How to hire an Outside Sales Representative

How to hire an outside sales representative, step by step

Here's a step-by-step outside sales representative hiring guide:

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

What does an Outside Sales Representative do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an outside sales representative, 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?

   Yes

   No

   An outside sales representative's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, outside sales representatives 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of outside sales representatives and their corresponding salaries.

   Type Of Outside Sales Representative	Description	Hourly Rate
   Outside Sales Representative	Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations. They contact customers, explain product features, answer any questions that their customers may have, and negotiate prices.	$19-41
   Outside Sales	An outside sales representative is responsible for generating the company's sales and revenues by offering goods and services to existing and potential clients, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns about the products, and researching on possible leads. Outside sales representatives monitor the current industry trends to identify new business opportunities that would help the business adjust to market changes to achieve profitability goals... Show More	$26-50
   Business Development Representative	A business development representative's role is to find new business and client opportunities through market research and networking. They are primarily responsible for participating in creating strategies to enhance client relations, improve sales, and reach out to potential clients through calls, correspondence, and meetings... Show More	$12-39

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Work Ethic
   • Sales Process
   • Business Sales
   • Cold Calls
   • Product Knowledge
   • CRM
   • Sales Presentations
   • Lead Generation
   • Excellent Presentation
   • Sales Contracts
   • Building Relationships
   • Sales Techniques
   • Strong Customer Service

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and maintain a weekly quota for broadband, and other wireless products.
   • Utilize CRM database to manage and track prospect interaction to ensure accurate documentation of window requirements and ongoing communication.
   • Web dev, SEO, PPC etc . )
   • Participate in the launching and marketing of broadband internet in Orlando with great success.
   • Provide care, materials, and essential tools for doctors and nurses working on patients in the E.R.
   • Create and maintain successful business partnerships with customers by analyzing, meeting and understanding their needs and patients needs.

   More Outside Sales Representative duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the outside sales representative job description is a good way to get more applicants. An outside sales representative 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 an outside sales representative in Tennessee may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level outside sales representative. Additionally, an outside sales representative with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average outside sales representative salary

   $60,443yearly

   $29.06 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level outside sales representative salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated June 17, 2025

   Average outside sales representative salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Minnesota	$68,832	$33
   2	Massachusetts	$67,503	$32
   3	Connecticut	$66,463	$32
   4	New York	$66,437	$32
   5	Washington	$66,364	$32
   6	Indiana	$65,690	$32
   7	Michigan	$64,723	$31
   8	Kansas	$64,364	$31
   9	California	$64,199	$31
   10	Wisconsin	$64,189	$31
   11	Iowa	$63,583	$31
   12	South Dakota	$63,461	$31
   13	Pennsylvania	$63,460	$31
   14	Illinois	$63,345	$30
   15	Ohio	$63,325	$30
   16	District of Columbia	$63,208	$30
   17	Virginia	$62,201	$30
   18	North Carolina	$61,915	$30
   19	Maryland	$61,740	$30
   20	Oregon	$60,751	$29

   Average outside sales representative salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Microsoft	$127,169	$61.14	1
   2	Baird	$115,621	$55.59	1
   3	DoorDash	$112,548	$54.11	87
   4	Csb	$103,937	$49.97	4
   5	Keller Williams Greater Seattle	$98,622	$47.41	3
   6	American Residential Services	$96,988	$46.63	70
   7	Beacon Building Products	$90,011	$43.27	92
   8	Metro Brokers	$89,413	$42.99
   9	TF Holdings	$88,324	$42.46	24
   10	Keller Williams Asheville	$87,731	$42.18
   11	Smith & Company	$84,463	$40.61
   12	First Help Financial	$82,421	$39.63	5
   13	Crown Equipment	$81,005	$38.94	99
   14	SMS Holdings	$79,254	$38.10
   15	Keller Williams Realty Diamond Partners	$78,358	$37.67
   16	United Copper Industries, LLC	$75,844	$36.46
   17	Fortune Brands Home & Security	$75,449	$36.27	6
   18	Total Tool Supply	$74,919	$36.02	3
   19	HomeTeam Pest Defense	$74,902	$36.01
   20	Pella Window and Door of GA	$74,744	$35.93	17

4. Writing an Outside Sales Representative Job Description

   A good outside sales representative 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 an outside sales representative job description:

   Outside Sales Representative job description example

   While performing the duties of this job, the employee uses his/her hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; stop, kneel, or crouch; talk or hear. Ability to lift five gallon bucket up to 75 lbs. The employee uses computer or telephone equipment. Specific vision requirements of this job include close vision and distance vision. Must be able to travel by plane and automobile. Ability to travel daily and/or overnight.

   Work Environment

   While performing the duties of this job, the employee rarely is exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

   #SALESNH

   Shift 1 (United States of America)Full time

   BEHR (the “Company”) is an equal opportunity employer and we want to have the best available persons in every job. The Company makes employment decisions only based on merit. It is the Company’s policy to prohibit discrimination in any employment opportunity (including but not limited to recruitment, employment, promotion, salary increases, benefits, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment) based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, pregnancy, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, physical/mental disability, medical condition, marital/domestic partner status, military and veteran status, height, weight or any other such characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. The Company is committed to complying with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. This commitment applies to all persons involved in the operations of the Company regardless of where the employee is located and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of the Company.

   BEHR is an E-Verify employer. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees in the United States. Please click on the following links for more information.

   E-Verify Participation Poster: English & Spanish
   E-Verify Right to Work Poster: English & Spanish

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right outside sales representative 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 outside sales representatives they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit outside sales representatives 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 outside sales representative job on Zippia to find and recruit outside sales representative 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

   To successfully recruit outside sales representatives, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 outside sales representative

   Once you have selected a candidate for the outside sales representative 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.

   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 an outside sales representative?