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How to hire a sales associate/manager

Sales associate/manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring sales associate/managers in the United States:

  • There are a total of 207,854 sales associate/managers in the US, and there are currently 318,977 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a sales associate/manager is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per sales associate/manager on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • New York, NY, has the highest demand for sales associate/managers, with 7 job openings.

How to hire a sales associate/manager, step by step

To hire a sales associate/manager, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a sales associate/manager:

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

What does a sales associate/manager do?

As the name entails, sales associates or associate managers are responsible for helping the store manager organize and run the retail stores. Their roles and responsibilities include ensuring that the store's goals are met by the sales team, hiring and training sales staff, and monitoring inventory. They are also expected to analyze consumer behavior, look for competitive products in the market, and communicate and evaluate clients' needs. To be qualified for this position, you should have experience as an assistant manager, organizational and leadership skills, and proficiency in MS Office.

Learn more about the specifics of what a sales associate/manager does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a sales associate/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?

    A sales associate/manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, sales associate/managers 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 sales associate/manager salaries for various positions.

    Type of Sales Associate/ManagerDescriptionHourly rate
    Sales Associate/Manager$14-26
    Co-ManagerA co-manager's role is to supervise business operations and perform administrative tasks as support to a manager. One of the primary functions of a co-manager is to delegate tasks of team members and arrange schedules... Show more$16-57
    Floor ManagerA floor manager is responsible for supervising the general operations of a specific department in an organization. Floor manager tasks include assisting customers, ensuring prompt resolution of clients' inquiries, distributing tasks to the staff, and monitoring the employees' performance... Show more$15-27
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Customer Service
    • Sales Floor
    • Strong Customer Service
    • Retail Sales
    • Payroll
    • Product Knowledge
    • POS
    • Bank Deposits
    • Inventory Control
    • Customer Complaints
    • Loss Prevention
    • Store Operations
    • Store Sales
    • Cash Drawers
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Partner in managing operations of multiple retail outlets, including hiring, performance management, scheduling, and merchandising management.
    • Execute marketing and visual merchandising initiatives and organize POS merchandise display.
    • Partner in managing operations of multiple retail outlets, including hiring, performance management, scheduling, and merchandising management.
    • Start as a part time associate and are promoted to full time Keyholder within 90 days.
    More sales associate/manager duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the sales associate/manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A sales associate/manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a sales associate/manager in Nevada may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level sales associate/manager. Additionally, a sales associate/manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average sales associate/manager salary

    $41,412yearly

    $19.91 hourly rate

    Entry-level sales associate/manager salary
    $30,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average sales associate/manager salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Virginia$45,987$22
    2New York$45,584$22
    3Colorado$44,574$21
    4Wyoming$42,735$21
    5North Dakota$41,996$20
    6Tennessee$41,866$20
    7Nebraska$41,613$20
    8Texas$41,506$20
    9Florida$41,268$20
    10South Dakota$41,180$20
    11Washington$41,132$20
    12Kansas$41,055$20
    13Missouri$40,910$20
    14Wisconsin$40,899$20
    15North Carolina$40,789$20
    16Alabama$40,530$19
    17Utah$40,473$19
    18Montana$40,239$19
    19Arkansas$40,100$19
    20Idaho$39,898$19

    Average sales associate/manager salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Google$121,928$58.6227
    2Accenture$90,828$43.67702
    3KPIT Technologies$80,934$38.91
    4JPMorgan Chase & Co.$74,937$36.0315
    5DoorDash$64,548$31.0332
    6Fresenius Medical Care North America Holdings Limited Partnership$59,283$28.50
    7VIVA USA$54,165$26.04
    8MarketAxess$53,439$25.69
    9Tire Discounters$47,331$22.7649
    10Andersen$45,849$22.04
    11Stryker$44,629$21.4631
    12The Clorox Company$43,592$20.9616
    13SonderMind$42,841$20.60
    14Solenis$42,649$20.50
    15Unilever$41,731$20.062
    16Penguin Random House$41,710$20.05
    17Medicomp$41,520$19.96
    18Champion Homes$41,093$19.7620
    19UniFirst$40,651$19.5417
    20Triple Lift, Inc.$40,573$19.51
  4. Writing a sales associate/manager job description

