How to hire an outside sales associate

How to hire an outside sales associate, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The outside sales associate 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 associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, outside sales associates 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.

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

   Type of Outside Sales Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Outside Sales Associate	Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations. They contact customers, explain product features, answer any questions that their customers may have, and negotiate prices.	$12-25
   Sales Development Representative	A sales development representative qualifies leads at the sales funnel's initial stages. Sales development representatives need to conduct research for prospective clients and qualify the leads before handing them to the sales team... Show more	$16-37
   Sales Consultant	Sales consultants are employees who work in the sales department of a company. They are usually more skilled than usual sales employees... Show more	$17-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Roofing
   • Sales
   • Sales Floor
   • Sales Support
   • Customer Issues
   • Building Materials
   • Customer Relationships
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Product Knowledge
   • Sales Territory
   • Trade Shows
   • Business Relationships
   • HVAC

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and create all content distribute via various social media outlets: Facebook, twitter, feedback blogs, etc.
   • Prospect for new HVAC accounts or non-traditional accounts such as industrial, commercial, governmental, etc.
   • Provide merchandising assistance to customers by building displays, negotiating placement, replenishing permanent secondary displays and using POS materials effectively.
   • Research and locate hard-to-find equipment and materials for MRO and OEM clients.
   • Create a zip code analysis tool to identify Medicaid recipients' target areas for strategic marketing penetration.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your outside sales associate job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An outside sales associate can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, outside sales associates' average salary in hawaii is 60% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level outside sales associates 50% less than senior-level outside sales associates.
   • Certifications. An outside sales associate with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an outside sales associate's salary.

   Average outside sales associate salary

   $38,705yearly

   $18.61 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level outside sales associate salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing an outside sales associate job description

   A good outside sales 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 an outside sales associate job description:

   Outside sales associate job description example

   
   The Outside Sales Associate is supported with marketing support from our in-house marketing
   team, Good Carma Group. In addition to handling all inbound leads, a successful Associate will
   develop a strong referral network and incorporate product sales into daily routine. Spearhead
   Merchant Services is led by the VP of Business Development for Murphy Family enterprises.
   With over 18 years of sales and marketing experience, proper training is part of the daily
   routine.

   
   The Outside Sales Associate will also provide periodic customer service support to all SMS
   accounts. The Associate will also contribute to the development of marketing strategies as well
   as oversee the acquisition of SMS Agents -- as commissions-only sales team members.
   Spearhead Merchant Services offers superior rates in credit card processing to nationwide
   businesses large and small. The role of Outside Sales Associate is commission driven with
   compensation paid monthly based upon clients’ monthly processing sums. These commissions
   are paid in perpetuity (for as long as the account is retained) providing the qualified candidate
   with significant financial upside.

   
   Night and weekend work required as necessary. Minimal travel. Full benefits provided.

   Responsibilities

   
   Key player in leading Spearhead Merchant Services to revenue goals
   Walk-in sales, cold calling, and email solicitations
   Social media and in-person networking, event sales, lead handling and referrals
   Utilization of organizational Chamber of Commerce memberships
   Responsible for sporadic, yet timely, customer service and retention of all SMS accounts
   Leadership and communication with SMS Agents
   ATM sales & service assistance

   Requirements

   
   - Strong verbal and written communication skills
   - Self-motivated, commission-driven, and outgoing personality
   - Ability to execute 50+ sales activities daily
   - A growth mindset to propel revenues via utilization of SMS Agent program
   - Customer Service acumen as required
   - Work hours are M-F 9-5 – in office or on the road conducting appointments
   - Nights and weekends as needed to produce revenues,
   - Occasional travel to Augusta, GA

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit outside sales associates, 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.

   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 outside sales associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the outside sales 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 outside sales 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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