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How to hire a shop clerk

Shop clerk hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring shop clerks 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 shop clerk is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per shop clerk on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 183,970 shop clerks in the US and 106,275 job openings.
  • Denver, CO, has the highest demand for shop clerks, with 8 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of shop clerks.

How to hire a shop clerk, step by step

To hire a shop clerk, 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 shop clerk:

Here's a step-by-step shop clerk hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a shop clerk job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new shop clerk
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a shop clerk do?

A shop clerk is primarily in charge of assisting clients in a retail store, ensuring efficient service for client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting and identifying the clients' needs, answering inquiries, locating products, offering promotions, and recommending alternatives as needed. They must also maintain the cleanliness of the sales floor, clearing the obstructions and disposing of expired or defective products. Furthermore, a shop clerk must manage the product displays, devising strategies to make them more presentable to the customers.

Learn more about the specifics of what a shop clerk does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your shop clerk job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a shop clerk for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A shop clerk's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, shop clerks 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 shop clerks.

    Type of Shop ClerkDescriptionHourly rate
    Shop ClerkGeneral office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records. $12-21
    General Office ClerkA general office clerk is responsible for performing various clerical duties to support business functions and ensure smooth daily operations. General office clerks respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, welcoming guests, and assisting in disseminating information across the organization... Show more$11-18
    Administrative ClerkAn administrative clerk provides support to staff and does clerical works. These clerical duties include answering and making phone calls, typing documents, compiling and filing records, and scheduling appointments... Show more$12-19
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Basic Math
    • Math
    • Top Quality
    • Cash Handling
    • WIC
    • POS
    • Cleanliness
    • Customer Service
    • Lawson
    • Boats
    • Pro Shop
    • Retail Sales
    • Slicers
    • Customer Orders
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
    • Assist with bagging groceries when need.
    • Learned great time management and leadership skills.
    • Implement effective time management and leadership skills.
    • Work POS system to ring up items/close & clean shop.
    • Operate POS system, perform daily deposits and reconciliation reports.
    More shop clerk duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, shop clerks' average salary in new mexico is 45% less than in massachusetts.
    • Seniority. Entry-level shop clerks 41% less than senior-level shop clerks.
    • Certifications. A shop clerk 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 shop clerk's salary.

    Average shop clerk salary

    $16.57hourly

    $34,468 yearly

    Entry-level shop clerk salary
    $26,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 13, 2025

    Average shop clerk salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$42,230$20
    2California$42,219$20
    3Rhode Island$41,462$20
    4Nevada$38,370$18
    5Washington$36,130$17
    6New Jersey$36,020$17
    7Oregon$35,621$17
    8Michigan$35,379$17
    9Colorado$34,865$17
    10Texas$34,604$17
    11Arizona$34,604$17
    12Maryland$34,477$17
    13Illinois$32,951$16
    14Ohio$32,656$16
    15Pennsylvania$32,453$16
    16Florida$30,821$15
    17North Carolina$30,538$15
    18Indiana$30,478$15
    19Tennessee$29,395$14

    Average shop clerk salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1University of California-Berkeley$48,616$23.37
    2Komatsu America Corp.$40,609$19.527
    3Burrtec$39,693$19.08
    4Wintergreen$39,688$19.082
    5RG Vanderweil$39,479$18.982
    6Estes Express Lines$37,858$18.2012
    7CMC Motocross$37,798$18.174
    8Waste Connections$37,530$18.049
    9Kern Community College District$37,295$17.93
    10Asbury Automotive Group$36,864$17.7257
    11Bruce Transportation Group$36,616$17.60
    12Hyatt Hotels$36,599$17.6067
    13Nooksack Northwood Casino$36,518$17.561
    14Wintergreen Resort$36,503$17.55
    15Legacy Health$36,491$17.54
    16Wyndham Hotels & Resorts$36,322$17.462
    17Cape Fox Professional Services$36,322$17.46
    18VIVA USA$35,985$17.30
    19Hackensack Meridian Health$35,639$17.136
    20Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City$35,526$17.08
  4. Writing a shop clerk job description

    A shop clerk 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a shop clerk job description:

    Shop clerk job description example

    Vanderweil Engineers specializes in MEP/FP and technology services engineering and construction / commissioning support for buildings, sustainable design, central heating and chiller plants, power generation, and transmission and distribution projects. Founded in 1950, Vanderweil is consistently ranked among the top U.S. engineering firms. With offices throughout the United States, Vanderweil is a company that values its clients, its employees, and the environment.

    We offer a competitive salary, an excellent benefits package, and an opportunity for growth. We believe in quality of life and work life balance for our employees, therefore currently have a hybrid work schedule.

    We are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace.

    Our wellness programs are above and beyond, as our employees’ physical and behavioral health are a priority.

    PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

    • Primary responsibilities include processing submittals and RFI’s, change orders, e-filing, and project closeouts.
    • May also provide occasional Reception/Switchboard and Mailroom backup support.
    • Other duties as assigned

    KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS

    • Must have excellent organizational, written, and verbal communication skills with a proactive approach to follow up, be very detail-oriented, flexible, and able to prioritize and handle multiple, deadline-driven tasks efficiently.
    • Must possess strong interpersonal skills with a positive attitude, work well in a team environment, and be capable of working independently with self-initiative and motivation.
    • This position involves extensive technical database data entry, data transfer, and e-document management. Knowledge of Prolog, NewForma, Procore and other project tracking databases software a plus.
    • Proficiency with MS Outlook, MS Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Bluebeam Revu, FTP transfer, and manipulation of PDF format documents required.
    • The ideal candidate should have prior project administration experience in a design engineering, architectural, or construction services company.
  5. Post your job

    To find shop clerks 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 shop clerks they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level shop clerks 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 shop clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit shop clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting shop clerks 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 shop clerk

    Once you've decided on a perfect shop clerk 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.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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 shop clerk?

Hiring a shop clerk comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting shop clerks 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 shop clerk recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

Shop clerks earn a median yearly salary is $34,468 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find shop clerks for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $12 and $21.

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