    A sales associate/manager 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 associate/manager job description:

    Sales associate/manager job description example

    Since our founder, Chip Wood, opened the doors to the first Tire Discounters over 40 years ago, we have been raising the bar in the tire and automotive business. Family-owned and operated to this day, we've separated ourselves by treating customers and their cars with care and respect while focusing on transparency in pricing and providing the highest level of service.

    Now nearly 2000 strong, our team members are the best in the business, so we also continue raising the bar as an employer of choice! We separate ourselves by providing a variety of career paths, industry-leading training and development programs, clear advancement tracks, comprehensive benefit plans, and a focus on life balance!
    A CLOSER LOOK UNDER THE HOOD

    Our Sales Associates and Sales Managers are vital to the success of each of our locations! Below are the primary responsibilities to help you get a feel for a "day in the life."

    Evaluates customer needs and recommends products and services accordingly.
    Drives sales growth for store location, including making customer calls daily to increase sales opportunities.
    Coordinates each customer ticket through to completion, fully and accurately following company policy and procedures.
    Provides outstanding customer service to every customer.
    Takes accountability for the presentation of the property including inside and outside the store.
    Promotes company culture of cooperation and collaboration among all team members.
    Assists in the shop as necessary.

    THE "NUTS AND BOLTS" NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS

    Prior automotive experience is not required for this position - we will teach you! Below are some of the other traits and qualifications we seek:

    Prior retail sales or customer service experience highly desirable. (Tire or automotive experience is a plus, but not required.)
    Excellent communication and customer service skills.
    Great organization and multi-tasking capabilities.
    Strong work ethic, drive and goal orientation.
    Thrives in a fast-paced environment.
    Available to work on Saturdays.
    Ability to stand for long periods of time without sitting and able to lift up to 75 pounds.
    Must have a valid driver's license.
    Authorized to work in the USA and at least 18 years of age.

    CAREER TRACK

    No "dead-ends" here, as we offer clear paths for advancement for strong performers interested in growing in their career! There are multiple paths to success, but below is just one example of the potential career path for a Sales Associate.

    Sales Associate -> Sales Manager -> General Manager

    COMPENSATION PLAN

    Pay: $30,000 - $60,000+ Effective Rate

    Our Sales Associates/Sales Managers have earning potential of $60,000+ annually with base hourly rate, overtime, SPIFFs and monthly bonus opportunities factored in!

    WHY CHOOSE TIRE DISCOUNTERS?

    We realize the company you chose to work for is a big decision, and you have options. Below are some of the top reasons to consider building your career with us!

    Get In Your Groove- Whether in our stores or our home office, there are a variety of roads to success at Tire Discounters.
    Take the Wheel- As we continue to grow, so will the many career opportunities for our team members.
    Accelerate Growth - We provide outstanding opportunities to build your professional skill set, including fully paid ASE training and a generous tool discount program for Service Technicians.
    Find Alignment- We know solid compensation and benefits programs are vitally important to you and your family.
    Roll Together - At Tire Discounters, you'll roll with the best team in the business, great people who genuinely care and support each other.

    COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

    Tire Discounters is fully committed to diversity and inclusion and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. An individual's race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, are never a factor in any employment-related practice or policy, including recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, and discipline.
  5. Post your job

    To find the right sales associate/manager 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 associate/managers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit sales associate/managers 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 associate/manager job on Zippia to find and recruit sales associate/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 associate/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. 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 sales associate/manager

    Once you've selected the best sales associate/manager candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new sales associate/manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  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 sales associate/manager?

Hiring a sales associate/manager comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting sales associate/managers involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of sales associate/manager recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $41,412 per year for a sales associate/manager, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for sales associate/managers in the US typically range between $14 and $26 an hour.

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