How to hire a benefits consultant

How to hire a benefits consultant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step benefits consultant 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 consultant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new benefits consultant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a benefits consultant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your benefits consultant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a benefits consultant for hire on a part-time basis or as a 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 consultant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, benefits consultants 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 benefits consultant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Benefits Consultant	Description	Hourly rate
   Benefits Consultant	Compensation managers plan, develop, and oversee programs to determine how much an organization pays its employees and how employees are paid. Benefits managers plan, direct, and coordinate retirement plans, health insurance, and other benefits that an organization offers its employees.	$24-58
   Plan Administrator	A plan administrator's duties depend on their line of work or place of employment. Still, they typically include understanding the client or the project's needs, developing plans, performing research and analysis, liaising with internal and external parties, setting goals, establishing guidelines and timelines, and developing strategies to optimize procedures... Show more	$21-49
   Compensation Director	A compensation director spearheads and oversees an organization or company's compensation programs, ensuring they adhere to state and federal standards. They primarily set objectives and guidelines among their staff, delegate responsibilities, facilitate research and assessments, and develop strategies to optimize compensation operations... Show more	$40-76

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HR
   • Customer Service
   • Life Insurance
   • Strong Analytical
   • Health Insurance
   • Client Relationships
   • Account Management
   • Plan Design
   • Health Benefits
   • Payroll
   • RFP
   • Plan Changes
   • Financial Analysis
   • Insurance Products

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage benefits for fully insure medical/dental plans with life, long-term disability, and FSA accounts.
   • Manage annual non-discrimination testing, audit and IRS filings for qualify retirement plan, working with external vendors.
   • Manage vendors for medical, dental, pharmacy, vision, HSA, long-term care and work-life resource and referral programs.
   • Manage several SDLC phases for enterprise systems used by state government agencies to perform environmental and environmental management.
   • Provide SharePoint development and administration, budget and financial reporting; manage invoicing; and develop training manuals and user guides.
   • Coach clients and provide orientation about cobra act.

   More benefits consultant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your benefits consultant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A benefits consultant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a benefits consultant in Florida may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level benefits consultant usually earns less than a senior-level benefits consultant. Additionally, a benefits consultant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average benefits consultant salary

   $79,068yearly

   $38.01 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level benefits consultant salary

   $51,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 25, 2025

   Average benefits consultant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$103,163	$50
   2	California	$100,331	$48
   3	Massachusetts	$99,744	$48
   4	Pennsylvania	$98,246	$47
   5	District of Columbia	$93,043	$45
   6	Michigan	$89,051	$43
   7	Nevada	$87,874	$42
   8	Maryland	$85,238	$41
   9	Virginia	$84,480	$41
   10	Tennessee	$84,463	$41
   11	Ohio	$83,079	$40
   12	Missouri	$82,188	$40
   13	Illinois	$81,602	$39
   14	Arizona	$78,923	$38
   15	Iowa	$77,733	$37
   16	New Mexico	$77,082	$37
   17	Texas	$74,527	$36
   18	North Carolina	$72,123	$35
   19	Washington	$72,043	$35
   20	Georgia	$71,910	$35

   Average benefits consultant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	BMO Capital Markets	$105,597	$50.77	2
   2	Northern Trust	$102,337	$49.20	3
   3	Sentinel Benefits	$100,360	$48.25
   4	Elanco	$97,595	$46.92
   5	Albemarle	$94,562	$45.46
   6	Santander Private Banking International	$90,502	$43.51
   7	Santander Bank	$85,504	$41.11
   8	Pinnacle Technical Resources	$85,344	$41.03
   9	Namely	$84,854	$40.80
   10	Accenture Federal Services LLC	$84,138	$40.45	2
   11	Marsh McLennan Agency - Michigan	$83,815	$40.30	39
   12	Apex Services	$83,809	$40.29	2
   13	Fidelity Investments	$83,632	$40.21	8
   14	Ascensus	$83,483	$40.14	41
   15	Encompass Health	$83,046	$39.93	1
   16	Milliman	$82,396	$39.61	1
   17	Mercer Health & Benefits LLC	$81,932	$39.39
   18	Erp Analysts	$81,501	$39.18
   19	NFP Ventures	$79,999	$38.46	6
   20	Mercer	$79,516	$38.23

4. Writing a benefits consultant job description

   A job description for a benefits consultant 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 consultant job description:

   Benefits consultant job description example

   Do you enjoy being part of a fast-paced team? Are you a self-starter that enjoys multitasking? TrueNorth Companies is looking for a
   Benefits Consultant to join our Transportation team in Cedar Rapids, IA . The primary function of the Benefits Consultant is to handle outbound calls from/to individual owner operators and other eligible purchasers, regarding the sale and service of voluntary benefits.
   
   ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES
   
   Place outbound calls to individuals from supplied call lists (outbound), receive incoming calls from individuals interested in purchasing voluntary benefits. Consult callers on voluntary benefit products available to them and cross sell other products available as members of Truckers Service Association, where applicable Answer phones in a professional and timely manner to ensure customers are serviced appropriately Maintain a positive attitude, even when dealing with difficult customers. Maintain quality customer service with clients daily by providing consistent, timely and accurate service. Process applications over the phone, record calls, and enter applicant information into participation management systems Maintain and follow written procedures; complete all procedures as outlined on the "TrueChoices Processes- Index Assist in the execution of marketing material to available applicants Complete any special projects assigned by the expected deadline Increase industry and job knowledge as measured by attendance at continuing education, attaining or updating designations, and participation in other agency training offerings Other duties as assigned, appropriate to the position.
   
   EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS
   
   High School diploma or equivalent required College degree or equivalent combination of training and work experience preferred Life & Health insurance licensing required within 90 days of employment Experience in Microsoft Office is preferred. Ability to talk and operate in a fast-paced, energetic environment Strong and professional verbal and written communication skills Self-motivated and results oriented Ability to meet defined deadlines Strong attention to detail and accuracy
   
   What TrueNorth Offers:
   
   TrueNorth offers a lineup of excellent benefits to all full-time employees, including:
   Annual Bonus Medical, Dental, Vision 401k, PTO, VTO, and 11 paid holidays Life, AD&D, Disability, and Voluntary Long-Term Care Identity Theft, Legal Protection, and Donation Match Program Tuition Reimbursement, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and an Employee Wellness Program with great incentives.
   
   Why should you join TrueNorth?
   
   We are a company focused on developing our people and growing the business. We offer a competitive
   
   benefit package, wellbeing programs and incentives, and a positive work culture.
   
   TrueNorth is honored to be recognized by Inc 5000's as a Fastest Growing Company!
   
   Click here to view a video about TrueNorth's Core Values & what they mean to us.
   
   TrueNorth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for
   
   employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right benefits consultant 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.

   To find benefits consultant candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as hrcrossing, ihirehr, hrjobs, shrm hr jobs.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit benefits consultants, 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.

   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 consultant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the benefits consultant 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.

   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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How much does it cost to hire a benefits consultant?