How to hire a retail sales specialist

How to hire a retail sales specialist, step by step

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

What does a retail sales specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the retail sales specialist you need to hire. Certain retail sales specialist 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 sales specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, retail sales specialists 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 retail sales specialist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Retail Sales Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Retail Sales Specialist	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.	$18-25
   Sales Clerk	A sales clerk is responsible for assisting customers in purchasing products, responding to customer inquiries, and providing product recommendations. Sales clerks require excellent customer service and communication skills to offer the best services to the customers and maintain good customer feedback for the business... Show more	$7-18
   Seasonal Sales Representative	Usually working on a contractual basis, a seasonal sales representative serves as the clients' point of contact in businesses. They typically offer products and services through calls and correspondence, arrange appointments, discuss promotions, explain product specifications and pricing, negotiate contracts, arrange payment plans, and build positive relationships with clients... Show more	$12-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Retail Sales
   • POS
   • Store Management
   • Retail Store
   • Inventory Management
   • Brand Awareness
   • Client Relationships
   • Increase Sales
   • Sales Floor
   • Store Appearance
   • Cataloging
   • RSS
   • Sales Volume
   • Customer Relations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Master delivering technical product information to doctors on training and teaching proper injection technique to achieve optimal results for patients.
   • Store inventories and cataloging of auto parts.
   • Maintain cleanliness and presentation of stock room and retail floor.
   • Assist customers in finding products, while cross-selling other products.
   • Maintain the cleanliness of the store, snack area and bathroom.
   • Mentor team - introducing apple culture to new employees and training for new product launches.

   More retail sales specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your retail sales specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A retail sales specialist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, retail sales specialists' average salary in west virginia is 34% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level retail sales specialists earn 30% less than senior-level retail sales specialists.
   • Certifications. A retail sales specialist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a retail sales specialist's salary.

   Average retail sales specialist salary

   $45,756yearly

   $22.00 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level retail sales specialist salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average retail sales specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$58,039	$28
   2	Washington	$53,067	$26
   3	New York	$51,235	$25
   4	Massachusetts	$51,103	$25
   5	Montana	$50,556	$24
   6	Nevada	$49,437	$24
   7	Maine	$49,394	$24
   8	Minnesota	$49,095	$24
   9	Wyoming	$48,755	$23
   10	Nebraska	$48,626	$23
   11	Missouri	$48,409	$23
   12	New Hampshire	$48,255	$23
   13	Kansas	$48,243	$23
   14	California	$47,967	$23
   15	Illinois	$47,385	$23
   16	Wisconsin	$47,311	$23
   17	Tennessee	$46,944	$23
   18	Colorado	$46,647	$22
   19	North Carolina	$46,429	$22
   20	South Carolina	$46,364	$22

   Average retail sales specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Anastasia Beverly Hills	$59,106	$28.42
   2	Fresh Express	$56,918	$27.36	1
   3	Coty	$53,238	$25.60	8
   4	Great Southern Homes	$49,888	$23.98
   5	Chobani	$48,370	$23.25	10
   6	Spectrum	$46,504	$22.36	1
   7	New York Life Insurance	$46,421	$22.32	10
   8	Central States Mfg	$45,974	$22.10	1
   9	Grand Furniture	$45,946	$22.09	1
   10	Mammoth Mountain	$45,857	$22.05	4
   11	ICONMA	$45,515	$21.88	2
   12	Apollo Professional Solutions	$45,231	$21.75
   13	Aki Technologies	$45,021	$21.64	2
   14	The Gents Place	$44,909	$21.59	19
   15	Sherwin-Williams	$44,892	$21.58	752
   16	TechStyle Fashion Group	$44,872	$21.57
   17	Vita	$44,872	$21.57	4
   18	CleanChoice Energy	$44,872	$21.57
   19	Tonal Systems	$44,872	$21.57
   20	Custom Truck One Source	$44,872	$21.57

4. Writing a retail sales specialist job description

   A good retail sales specialist 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 retail sales specialist job description:

   Retail sales specialist job description example

   If you're passionate about a great guest experience and true hospitality, this is the role for you! Whether you're helping a guest find the perfect birthday gift or showing off your favorite items from the new collection, you'll make sure every guest feels at home.
   Responsibilities:
   In this role, you will run the roost when it comes to the retail shop - from the cash stand to the product displays and everything in between, you'll keep the shelves stocked while displaying world-class guest service. As a Retail Sales team member, you will have flexible hours (full or part time) and the opportunity for promotion and continued development!
   Qualifications:
   You will need to be able to stand for long periods, work in a variety of environments, be expected to lift, load and carry up to 40 pounds, and work with hot and cold food items. You must be able to understand and carry out instructions while working effectively with co-workers and managers to please our guests.
   
   We'd love to get to know you! Text " CBJOBS " to 97211 to start your application or click "Apply for the job online" above.
   
   NOTE: Racism, either overt or perpetuated through unconscious bias, has no place at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, and both our Mission and People Promise are firmly rooted in the principle of valuing what everyone brings to the table. Our employees work hard to ensure that our brand, which is grounded in genuine hospitality and nostalgia, represents only what is good about those things. While our d cor and food may harken back to earlier times, our inclusive culture and beliefs about equality and diversity do not.
   
   Come for the biscuits and stay for the perks- Cracker Barrel offers our employees:
   Culture of Belonging: We believe in Family. We care about your wellbeing and your success. We foster an atmosphere where employees care for each other like family. Our employees are encouraged to be themselves, and this means we accept and celebrate our differences. Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Top Notch Training: PAR Training program: our hourly employee training program is built to help you grow and succeed. Earn your stars and be rewarded with pay increases We have a unique role of the Employee Training Coordinator at each location and their purpose is to help you be successful in your role Cross Training- If you thrive in an environment where no day is the same, you can cross train and work in a variety of roles for your store Diverse Career Paths: Cracker Barrel values internal development- whether you want to become an Employee Training Coordinator, a Shift Leader, a Restaurant or Retail Manager, or come join us at our Home Office in Lebanon, TN to work in corporate support for our stores; we are committed to helping you reach your personal career goals. Competitive Pay and Benefits: Competitive pay based on your experience with opportunities to earn additional pay increases with the PAR Training program Paychecks weekly or daily - You can access the pay you have earned throughout the week! Flexible Schedules Health, Vision, and Dental Benefits starting on day 1 401K with company matching starting at 90 days Vacation Time 35% off restaurant and retail items Employee Stock Purchasing Program

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find retail sales specialists 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.

   To find retail sales specialist candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit retail sales specialists, 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. 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 retail sales specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect retail sales specialist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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 retail sales specialist. 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 retail sales specialist?