How to hire a store sales associate

How to hire a store sales associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step store sales associate hiring guide:

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

What does a store sales associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your store sales associate 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 store sales associate 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?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect store sales associate also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of store sales associates and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Store Sales Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Store Sales Associate		$11-18

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Sales Floor
   • POS
   • Product Knowledge
   • Store Sales
   • Customer Service
   • Stock Room
   • Floor Stock
   • Facebook
   • Loss Prevention
   • Store Management
   • Security Practices
   • Retail Store
   • Retail Sales
   • Sales Transactions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage to sales KPI's (including sales and expense budget numbers), assuring efficient and effective use of resources.
   • Earn management trust by serving as keyholder, responsibly opening and closing the store.
   • Audit all jewelry counts daily, banking deposit log, cashier logs, sales logs.
   • Utilize the company's POS system to cash customers out or administer returns to the store.
   • Work as a sales associate and keyholder throughout the summer and a bit of the school year.
   • Help customers choose jewelry, pierce ears, open and close out register, set up displays.

   More store sales associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your store sales associate job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A store sales associate salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a store sales associate in Arizona may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level store sales associate usually earns less than a senior-level store sales associate. Additionally, a store sales associate with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average store sales associate salary

   $14.56hourly

   $30,284 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level store sales associate salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 16, 2026

   Average store sales associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$44,364	$21
   2	Massachusetts	$35,386	$17
   3	New York	$35,290	$17
   4	South Carolina	$31,959	$15
   5	Ohio	$31,638	$15
   6	North Carolina	$31,228	$15
   7	Tennessee	$31,193	$15
   8	Missouri	$31,103	$15
   9	New Hampshire	$31,089	$15
   10	Pennsylvania	$30,391	$15
   11	Virginia	$30,148	$14
   12	Colorado	$29,982	$14
   13	Florida	$29,806	$14
   14	Oklahoma	$29,075	$14
   15	Indiana	$28,139	$14
   16	Mississippi	$27,831	$13
   17	Washington	$27,170	$13
   18	Arkansas	$26,216	$13
   19	Illinois	$26,029	$13
   20	Georgia	$25,339	$12

   Average store sales associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Rooms To Go	$33,698	$16.20	18
   2	The Furniture Warehouse	$32,429	$15.59
   3	Conn's	$32,329	$15.54
   4	B&H Photo Video	$32,184	$15.47	1
   5	Signet Jewelers	$32,060	$15.41	133
   6	The Granite Group	$31,862	$15.32	1
   7	Energy Transfer	$31,339	$15.07	26
   8	Michael Kors	$31,074	$14.94	155
   9	Total Wine & More	$31,014	$14.91	65
   10	Levi Strauss & Co.	$30,761	$14.79	311
   11	Northern Tool + Equipment	$30,758	$14.79	47
   12	North States Ind	$30,586	$14.70
   13	Hudson Group	$30,495	$14.66
   14	Lodge Cast Iron	$30,392	$14.61
   15	Sycuan Casino Resort	$30,348	$14.59
   16	Advance Auto Parts	$30,318	$14.58	1,821
   17	Compass Group USA	$30,068	$14.46	365
   18	PPG	$29,886	$14.37
   19	The Walt Disney Company	$29,821	$14.34	13
   20	University of Idaho	$29,723	$14.29

4. Writing a store sales associate job description

   A good store sales associate 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 store sales associate job description:

   Store sales associate job description example

   Do you believe that passion and work are two words that naturally belong together? Are you committed to providing the customer with a superior experience? If so, you belong here - where the highest standards and exceptional people come together.
   
   We are LaCrosse Footwear, Inc., a leading provider of branded, premium and innovative footwear that keeps lives in motion. Our trusted Danner and LaCrosse brands can be found throughout the world at a network of specialty and retail partners.
   We are currently seeking a Seasonal Sales Associate to join our team at our Airport Way store! PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY:
   The store environment is fast-paced and high energy, and you'll get to move with it. In a single day you will interact with customers, work the register, build a display or stock the shelves.
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION : Sets and achieves personal sales goals while supporting the goals of the team. Greets customers in a timely, professional and engaging manner. Provides honest and confident feedback to customers regarding merchandise style and fit. Demonstrates professionalism and a high level of service so that customers leave the store with a positive image of LaCrosse/Danner and the service they received. Consistently seeks new product knowledge to act as an expert for the customer. Works as a team player to ensure each customer receives the best service possible. Responds with professionalism and good judgment in accepting boots for repair, replacement and exchange or declining boots brought in for repair based on condition of the item. Follows up with customers as necessary. Actively learns, demonstrates and fosters the LaCrosse/Danner culture in all actions and words. Takes personal initiative and is a positive example for others to emulate. Embraces our vision to become "the premier work and outdoor company". Ensures that stock is replenished and displays are neat and rotated to encourage sales. Assists with backroom projects and assignments as requested. Ensures counter areas and restrooms are clean and tidy.
   OTHER FUNCTIONS: Performs other duties, as assigned by Manager.
   POSITION REQUIREMENTS: Must be willing to live by the Company's Core Values Must have a passion for people and fervor for footwear Demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships with customers and coworkers Ability to positively and proactively handle customer concerns and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment Ability to quickly learn new procedures and processes Strong organizational and follow-through skills Excellent communication and interpersonal skills High level of ownership, dependability and initiative with flexible shift availability for the retail environment QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: High School Diploma/GED required. 1+ years retail sales experience in a strong customer service environment required. Knowledge of LaCrosse and/or Danner products highly preferred. Ability to utilize computer systems and PC to find information and problem solve. Basic skills in Excel and MS Word required.
   TOOLS/EQUIPMENT USED: POS and computer terminal Barcode scanner
   ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS / WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The noise level of the work environment is usually moderate.
   REPORTING RELATIONSHIP:
   This position reports directly to the Danner Store Manager. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen. As a federal contractor, we participate in E-Verify. LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer that strives for and celebrates diversity in its workforce.
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro

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5. Post your job

   To find store sales associates 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 store sales associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level store sales associates 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 store sales associate job on Zippia to find and recruit store sales associate 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

   Your first interview with store sales associate 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 store sales associate

   Once you've selected the best store sales associate 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.

   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 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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