Customers may be familiar with your products through advertisements, brand awareness, and word-of-mouth recommendations, but once they physically walk into your store, the retail sales associates you have on the floor can make or break the overall experience.
As such, it is important to make sure you are taking the proper steps to bring aboard retail sales associates that best represent your brand.
Whether it be a full-time position or temporary or seasonal help, here are some tips to help you hire your next retail sales associate:
WHAT IS A RETAIL SALES ASSOCIATE?
Retail sales associates typically work for brick-and-mortar stores that sell products and merchandise directly to customers. While the exact tasks may vary on the products offered and the business itself, retail sales associates are generally responsible for driving sales and ensuring customers have a positive experience while in your store.
Some of the day-to-day tasks retail sales associates will handle include:
Greeting and assisting customers
Answering customer questions related to merchandise and store policies
Recommending products and services based on customer needs
Processing payments, exchanges, returns, and refunds
Acting as brand advocates and product experts
Opening and closing of the store
Handling deliveries, stocking, and taking inventory of merchandise
Collaborating with fellow team members to keep the sales floor clean and organized at all times
Hiring retail sales associates?
HOW TO WRITE A RETAIL SALES ASSOCIATE JOB DESCRIPTION
Having a detailed and well-thought-out job description will help kickstart your search to find the right person to join your team.
Your retail sales associate job description should include a compelling summary of what your business is and what products you offer. From there you should include a detailed list of the responsibilities this person will be handling day-to-day. In addition, list the skills and qualifications you both require and desire for the incoming retail sales associate.
Some other items that can be helpful to include are the hours and days the sales associate will typically work, especially if it includes weekends, holidays, and any non-traditional hours. For example, if this person needs to handle deliveries at 5 a.m. or work on Thanksgiving Day, it might be wise to include this information, so your applicants understand the expectations.
Further, if you’re only hiring to bring additional people aboard to help with the holidays, for example, make it clear that it’s a temporary position. Likewise, if the temporary position could lead to a full-time opportunity, mention that.
WHAT RETAIL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE TO LOOK FOR
When reviewing resumes and conducting interviews you will want to look for certain skill sets and accomplishments including:
Outstanding customer service skills
Positive and cheerful working attitude
Excellent communication skills
Ability to upsell customers, if necessary
Familiarity with point-of-sale cashier systems like Shopify, Square Point, Lightspeed Retail, and QuickBooks to name a few
Knowledge of the products you sell or the products in your industry
Managing and balancing a cash drawer
Prior sales and retail experience
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR A RETAIL SALES ASSOCIATE
The answers to the following questions can help you more fully assess the applicant’s potential to succeed in the role:
Why are you interested in working at this store?
What do you think makes a successful retail sales associate?
How would you deal with a rude or angry customer?
What does outstanding customer service look like to you?
How do you work with a team?
What is your experience in retail?
Tell me about the biggest sale you’ve ever made.
HOW 24 SEVEN CAN HELP YOU HIRE A RETAIL SALES ASSOCIATE
Whether you need to bring aboard a full-time key holder sales associate or just need some extra holiday and seasonal help, 24 Seven is the leading recruitment agency in fashion, beauty, and retail staffing.
Our specialized recruiters are experts in the retail industry and have access to a vast pool of retail professionals looking for full-time, part-time, and temporary work. We can find you skilled candidates and give you tips to ensure you’re remaining competitive in this space. Download our 2023 Salary Guide to find out the starting salary for a sales associate and a range of other retail positions.
This post was updated on October 9, 2023.
