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How to hire a bather

Bather hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring bathers in the United States:

  • There are currently 15,514 bathers in the US, as well as 56,255 job openings.
  • Bathers are in the highest demand in New York, NY, with 9 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a bather is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new bather to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a bather, step by step

To hire a bather, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a bather, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step bather hiring guide:

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

    Before you start hiring a bather, 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?

    A bather's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, bathers 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.

    Here's a comparison of bather salaries for various roles:

    Type of BatherDescriptionHourly rate
    BatherAnimal care and service workers provide care for animals. They feed, groom, bathe, and exercise pets and other nonfarm animals... Show more$10-20
    Animal Care TechnicianAn animal care technician is an animal medical professional who is responsible for providing care to animals in the clinical or research setting. Animal care technicians take blood or stool samples from animals and run laboratory tests to determine the cause of an ailment... Show more$10-19
    GroomA groom is primarily in charge of maintaining the hygiene and appearance of pets. Typically working at grooming shops, a groom liaises with pet owners to identify their preferences, observe the pet's condition to identify its needs, and explain the extent of procedures to pet owners... Show more$10-20
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • PET
    • Check-In
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • Compassion
    • Book Appointments
    • Develop Long Term
    • Customer Service
    • Appointment Scheduling
    • Animal Handling
    • Teeth
    • Coats
    • Animal Safety
    • Dryers
    • Clipping
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage all breeding, whelping, raising of puppies, grooming and showing of dogs for owners in the AKC.
    • Advise customers on proper pet nutrition, and pick a proper shampoo program to ensure healthy coats for individual pets.
    • Sustain pet care excellence in a dynamic and fast-pace environment
    • Read written or receive oral instructions to determine clipping pattern desire.
    • Detail orient work and recognizing signs of rashes, allergies and potential behavioral problems in dogs.
    • Bathe dogs, clip/ground nails, clean ears, brush teeth and shave paw pads/sanitary area, express anal glands.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your bather job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A bather salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, bathers' average salary in ohio is 42% less than in oregon.
    • Seniority. Entry-level bathers earn 48% less than senior-level bathers.
    • Certifications. A bather 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 a bather's salary.

    Average bather salary

    $14.93hourly

    $31,051 yearly

    Entry-level bather salary
    $22,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 13, 2025
  4. Writing a bather job description

    A good bather 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 a bather job description:

    Bather job description example

    • Stage 1-- Pet Stylist Apprentice: Jump start your education by getting hands-on experience with our pets. These pets become our own pets while they are in our care, so our number one priority is to get safety certified. Under the guidance of the salon leader, you'll begin your training as a bather and learn about different dog breeds and styling. You'll help to get the dogs comfortable in our salon and spend time bathing them, trimming their nails and providing support to groomers throughout the pet's stay.
    • Stage 2-- Grooming Academy: After getting some experience under your belt (well, smock!), you'll attend our paid Grooming Academy! You'll have 4 weeks in a classroom environment, gaining insights from our experienced Academy Trainers. You'll dive in deeper into breed styling, caring for different dog breeds, and get comfortable with tools and clippers. As an added bonus, at graduation, you'll receive a free tool kit worth over $600!
    • Stage 3-- Groomer Trainee: You'll put your brand-new education and fancy new tool kit to work when you head back to our salon. With the leadership and oversight of experienced groomers, you'll begin to groom all different breeds and sizes of dogs. We have a target of 200 dogs to ensure you get the experience and diversity you need.
    • Stage 4-- Pet Stylist in Training: Now it's time for you to really hone your skill set. You'll build relationships with your own clients, advise on styles, suggest new services and share in the joy that comes with a client picking up their freshly coiffed pet. It's the best thing in the world, well, that free tool kit is pretty great, too!

    THE WARM AND FUZZIES:

    We've highlighted job responsibilities and programs as best as we could above-but the best parts of working at PetSmart can't be fully described in the job description.

    • It's the pride of the giving Mickey a makeover in our salons watching him strut his stuff on the way out. Paws off, ladies, he's taken!
    • It's the excitement of Walter's wagging tail during his bath or Sadie's smile after her teeth are cleaned.
    • It's the gussying up of Gizmo for this year's holiday photoshoot. (Fun fact: many of our groomers receive holiday cards from their clients!)
    • It's the little things we do that add up to really big things that pets need.

    Working at PetSmart is not a job, it's a community of those who work together for the love of pets.

    Apply now to experience a career that loves you back.

    This job summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work associates/leaders assigned to this job perform. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities. You will be provided a copy of a job description for the actual position you are hired in to.

    PetSmart is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, as well as any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial or local law.

    Applicants must be over the age of 18 (except in Montana or where otherwise required by local or state law)

    For applicants in our Waterloo,San Francisco, or Los Angeles locations: Pursuant to the Waterloo and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, as well as the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, we will consider for employment, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with the law



  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find bathers 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 bather job on Zippia to find and recruit bather candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with bather candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 bather

    Once you have selected a candidate for the bather 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 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.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new bather. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  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 a bather?

Hiring a bather comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting bathers involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of bather recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for bathers is $31,051 in the US. However, the cost of bather hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a bather for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $10 and $20 an hour.

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