How to hire a Sales Account Manager

How to hire a sales account manager, step by step

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

What does a Sales Account Manager do?

Post A Sales Account Manager Job For Free, Promote It For A Fee

Post Free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a sales account manager, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a sales account manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a sales account manager that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of sales account manager salaries for various roles:

   Type Of Sales Account Manager	Description	Hourly Rate
   Sales Account Manager	Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.	$15-48
   Business Development Sales Manager	A business development sales manager is in charge of securing sales by reaching out to clients through calls, correspondence, or appointments. Their responsibilities often revolve around performing research and analysis to identify new leads and sales opportunities, offering different products and services, and creating proposals and price quotes for potential clients... Show More	$32-86
   Product Manager/Sales	A sales product manager is responsible for monitoring the sales performance of a specific product and ensuring that the marketing strategies adhere to market standards and client requirements. Sales product managers work closely with the marketing and public relations team to enhance the product's brand image on various market platforms to reach the target audience... Show More	$36-75

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Customer Service
   • CRM
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Account Management
   • Product Knowledge
   • Business Development
   • PowerPoint
   • Sales Process
   • Work Ethic
   • Sales Territory
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Patients
   • Business Relationships
   • Excellent Time Management

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage RFQ/RFP responses to telecommunication, government and utility customers utilizing CRM system to manage customers.
   • Recruit to develop and manage new sales territory selling MRO industrial goods and services to existing and potential customers.
   • Manage and coordinate daily sales activities through target cold calling and telemarketing.
   • Organize and maintain existing national clients for process refrigeration and HVAC maintenance and service.
   • Maintain database, create mailers, and work in SalesForce to determine new possible clients.
   • Founded in 1935 ATD has grown from a regional family-own company to a successful nationwide distribution enterprise.

   More Sales Account Manager duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, sales account managers' average salary in new hampshire is 44% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level sales account managers 67% less than senior-level sales account managers.
   • Certifications. A sales account manager 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 sales account manager's salary.

   Average sales account manager salary

   $58,630yearly

   $28.19 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level sales account manager salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2025

   Average sales account manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	California	$85,346	$41
   2	Washington	$71,925	$35
   3	Oregon	$69,958	$34
   4	Virginia	$67,806	$33
   5	New York	$63,799	$31
   6	District of Columbia	$63,300	$30
   7	Michigan	$63,272	$30
   8	Illinois	$62,634	$30
   9	Texas	$61,520	$30
   10	Utah	$61,080	$29
   11	Pennsylvania	$59,669	$29
   12	Arizona	$59,664	$29
   13	North Carolina	$58,542	$28
   14	Florida	$58,070	$28
   15	Indiana	$58,049	$28
   16	Connecticut	$56,825	$27
   17	Massachusetts	$55,469	$27
   18	Colorado	$55,084	$26
   19	Oklahoma	$53,540	$26
   20	Georgia	$52,975	$25

   Average sales account manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Google	$139,961	$67.29	47
   2	Microsoft	$137,798	$66.25	59
   3	Apple	$132,901	$63.89	45
   4	Thoughtworks	$123,103	$59.18	2
   5	Corsair	$118,496	$56.97	2
   6	Dell	$117,492	$56.49	43
   7	Hitachi Vantara	$117,180	$56.34	5
   8	KLA	$116,796	$56.15	3
   9	Amd	$112,752	$54.21	5
   10	Institute of Food Technologists	$112,451	$54.06	1
   11	Renesas Electronics	$111,311	$53.51	54
   12	Micron Technology	$108,526	$52.18	4
   13	HP	$108,291	$52.06	115
   14	Adobe	$104,793	$50.38	34
   15	Amphenol	$102,551	$49.30	11
   16	Amazon	$102,022	$49.05	711
   17	OSIsoft	$101,297	$48.70
   18	Infineon Technologies	$99,982	$48.07	6
   19	OmniVision Technologies	$99,288	$47.73
   20	Scientific Games	$99,138	$47.66	2

4. Writing a Sales Account Manager Job Description

   A good sales account manager 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 sales account manager job description:

   Sales Account Manager job description example

   Service Sales Account ManagerFounded in 1910, KONE is a global leader that provides elevators, escalators and automatic building doors, as well as solutions for maintenance and modernization that add value to buildings throughout their life cycle. Our mission is to improve the flow of urban life and make our world's cities better places to live by providing innovative solutions that help make people's journeys safe, convenient and reliable. Our operations in over 60 countries around the world has helped us achieve our position as an innovation and sustainability leader with repeated recognitions by Forbes, Corporate Knights for clean capitalism and others. Are you ready to make your next career move to join our team and manage your own local portfolio as a Sales Consultant - Account Manager for KONE Seattle, WA area? Have you built and developed professional customer relations through excellent customer service?
   
   Does learning and selling innovative technological solutions excite you? Do you have the ambition to continuously learn and use technological tools such as our CRM? Are you familiar with or interested in learning a solution selling methodology, such as Sandler? Do you have the spirit to collaborate across the organization with internal stakeholders? If you answered a resounding YES to these questions, then we have an amazing opportunity for you!
   
   As our Sales Consultant, you will proactively build and maintain relationships with our customers as your number one goal! You will identify complex technology solutions utilizing our industry-leading support system to ensure their sustainable growth.
   
   You will bring 2+ years of relevant sales expertise to our KONE family and an appetite for learning an exciting and new field. You will use the knowledge gained when obtaining your bachelor's degree or 4+ years of relevant working experience.
   
   We have the courage to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because we believe diversity drives innovation:
   • We value your authentic self
   • Diversity, equity and inclusion is embedded in our strategy and values
   • Collaborative, creative and supportive work environment
   • Passionate about safety, quality and innovation
   • We care about the communities where we live and work
   
   Just some of our many benefits include:
   • Competitive salary
   • Flexible work schedule
   • Opportunities to learn and grow
   • Matching 401K
   • Pension plan
   • Comprehensive health and wellness plans for the entire family
   • Paid holidays and paid time off
   
   Come share your passion and energy to make a positive impact at KONE for our customers and your career!
   
   *Beware of Recruitment Scams*
   
   We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.
   
   At KONE, we are focused on creating an innovative and collaborative working culture where we value the contribution of each individual. Employee engagement is a key focus area for us and we encourage participation and the sharing of information and ideas. Sustainability is an integral part of our culture and the daily practice. We follow ethical business practices and we seek to develop a culture of working together where co-workers trust and respect each other and good performance is recognized. In being a great place to work, we are proud to offer a range of experiences and opportunities that will help you to achieve your career and personal goals and enable you to live a healthy and balanced life.
   
   Read more on www.kone.com/careers

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find sales account managers 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 sales account manager job on Zippia to find and recruit sales account manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with sales account manager 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 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 sales account manager

   Once you've found the sales account manager 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.

   To prepare for the new sales account manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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.)

   Sign Up To Download Full List

   Sign Up

How much does it cost to hire a sales account manager?