How to hire a sales assoc

How to hire a sales assoc, step by step

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

What does a sales assoc do?

Post a sales assoc job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The sales assoc 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

   A sales assoc's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, sales assocs 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 shows salaries for various types of sales assocs.

   Type of Sales Assoc	Description	Hourly rate
   Sales Assoc	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.	$16-59
   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
   Retail Sales Representative	A retail salesperson's responsibility is to sell products and provide necessary information to the consumers to convince them of availing items. Retail salesperson's duties include coordinating with promotional programs, recommending strategies to increase sales, answering customer's inquiries, and escalating any concerns to the management that might affect the company's sales performance... Show more	$13-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Sales Objectives
   • Retail Sales
   • Store Appearance
   • Sales Floor
   • Product Knowledge
   • Strong Customer Service
   • Cleanliness
   • Phone Calls
   • Cash Handling
   • POS
   • Sales Transactions
   • Financial Transactions
   • Customer Complaints

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Supervise women's department, manage jewelry department, assist customers on finalizing purchases
   • Service retail customers by processing purchase orders/request and deliveries; displaying specific POS materials for advertisement and product announcement.
   • Improve customer solicitation pitch to increase Kohl's credit card application solicitations.

   More sales assoc duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, sales assocs' average salary in montana is 61% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level sales assocs 72% less than senior-level sales assocs.
   • Certifications. A sales assoc 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 assoc's salary.

   Average sales assoc salary

   $66,072yearly

   $31.77 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level sales assoc salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average sales assoc salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$85,825	$41
   2	New Jersey	$83,007	$40
   3	California	$80,926	$39
   4	District of Columbia	$79,689	$38
   5	Massachusetts	$75,775	$36
   6	Maine	$72,993	$35
   7	Vermont	$70,484	$34
   8	Illinois	$64,145	$31
   9	Maryland	$62,493	$30
   10	Michigan	$62,089	$30
   11	Ohio	$59,874	$29
   12	North Carolina	$58,490	$28
   13	Texas	$56,458	$27
   14	Virginia	$56,223	$27
   15	Florida	$51,957	$25
   16	Minnesota	$50,421	$24
   17	Iowa	$42,962	$21
   18	Utah	$41,850	$20

   Average sales assoc salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Citi	$106,196	$51.06	5
   2	Wedbush Securities	$96,995	$46.63
   3	Halliburton	$94,552	$45.46
   4	Baird	$92,015	$44.24	5
   5	Brookhaven National Laboratory	$83,670	$40.23
   6	The Walt Disney Company	$81,198	$39.04	21
   7	University of Vermont	$80,108	$38.51
   8	GPAC	$74,749	$35.94
   9	Bayer	$73,154	$35.17	406
   10	Auerbach Grayson	$71,353	$34.30
   11	Catholic Health East	$68,872	$33.11
   12	Rug Doctor	$68,623	$32.99
   13	AllianceBernstein	$67,881	$32.64	20
   14	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$66,223	$31.84	148
   15	The PNC Financial Services Group	$57,331	$27.56	22
   16	United States Marine Corps	$56,361	$27.10
   17	Chardan	$55,838	$26.85	1
   18	*n/a*	$55,742	$26.80	6
   19	L3Harris	$55,687	$26.77	21
   20	Brookhaven Science Associates LLC	$55,060	$26.47	1

4. Writing a sales assoc job description

   A sales assoc 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 a sales assoc job description:

   Sales assoc job description example

   The primary responsibilities of the Sales Associate position are to maintain outstanding customer service, generate sales, merchandise product, own assigned
   
   departments and support the store management team. The Temporary Key Carrier is responsible for the overall direction of store associates and coordination of store operations in the absence of the Store or Assistant Management staff. You will typically be utilized in this capacity to cover for vacation or illness.
   
   The Inventory Control Coordinator is responsible for the overall integrity and maintenance of a store's inventory. The duties of the job require 20-30 hours per work week dedicated to the sustaining of the store's inventory levels to ensure the right product is in the right place at the right time. They are to consistently provide amazing customer service to both internal and external customers while being involved and motivated toward the goals of the entire store operation with a willingness to assist in any area they are needed. Participates in all Inventory Coordinator training and consistently trains and shares knowledge with other store associates to eliminate gaps in customer service. Be steadfast in Great Lakes Ace Hardware's Mission, Vision, and Core Values working to live the core values every day.
   
   ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following (Other duties may be assigned as needed):
   
   · Greets all customers and assists in answering questions about merchandise and locating merchandising; uses The S.A.L.E.S. process to help customers find everything on their lists.
   
   · Completes all company and departmental paperwork accurately, including Price Change Bulletins, Operation Actions, Red Tags, and Bin Tags.
   
   · Receives, opens, and unpacks cartons or crates of merchandise, checking paperwork against items received when required, and replenishes stock when necessary.
   
   · Displays and maintains merchandise on end caps, shelves, counters or tables following company plan-o-gram, building displays when necessary to attract customers and promote sales within specified guidelines by your management team.
   
   · Maintains on-hand integrity through inventory adjustment reports including; cycle count, negative on-hand.
   · Follows the nightly maintenance checklist to ensure proper store recovery and cleanliness. · Maintains familiarity with new products and ad merchandise. · Has sound awareness of surroundings, customers, etc. and practices loss prevention techniques to minimize shoplifting losses. · Working knowledge of the tools available to operate the store; including, but not limited to: RF Gun, Back Office Procedures and the use of Store opportunities. · Review and transmit Ace replenishment orders, and properly receive POs and credit POs from non-Ace vendors. Routinely checks Ace net prior to truck delivery for any customer online orders and alert staff to set the merchandise aside for customer pickup. · Facilitates receiving the replenishment truck upon arrival at the store. Breaks the truck down according to the standard operating procedures. · Responsible for receiving the Ace replenishment truck in the Eagle system after the merchandise has arrived. Ensure all outs are recorded by shooting the location with the RF gun and follows all processes to correct the errors (AceNet claims filed and credit POs complete). · Responsible for maintaining supply levels for the daily operation of the store. Reconcile defective merchandise on a weekly basis and file AceNet claims to receive credit on defective merchandise. · Maintains on hand integrity throughout the store by reviewing inventory discrepancies to determine the cause of the discrepancy. Counts must be adjusted as needed after the matter has been properly researched. · Maintain oversight of the following functions within the store operation: price change completion, integrity of location codes, mark down sellable store use items through the POS system, mark down non-sellable store use items such as miscut keys and used colorant. · Follows GLA policies and procedures for all transactions. Engages the customer to ensure they are receiving all the benefits of being an Ace Rewards member and actively seeking participation from them. · Must be able to communicate effectively, and work with colleagues and customers effectively and professionally.
   
   PI193467803

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right sales assoc for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with sales assocs they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit sales assocs who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your sales assoc job on Zippia to find and recruit sales assoc candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with sales assoc 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.

   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 sales assoc

   Once you've found the sales assoc 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new sales assoc 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.)

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