How to hire an academic mentor

How to hire an academic mentor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step academic mentor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the academic mentor you need to hire. Certain academic mentor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An academic mentor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, academic mentors 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.

   This list presents academic mentor salaries for various positions.

   Type of Academic Mentor	Description	Hourly rate
   Academic Mentor		$9-16
   Substitute Teacher	Substitute teachers are responsible for filling in the role of regular teachers who will not be able to come to school. They may be engaged short-term or long-term, depending on the need... Show more	$11-21
   Guest Teacher	A Guest Teacher is a part-time educator who facilitates discussions and activities among students, focusing on a particular subject. Like full-time teachers, their responsibilities include preparing lesson and coursework plans, organizing individual or group activities, grading the students' performances, and assisting them as necessary... Show more	$9-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Academic Support
   • Mathematics
   • at-Risk Student-Athletes
   • NCAA
   • Student Performance
   • Role Model
   • GPA
   • Financial Aid
   • Academic Resource
   • Study Strategies
   • Academic Probation
   • Organization
   • Academic Performance
   • Test Preparation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Mentore and help students achieve a successful leadership experience through community volunteering.
   • Tutor students in mathematics and science.
   • Provide them with support and advice in ways to improve their GPA.
   • Assess student needs and areas of development for understanding of mathematics at multiple levels including [list specific subjects].
   • Facilitate PowerPoint presentations regarding operation contingencies.
   • Work one-on-one with students to reinforce and educate them on challenging economics concepts and coursework.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your academic mentor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An academic mentor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, academic mentors' average salary in georgia is 43% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level academic mentors 43% less than senior-level academic mentors.
   • Certifications. An academic mentor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an academic mentor's salary.

   Average academic mentor salary

   $12.89hourly

   $26,801 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level academic mentor salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing an academic mentor job description

   An academic mentor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an academic mentor job description:

   Academic mentor job description example

   *******$800 SIGN-ON BONUS FOR NEW EMPLOYEES IN THE FORM OF A GIFT CARD OF THEIR CHOICE*******

   $300 GIFT CARD AFTER 30 DAYS & $500 GIFT CARD AFTER 90 DAYS !!!!!!!!!!

   
   

   WORK SCHEDULE OF A TEACHER'S AIDE

   Your schedule is Monday - Friday from 7:00 am - 3:00 pm. Evenings and afternoons are yours to enjoy!

   
   

   To learn more about us, please visit our website www.diamondranchacademy.com

   
   

   Academic Mentor / Teacher Assistant

   Diamond Ranch Academy in Hurricane, UT is actively seeking a dedicated male full-time Academic Mentor / Teacher Assistant to work in a classroom setting assisting a teacher. Do you present yourself in a professional and confident manner? Are you looking for an opportunity to build a career ? Do you enjoy mentoring others? If so, please keep reading!

   This teacher assistant position earns a competitive wage of $15 to $18/hour . We provide great benefits and perks , including on-shift meals and the opportunity to impact the lives of youth . Additionally, we offer medical, a health savings account (HSA), dental, vision, a flexible savings account (FSA), life insurance, and a 401k with company match . If this sounds like the right teaching opportunity for you, apply today !

   ABOUT DIAMOND RANCH ACADEMY

   Founded in 1999, we are an industry-leading therapeutic boarding school that specializes in helping youth realize their potential. We are in the business of guiding and changing lives. We want to honor and uphold the values of our founders and become the change we wish to see in the world. Although our facilities are beautiful and state of the art, it is our people that make the difference; it is our people that change lives.

   Each employee at Diamond Ranch Academy plays a direct role in adding value to students and their families. We understand that how we treat our employees reflects on their performance. We strive to show our staff how much they are valued through a culture of open communication, transparency, and honesty . In addition to competitive pay and benefits, we offer a work-life balance within the company!

   A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ACADEMIC MENTOR / TEACHER ASSISTANT

   As a teacher assistant, you monitor and mentor our students. You love teaching and are able to establish a rapport easily. With patience, you help to ensure safety and structure within the classroom. You are willing to do whatever it takes to help these kids grow.

   Your excellent communication skills are essential as you tutor students and collaborate with other teachers. You enjoy assisting teachers in developing, organizing, and preparing instructional materials. Your students truly look up to you as you give them your all and do your part to be a positive influence in their lives!

   QUALIFICATIONS FOR AN ACADEMIC MENTOR / TEACHER ASSISTANT

   • High school education or equivalent
   • 19+ years of age
   • Pass a background check

   An associate degree is preferred. Are you self-motivated and goal-oriented? Is your attention to detail exceptional? Do you have great problem-solving skills? Are you friendly and able to establish a good rapport with people easily? If yes, we want to meet with you!

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right academic mentor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your academic mentor job on Zippia to find and recruit academic mentor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting academic mentors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 academic mentor

   Once you've decided on a perfect academic mentor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new academic mentor. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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