How to hire an adolescent counselor

How to hire an adolescent counselor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step adolescent counselor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an adolescent counselor, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an adolescent counselor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an adolescent counselor that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of adolescent counselors.

   Type of Adolescent Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Adolescent Counselor	Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists help people manage and overcome mental and emotional disorders and problems with family and other relationships. They listen to clients and ask questions to help the clients understand their problems and develop strategies to improve their lives.	$12-26
   Counselor/Art Therapist	A counselor/art therapist is responsible for conducting art sessions as part of patients' therapy treatments, letting them express their human nature and emotions through artistic discovery. Counselors/art therapists guide the patients throughout their recovery process, identifying their needs and conditions by analyzing their crafts... Show more	$26-52
   Counselor Internship	When it comes to Counselor Internship, among the primary responsibilities is to assist in dealing with various activities such as preparing and verifying necessary documentation, observing consultations and outreach programs, guide clients and help develop multiple helpful strategies, and provide assessments. Furthermore, one can conduct counseling and consultation only under supervision... Show more	$14-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Crisis Intervention
   • Social Work
   • Group Therapy Sessions
   • Behavioral Problems
   • Individual Therapy
   • Substance Abuse Treatment
   • Mental Health Issues
   • Individual Sessions
   • Community Resources
   • Crisis Situations
   • Adolescent Clients
   • Community Outreach
   • Direct Care
   • Incident Reports

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.
   • Develop individual educational plans (IEP) design to promote educational, physical and social development.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your adolescent counselor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An adolescent counselor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, adolescent counselors' average salary in maine is 45% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level adolescent counselors earn 53% less than senior-level adolescent counselors.
   • Certifications. An adolescent counselor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an adolescent counselor's salary.

   Average adolescent counselor salary

   $38,519yearly

   $18.52 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level adolescent counselor salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing an adolescent counselor job description

   An adolescent counselor 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. Below, you can find an example of an adolescent counselor job description:

   Adolescent counselor job description example

   • Minimum 1 year experience in the adolescent behavioral health field, preferred
   • Master’s Degree of Social Sciences required
   • Maintain national and applicable state licensure requirements
   • CANS (Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths) Certification, preferred

   • An understanding of and adherence to the ethical standards of the respective license adopted by the governing board for licensure
   • Ability to effectively supervise, guide, and direct staff
   • Adherence to Compliance Program Plan

   PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

   · Excellent organizational abilities

   · Excellent written and oral communication skills

   · Attention to detail and accuracy

   · Client service oriented (both internal and external)

   · Creative and persistent problem solver

   · Able to handle confidential material in a reliable manner

   · Ability to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels of organization

   · Strong interpersonal skills to handle sensitive situations and confidential information

   · Ability to multi-task and prioritize workload in a fast-paced environment

   · Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

   REQUIRED CERTIFICATES/LICENSES/REGISTRATIONS:

   · Must hold an active LMHCA, LMHC, LMFTA, LMFT, LICSW, or LIACSW

   · Must maintain current nationally accredited CPR/First Aid/AED certification

   SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

   · Direct supervisor for clinical staff

   · Responsible for evaluating the performance of direct reports

   PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

   · Exposure to disturbed and potentially aggressive patients is possible. Stress ranges from low to intense depending on the situation.

   · Indoor office environment

   · Use of a mouse and keyboard

   CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

   · Completion of a tuberculin screening during first week of employment

   · Completion of a pre-employment drug screening, post-accident and random for upon reasonable suspicion of use

   · Completion of orientation and required paperwork prior to reporting to work

   · Demonstrated computer literacy

   · Completion of CPR/First Aid Training within first 90 days of employment

   · Attendance at all mandatory staff development and training

   · Completion background check

   This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be exhaustive lists of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with this job. It is meant to be an accurate reflection of the principal job elements essential for making fair pay decisions about jobs.

   Employees with potential access to protected health information must comply with all procedures and guidelines governed by HIPAA.

   Northpoint Imagine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Northpoint Imagine is an At-Will employer. Employment may be terminated at any time by employee, or employer with or without notice.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find adolescent counselors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit adolescent counselors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 adolescent counselor

   Once you've decided on a perfect adolescent counselor 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is 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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