gaining extensive knowledge of operating a business, corporate account management, and insurance details.
   • Prepare a feasibility study for a transformer manufacturer on all business aspects, including marketing, finance and operations management.
   • Assist finance experts in developing NGOs finance systems by holding up trainings and seminars explaining generally about documents require for reconciliations.

   More management trainee program duties

3. Make a budget

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

   $49,133yearly

   $23.62 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level management trainee program salary

   $36,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average management trainee program salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$59,853	$29
   2	California	$57,592	$28
   3	New York	$54,244	$26
   4	Michigan	$53,892	$26
   5	North Carolina	$53,362	$26
   6	Ohio	$53,334	$26
   7	Missouri	$52,087	$25
   8	Texas	$51,857	$25
   9	Florida	$48,689	$23
   10	Georgia	$48,587	$23
   11	Illinois	$48,471	$23
   12	Iowa	$48,030	$23
   13	Colorado	$46,947	$23
   14	Alabama	$44,981	$22
   15	Washington	$44,069	$21
   16	Maryland	$43,664	$21
   17	Pennsylvania	$42,916	$21
   18	Nebraska	$42,124	$20

   Average management trainee program salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Microsoft	$109,879	$52.83	34
   2	The Joffrey Ballet	$63,516	$30.54
   3	PayPal	$61,974	$29.80	2
   4	Quest Global	$57,632	$27.71
   5	Bank of America	$56,139	$26.99	35
   6	Vanderbilt University Medical Center	$55,539	$26.70	16
   7	Central Bank	$55,351	$26.61
   8	Akron Children's Hospital	$55,325	$26.60	1
   9	Bayer	$55,220	$26.55	30
   10	O-I Glass	$54,897	$26.39	4
   11	General Electric	$54,686	$26.29	24
   12	Deloitte	$53,904	$25.92	659
   13	The New York Public Library	$53,860	$25.89	2
   14	Beacon Building Products	$53,764	$25.85
   15	Citi	$53,406	$25.68	19
   16	Bridgestone	$52,416	$25.20	1
   17	Louis Vuitton	$52,215	$25.10
   18	Bosch USA	$51,936	$24.97	4
   19	Post Holdings	$51,397	$24.71	6
   20	JBS USA	$50,927	$24.48	15

4. Writing a management trainee program job description

   A management trainee program 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a management trainee program job description:

   Management trainee program job description example

   **JBS/Pilgrim's Corporate Supply Chain Trainee**
   
   Our 6 or 12 month trainee program is designed to give hands on experience with our supply chain team located at the JBS corporate headquarters in Greeley, CO, Swift Prepared Foods corporate headquarters in Chicago, IL, or Wild Fork Foods corporate headquarters in Miami, FL. This program includes hands-on rotations throughout different departments within supply chain. If you are passionate about leading and motivating others in a culturally diverse setting to make a sustainable agricultural impact on the global food supply- we are interested in, you!
   
   What You Do:
   
   + **Projects** - Challenging goals with key performance indicators (KPI's) that impact our bottom line. Your goals will tie directly into department/plant objectives.
   
   + **Final Placement-** During your program, you will be able to interview and apply for full time positions in the area of your interest.
   
   What is Your Day to Day:
   
   + **Rotations-** These rotations are designed to give you hands-on knowledge.
   
   + **Innovation-** seeking continuous improvements in operation processes and procedures.
   
   What You Bring (Qualifications):
   
   + Bachelor's Degree required
   
   + Alignment with JBS core values and culture
   
   + Excellent communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
   
   + Previous work experience in the supply chain field
   
   The applicant who fills this position will be eligible for the following compensation and benefits:
   
   + Benefits: Vision, Medical, and Dental coverage begin after 60 days of employment;
   
   + Paid Time Off: sick leave, vacation, and 6 company observed holidays;
   
   + 401(k): company match begins after the first year of service and follows the company vesting schedule
   
   + Base salary range of $56,500-60,000
   
   The Company is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our team members and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct a drug, alcohol, and background checks for all new team members post-offer and prior to the start of employment. It is a job expectation that all new employees have, at minimum, the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in advance of their first date of employment. If you need assistance in obtaining a vaccine, the Company can help schedule you with one of its healthcare partners following a conditional job offer, if one is made. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work.
   
   **EOE/Vets/Disability**

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right management trainee program for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your management trainee program job on Zippia to find and recruit management trainee program candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with management trainee program 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.

   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 management trainee program

   Once you've found the management trainee program 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 management trainee program. 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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