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How to hire a sales management trainee

Sales management trainee hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring sales management trainees in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a sales management trainee is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per sales management trainee on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 23,053 sales management trainees in the US and 290,692 job openings.
  • Orlando, FL, has the highest demand for sales management trainees, with 8 job openings.
  • Chicago, IL has the highest concentration of sales management trainees.

How to hire a sales management trainee, step by step

To hire a sales management trainee, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a sales management trainee, you should follow these steps:

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

What does a sales management trainee do?

Typically, sales management trainees are recruited at the entry-level, where they learn to manage sales. The trainees assist with tasks associated with sales management. They work under the supervision of executives and managers in business enterprises. They are equipped with the knowledge to become managers in the fields of sales, operations, and marketing. Among the necessary skills for this job include management skills, problem-solving, leadership, communication skills, attention to detail, time management, and organizational awareness.

Learn more about the specifics of what a sales management trainee does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a sales management trainee, 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 management trainee's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, sales management trainees 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 management trainees.

    Type of Sales Management TraineeDescriptionHourly rate
    Sales Management Trainee$18-27
    Real Estate InternshipWhen it comes to a real estate internship, an intern's responsibilities will depend upon the directives of a supervising officer. Typically, their tasks will revolve around preparing and processing documents, posting real estate listings on different areas and platforms, assisting in creating marketing content, and even handling social media accounts... Show more$12-19
    Sales ProfessionalA sales professional is an employee who is responsible for the management and assessment of the effectiveness of a company's sales representatives and sales team. By setting sales goals, sales professionals work with other departments to learn more about the company's products and services while developing strategies for acquiring new clients... Show more$20-52
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Business Development
    • Business Sales
    • Enterprise Management
    • Management Training
    • Store Management
    • World Class
    • Sales Training
    • Product Knowledge
    • Sales Associates
    • Product Line
    • National Accounts
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • Work Ethic
    • Leadership
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Monitor and manage payroll and controllable expenses within company guidelines.
    • Manage customer database, product updates/upgrades, accounts payable/receivable, and payroll.
    • Assist management team in daily facility operations that include managing performance of associates and inventory shrink management.
    • Inform on how to navigate through Salesforce.
    • Identify prospective clients and assist clients using CRM software.
    • Perform, multiple, complex CRM and customer maintenance activities.
    More sales management trainee duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, sales management trainees' average salary in kentucky is 27% less than in new jersey.
    • Seniority. Entry-level sales management trainees 34% less than senior-level sales management trainees.
    • Certifications. A sales management trainee 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 management trainee's salary.

    Average sales management trainee salary

    $47,400yearly

    $22.79 hourly rate

    Entry-level sales management trainee salary
    $38,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 20, 2025

    Average sales management trainee salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New Jersey$56,726$27
    2Rhode Island$55,656$27
    3New York$54,599$26
    4Colorado$53,740$26
    5Connecticut$52,824$25
    6Wisconsin$52,354$25
    7Massachusetts$51,873$25
    8Virginia$50,743$24
    9Washington$50,042$24
    10Maryland$49,512$24
    11North Carolina$49,396$24
    12North Dakota$49,391$24
    13South Dakota$49,173$24
    14Missouri$49,023$24
    15Vermont$48,676$23
    16Maine$48,534$23
    17California$48,170$23
    18Nevada$48,093$23
    19Texas$47,940$23
    20Nebraska$47,408$23

    Average sales management trainee salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Cisco$88,802$42.6929
    2American Senior Benefits$59,818$28.76145
    3Bankers Life Insurance Company$55,964$26.91
    4Miller Transportation$54,075$26.00
    5SAMSUNG SDS$54,059$25.995
    6Bay Equity Home Loans$54,052$25.99
    7WestRock$53,924$25.935
    8Morgan Stanley$51,004$24.5273
    9New York Life Insurance$50,424$24.2464
    10U.S. Electrical Services$50,316$24.19
    11GEICO$49,342$23.7277
    12Nova Management$48,733$23.43
    13The Enterprise$48,481$23.312,636
    14First Republic Bank$48,152$23.15
    15Premier Roofing$48,098$23.12
    16Penske Truck Leasing$48,020$23.09
    17CoEnterprise$47,638$22.90
    18Applied Industrial Technologies$47,622$22.9019
    19Parker Global Strategies$47,419$22.80223
    20Goodwin Recruiting$47,340$22.76
  4. Writing a sales management trainee job description

    A sales management trainee 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 management trainee job description:

    Sales management trainee job description example

    We are seeking a Benefits Advisor to join our team! Whether you are seeking a new career change or are an established sales advisor, we are ready to talk to you and help you achieve your goals.

    Our trusted advisors can impact and protect families for generations. We pride ourselves on being a unified company that shares our values of commitment and dedication with our customers. As a result of current economic conditions, our clients are looking for viable alternatives to their current benefit programs and especially now, the demand for our products and services has never been greater! There is no better time to learn and get started in this business. We are making a real difference in people's lives and Helping Other People Everyday!
    You are the ideal candidate if... You are looking for a high-energy, positive work environment where you will only be trained extensively by industry leaders. You enjoy helping people.



    Why Work Here? “Uncapped Earning Potential, Winning Culture and Innovative & Desired Product in addition to you are Helping Other People Everyday!” Sales People/Closers Wanted! We are a top performing Sales Team in the country with the Top Producers in the entire company working at this location.
    WE are making a real difference in people's lives. Our trusted advisors planning can impact, and protect families for generations. We pride ourselves on being a unified company who share our values of commitment and dedication with our customers. As a result of current economic conditions, our clients are looking for viable alternatives to their current benefit programs and the demand for our products and services has never been greater!
    Benefits: - Industry Leading Compensation - Exceptional Product Portfolio - Extensive Product Lines - Weekly Direct Deposit - Performance Bonuses (up to 16 Bonuses Annually) - Quarterly Bonuses - $34 Million Annual Bonus - Quick Start program contest - 1st year income potential $100,000+ (Sales Leaders $300,000+) - Residual Income
    - Company Generated Leads - Career Advancements Based on Merit

    PLEASE APPLY WITH YOUR RESUME TODAY, LOOKING FOR IMMEDIATE CANDIDATES. *
  5. Post your job

    To find sales management trainees for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any sales management trainees they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level sales management trainees with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your sales management trainee job on Zippia to find and recruit sales management trainee candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting sales management trainees requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    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 management trainee

    Once you have selected a candidate for the sales management trainee position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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 management trainee. 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 management trainee?

There are different types of costs for hiring sales management trainees. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new sales management trainee employee.

The median annual salary for sales management trainees is $47,400 in the US. However, the cost of sales management trainee hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a sales management trainee for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $18 and $27 an hour.

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