Wanted: Retail sales associate capable of earning more than $100,000 a year.

Now that's a help-wanted ad you don't see every day.

But the job exists at Nordstrom, which is getting ready to hire 500 local workers for its first Hawai'i full-line department store slated to open March 7 at Ala Moana Center.

The Seattle-based retailer said it has received about 1,600 applications, mainly through Internet-based job listing services and its human resources Web site, but is still reaching out to attract as many good applicants as possible in the tight local job market that is hovering near the near-full employment level.

Nordstrom's hiring comes as Hawai'i unemployment has slowly been creeping higher, and at a time when a few other major businesses plan to shut down operations in the next month or two, including Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of Hawai'i and CompUSA's two O'ahu stores.

Hawai'i's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month rose to its highest point in more than three years at 3.2 percent, up from 2.9 percent in November and 2.0 percent in December 2006.

December's 3.2 percent jobless rate equated to 20,750 people unemployed statewide, compared with 13,000 a year earlier. Still, the rate is near the 3.0 percent level considered by many economists to be more or less full employment, and that has made it difficult for many companies in Hawai'i to find desirable employees.

Nordstrom is seeking mainly sales associates for its numerous merchandise departments, but also is filling a variety of support positions, including in restaurant operations, alterations and housekeeping.

Nordstrom is a retailer that practices extraordinary customer service, so working the sales floor there can be a demanding and competitive environment.

"It's not an environment for everybody," said company spokeswoman Brooke White.

Nordstrom largely attracts employees by offering a pay structure based on sales commissions that average 6.75 percent, plus a merchandise discount, profit-sharing potential and other benefits. The standard merchandise discount is 20 percent.

"The discount alone is very motivating to people," White said.

The company also is known for giving sales staffers freedom to essentially run their departments more like independent small businesses, and to build and maintain relationships with customers. The company's employee "handbook" is printed on a paper card listing one rule: "Use your good judgement in all situations."

The average annual income for hourly sales employees at Nordstrom last year was $37,900, according to Fortune magazine, which ranked Nordstrom No. 36 among the 100 best U.S. companies to work for.

White said a handful of the company's best sales associates earn six figures annually. Not many, mind you, but some pull down income rivaling pay for a starting lawyer or high-level financial analyst.

Last year, 123 Nordstrom sales employees each sold more than $1 million in merchandise, earning them at least $100,000. This top-earner club represented just under half of 1 percent of roughly 30,000 sales employees, or about one in 244 employees.

The top 10 percent of salespeople by merchandise category also get incentive rewards, including a 33 percent merchandise discount, a big party and shares of stock in the company.

"It's pretty powerful," White said. "We have a lot of people who don't want to be in management."

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.