How to hire a retail representative

How to hire a retail representative, step by step

Here's a step-by-step retail representative hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the retail representative you need to hire. Certain retail representative 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?

   Yes

   No

   A retail representative's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, retail representatives 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 retail representatives and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Retail Representative	Description	Hourly rate
   Retail Representative	Retail sales workers include both those who sell retail merchandise, such as clothing, furniture, and automobiles, (called retail salespersons) and those who sell spare and replacement parts and equipment, especially car parts (called parts salespersons). Both types of workers help customers find the products they want and process customers’ payments.	$12-18
   Expert	An expert has extensive knowledge on a subject gained from a significant amount of experience. Although the tasks will vary on the line of work or organization, an expert's role will often revolve around sharing expertise through discussion, evaluation, and influencing... Show more	$25-77
   Beauty Advisor	A beauty advisor's role is to represent a brand by engaging with customers and recommending cosmetic or skincare products in pursuit of securing sales. They must have extensive knowledge of the company's products and current trends, ability in applying make-up, and customer service skills as most of the duties will focus on demonstrating and responding to inquiries... Show more	$13-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Flexibility
   • Store Management
   • Certification Programs
   • PET
   • Customer Service
   • Product Knowledge
   • Execution Objectives
   • Retail Sales
   • REP
   • Product Displays
   • Brand Awareness
   • Product Placement
   • Depot
   • POS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage Nintendo's promotional programs; secure and maintain point-of-purchase displays that alert customers to brand availability.
   • Execute the proper POS in accounts, particularly with products on sale.
   • Befriend category managers and backroom personnel to positively impact on OSA, POS placement, and other sell-in tactics.
   • Educate consumers about products and services and troubleshoot any existing customer concerns relate to service or equipment.
   • Collaborate with board members to prepare PowerPoint presentations and other written reports and present concepts to management.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your retail representative job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A retail representative can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, retail representatives' average salary in texas is 45% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level retail representatives 32% less than senior-level retail representatives.
   • Certifications. A retail representative 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 a retail representative's salary.

   Average retail representative salary

   $15.28hourly

   $31,790 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level retail representative salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a retail representative job description

   A retail representative 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 retail representative job description:

   Retail representative job description example

   Broad Function and Purpose of Position: Assist in execution of sales strategy in industrial retail sales. Manage assigned accounts to ensure customer satisfaction and meet overall sales objectives.
   Specific Responsibilities:
   
   • Solicit potential customers and travel to customer locations to sell industrial retail products.
   
   • Identify sales opportunities, contact potential customers, demonstrate the industrial retail products.
   
   • Assist customers with any questions or concerns after the sale as well.
   
   • Create sales reports, maintaining files and reviewing competitor's products and Sika products to stay competitive.
   
   • Support rep agencies, distributors and end users through product trainings, technical support, and trade shows.
   
   • Maintain an accurate and up-to-date CRM customer database.
   
   • Submit timely reports detailing activities, trends, competitive analysis, etc.
   
   Job Title:Industrial Retail RepresentativeCountry:United States of AmericaLocation:Madison Heights, MI Job Category:Sales / Order ProcessingPicture employer branding: Building Trust Every Day:Competitive Benefits: Health Insurance, 401k with company match, year-end profit-sharing bonus, paid time off, and paid holidays.
   
   Meaningful Work: Sika products enhance our surroundings and the work every employee completes helps positively impact daily lives by making our world stronger, more durable, and more reliable - every day.
   
   Company Culture: Sika centers work culture around entrepreneurship where individuals have the power to make decisions, learn from mistakes, and define their career.
   
   Community Involvement: Sika Corporation takes active roles in our community and aims to support volunteer work and charitable endeavors across the United States through rebuilding and giving back.
   
   Sustainability Initiatives: Sika is committed to sustainable development, reducing environmental impacts, and assuming social responsibility. The company supports energy efficient projects and implements numerous measures aimed to boost economic, social, and ecological sustainability.
   
   "Equal Opportunity Employer Veterans/Disabled"Who we are:Join Sika, a global company established in 1910. Sika is a leading supplier of specialty chemical products and industrial materials serving construction and industrial markets. With subsidiaries in 100 countries around the world and in over 300 factories, Sika employs more than 25,000 people.
   
   Sika is a full building envelope company, helping you live your everyday life from below-grade waterproofing all the way up to the roof. From the Crypto.com Arena to the Lincoln Memorial to the Empire State Building to Disneyland, Sika is extremely integrated in the world around us.
   
   Sika is a continually growing company with a variety of locations that offers opportunity to advance through career development. We are committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.Skills you`ll need: Qualifications/Experience/Education:
   
   + Sales experience with retail chains West Marine, Land N Sea is preferred but not required.
   
   + Must have excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills along with excellent oral and written communication skills.
   
   + Must possess planning and time management capabilities and the ability to multi-task on a wide variety of projects.
   
   + Requires excellent analytical and quantitative skills, technical sales skills a plus.
   
   + Must reside in the southeast United States.
   
   + Extensive travel is required.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find retail representatives for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your retail representative job on Zippia to find and recruit retail representative 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 retail representatives, 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 retail representative

   Once you've found the retail representative 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.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new retail representative. 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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