How to hire an outside sales/account manager

How to hire an outside sales/account manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step outside sales/account manager hiring guide:

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

What does an outside sales/account manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The outside sales/account manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An outside sales/account manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, outside sales/account managers 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 outside sales/account manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Outside Sales/Account Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Outside Sales/Account Manager	Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.	$19-36
   Territory Sales Manager	A territory sales manager is a professional who supervises the daily sales operations of sales representatives that are assigned to a particular location. Territory sales managers are required to meet sales targets to gain an increase in revenues and must maintain excellent customer relationships... Show more	$23-54
   Regional Sales Manager	A regional sales manager is responsible for monitoring the sales and distribution of goods and services within a specific region. Duties of a regional sales manager also include analyzing expenses and cost estimates, ensuring that operations meet budget goals with the highest quality, researching current market trends for sales performance development, providing sales training, and presenting sales reports... Show more	$25-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • CRM
   • Trade Shows
   • Product Knowledge
   • Sales Volume
   • MRO
   • Business Sales
   • Direct Sales
   • Product Line
   • Business Relationships
   • Account Management
   • Territory Sales
   • Sales Strategies
   • HVAC

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and coordinate daily sales activities through target cold calling and telemarketing.
   • Utilize CRM and analyze sales data to effectively grow stores customer base.
   • Log sales in CRM system and maintain contact with client until production are complete.
   • Assist in initiating personnel requisitions; monitor overtime and attendance records; assist in preparing and monitoring employees' payroll.
   • Handle process of responding to RFP's with contract proposals and presentations to clients.
   • Coordinate publication process working with creative department, media buyers, and clients including the development of RFP's.

   More outside sales/account manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the outside sales/account manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. An outside sales/account manager 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 an outside sales/account manager in South Carolina may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level outside sales/account manager. Additionally, an outside sales/account manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average outside sales/account manager salary

   $55,425yearly

   $26.65 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level outside sales/account manager salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average outside sales/account manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$76,846	$37
   2	Pennsylvania	$67,951	$33
   3	New York	$67,623	$33
   4	Connecticut	$63,564	$31
   5	Hawaii	$63,429	$30
   6	New Jersey	$63,150	$30
   7	Washington	$62,423	$30
   8	Nevada	$60,080	$29
   9	Utah	$59,827	$29
   10	Wisconsin	$58,811	$28
   11	New Mexico	$58,470	$28
   12	Missouri	$57,029	$27
   13	Florida	$55,971	$27
   14	Virginia	$55,755	$27
   15	Colorado	$55,182	$27
   16	Maryland	$54,825	$26
   17	Michigan	$54,575	$26
   18	Illinois	$53,834	$26
   19	Arizona	$53,723	$26
   20	Texas	$53,324	$26

   Average outside sales/account manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Systemax	$66,546	$31.99
   2	New York Life Insurance	$65,143	$31.32	13
   3	Altec	$64,570	$31.04
   4	Airgas	$62,939	$30.26	135
   5	Republic Services	$62,453	$30.03	92
   6	A Place for Mom	$60,640	$29.15	9
   7	Global Industrial Technologies Inc	$60,420	$29.05	14
   8	Uline	$60,389	$29.03	35
   9	Ryerson	$59,246	$28.48	9
   10	Horizon Solutions Co	$58,977	$28.35
   11	Applied Industrial Technologies	$58,727	$28.23	65
   12	Ace Hardware	$58,448	$28.10	37
   13	SMC	$57,116	$27.46	78
   14	Titanium Industries	$56,443	$27.14
   15	HD Supply	$55,522	$26.69	45
   16	SunSource	$55,364	$26.62	108
   17	White Cap Construction Supply Inc	$55,014	$26.45	84
   18	Davis-Ulmer Sprinkler Co.	$54,039	$25.98
   19	Aerotek	$53,707	$25.82	6
   20	Fluid Truck	$53,687	$25.81

4. Writing an outside sales/account manager job description

   An outside sales/account manager 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 an outside sales/account manager job description:

   Outside sales/account manager job description example

   Global Industrial
   
   Corporate Overview
   
   For over 70 years Global Industrial has been an industry leader providing private label and brand name industrial equipment and supplies to businesses throughout North America.
   
   We carry over one million industrial, material handling and business products that are sold through our website, corporate sales people and full color catalogs. We are constantly increasing our product offerings to meet the diverse and changing needs of our customers. Our customers include small to large corporations, institutions, government agencies and consumers across North America.
   
   Key Responsibilities
   
   + Create and implement a national reseller sales strategy that makes sure you meet personal sales goals, as well as those set in place by the company.
   
   + Communicate with all current and potential customers on a regular basis, providing solutions as needed, and oversee all sales activity in your assigned national sales territory.
   
   + Coordinate with other members of the sales team and team leaders as needed to generate sales and provide excellent customer service.
   
   + Submit reports on your sales activity regularly into the company's CRM software, and maintain clean and updated records for all leads and customers.
   
   + Perform your duties as efficiently as possible, reducing costs when possible, and maintain receipts for all job-related expenses and submit them to accounting.
   
   + Adhere to all company procedures, values and policies so that you provide an accurate representation of the company to all potential and current customers.
   
   Competencies and skills
   
   + 3-5 years' experience in Industrial / MRO sales
   
   + 75% national travel
   
   + Excellent verbal and written communication skills
   
   + Strong organizational skills
   
   + Proficiency in Microsoft Office
   
   + Bachelor's degree in business, communications or a related field
   
   EEO/AA Statement
   
   Global Industrial provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
   
   This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
   
   Apply now »

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right outside sales/account manager 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 outside sales/account manager job on Zippia to find and recruit outside sales/account manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit outside sales/account managers, 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 outside sales/account manager

   Once you've selected the best outside sales/account manager 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new outside sales/account manager. 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.)

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