How to hire a benefits assistant

How to hire a benefits assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step benefits assistant hiring guide:

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

What does a benefits assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a benefits assistant, 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

   A benefits assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, benefits assistants 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 shows salaries for various types of benefits assistants.

   Type of Benefits Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Benefits Assistant	Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists conduct an organization’s compensation and benefits programs. They also evaluate position descriptions to determine details such as a person’s classification and salary.	$14-24
   Staffing Recruiter	A staffing recruiter is primarily in charge of handling the hiring operations of a company or organization. Typically their responsibilities revolve around advertising and publishing job openings on boards or online platforms, devising strategies to bring in more potential employees, and coordinating with department personnel to develop criteria or requirements for applicants... Show more	$14-30
   Human Resources Recruiter	A human resources recruiter is responsible for sourcing potential candidates on filling in organizational roles to support business operations and maintain efficiency on project deliverables. Human resources recruiters work closely with every department's head to analyze their qualifications and posting the job requirement on the company's job board and other communication platforms... Show more	$15-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Human Resources
   • Data Entry
   • Cobra
   • Health Insurance
   • Open Enrollment
   • HRIS
   • Payroll Deductions
   • Short-Term Disability
   • FMLA
   • I-9
   • Life Insurance
   • Background Checks
   • Insurance Carriers
   • Benefits Administration

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create reports using SQL database and manage reports, perform from internet-base tools for research projects need for client insight.
   • Audit HIPAA and outgoing correspondence.
   • Maintain strict confidentiality, observing HIPAA and other policies and guidelines.
   • Post patient payments, verify insurance coverage for new and Medicaid patients.
   • Provide information, education and assistance to clients regarding Medicare and Medicaid by phone and in person.
   • Audit, correct and record all attendance records, vacation records, vacation carryover and vacation/sick accruals.

   More benefits assistant duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, benefits assistants' average salary in montana is 45% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level benefits assistants earn 38% less than senior-level benefits assistants.
   • Certifications. A benefits assistant 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 benefits assistant's salary.

   Average benefits assistant salary

   $39,850yearly

   $19.16 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level benefits assistant salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average benefits assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$47,830	$23
   2	California	$47,092	$23
   3	New York	$44,972	$22
   4	District of Columbia	$44,901	$22
   5	Minnesota	$43,647	$21
   6	Oregon	$42,572	$20
   7	Virginia	$42,015	$20
   8	Connecticut	$41,473	$20
   9	Maryland	$40,655	$20
   10	North Carolina	$37,831	$18
   11	Texas	$37,720	$18
   12	Kansas	$37,248	$18
   13	Oklahoma	$37,232	$18
   14	South Dakota	$35,064	$17
   15	Arizona	$33,884	$16
   16	Alabama	$33,548	$16
   17	Indiana	$33,242	$16
   18	Nebraska	$33,036	$16
   19	Ohio	$32,967	$16
   20	Wisconsin	$31,569	$15

   Average benefits assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Irving Isd	$58,291	$28.02	1
   2	Venable	$53,948	$25.94
   3	Service Employees International Union Local 205	$52,329	$25.16
   4	Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare	$50,366	$24.21	3
   5	University of California-Berkeley	$50,316	$24.19
   6	ALDI USA	$45,046	$21.66
   7	HUB International	$42,571	$20.47	72
   8	Addison Group	$42,136	$20.26	22
   9	Reyes Holdings	$42,017	$20.20	21
   10	LifePoint Health	$41,963	$20.17	1
   11	Republic Bank	$41,480	$19.94
   12	Lifesteps	$40,798	$19.61
   13	Amazon	$40,696	$19.57	1
   14	Elite Service	$40,486	$19.46
   15	HNI	$40,263	$19.36
   16	Ralph Lauren	$40,227	$19.34
   17	FedEx	$39,930	$19.20	1
   18	Regal Cinemas Corp	$39,800	$19.13	3
   19	Robert Half	$39,757	$19.11	163
   20	State Of South Dakota	$39,587	$19.03	7

4. Writing a benefits assistant job description

   A job description for a benefits assistant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a benefits assistant job description:

   Benefits assistant job description example

   GREAT STARTING PAY - FULL BENEFITS - $500 Sign On Bonus After 30 Days --> $250 After 90 Days!

   Horizons Youth Services is seeking an energetic, dynamic, talented, and student-focused candidate for the full-time position of Cafeteria Cook Helper/Assistant.

   Our positions represent great opportunities to grow with a progressive corporation that plants the seeds to success by providing growth and development services to our students and our staff.

   We offer competitive salary and a full comprehensive benefit package to include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, AD&D, STD, LTD, EAP and 10 paid holidays, 3 weeks of Paid-Time Off and Tuition Reimbursement.

   Horizons Youth Services may be just the place for you to share your talent!

   Job Summary: Assists the cook and food service manager in preparing, serving, and sanitation of the dining facility, equipment, and surfaces.

   Duties:

   · Responsible for the set up and breakdown of serving line.

   · Responsible to help keep the dining and kitchen area clean and organized.

   · Notify staff of items that need to be replenished and restocked.

   · Responsible for helping to rotate perishable items at the end of the shift, to help ensure fresh product.

   · Responsible for serving students, staff, and guests in a pleasant, efficient, courteous and professional manner.

   Education: High School Diploma or general education degree (GED) required.

   Company DescriptionHorizons Youth Services, which began in 1983, helps young people obtain the quality education and relevant job training skills they need to be competitive in today’s rapidly-changing job market. Horizons Youth Services also focuses on providing young people with important life skills and a sense of responsibility that enables them to be productive citizens who can and do improve their communities and their world. Horizons Youth Service believes that programs must focus on the entire person, not just on educational and job training skills. As a result, Horizons Youth Services has developed and operated numerous innovative youth programs throughout its 30-year history that focus on leadership training and team development, including training specifically for Student Government officers at Job Corps centers.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find benefits assistants for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any benefits assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level benefits assistants with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting benefits assistants 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.

   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 benefits assistant

   Once you've selected the best benefits assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new benefits assistant. 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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How much does it cost to hire a benefits assistant?