How to hire retail salespersons
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise. • Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment. • Demonstrate use or operation of merchandise. • Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers. • Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs. • Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices. • Prepare merchandise for purchase or rental. • Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: No formal educational credential] • Strong active listening, speaking, critical thinking, active learning, monitoring and reading comprehension skills • Working knowledge of sales and marketing, customer and personal service and English Language • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $17.03 an hour ($35,410 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for retail salespersons
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to demonstrate use or operation of merchandise. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What retail salespersons do
- Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.
- Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.
- Demonstrate use or operation of merchandise.
- Describe merchandise and explain use, operation, and care of merchandise to customers.
- Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
- Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices.
- Prepare merchandise for purchase or rental.
- Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for retail salespersons
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: -0.3% over ten years, little or no change · about 520,600 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay retail salespersons
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $39,560 |
| District of Columbia | $38,500 |
| California | $38,440 |
| Colorado | $37,950 |
| Hawaii | $37,790 |
| Arkansas | $29,270 |
| West Virginia | $28,950 |
| Mississippi | $28,640 |
See retail salespersons pay in every state
Related hiring guides
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.