How to hire a career counselor

How to hire a career counselor, step by step

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

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

What does a career counselor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The career counselor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   Type of Career Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Career Counselor	School counselors help students develop academic and social skills and succeed in school. Career counselors assist people with the process of making career decisions by helping them develop skills or choose a career or educational program.	$15-28
   Admissions Advisor	The admissions advisor's work involves meeting with potential students and organizing recruitment events in the admissions offices of colleges and universities. Their tasks also include informing students and families about the application process, requirements for admission, financial aid, and enrollment steps... Show more	$12-50
   Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor	The primary role of a vocational rehabilitation counselor is to help disabled people to live fully and independently. Vocational rehabilitation counselors assist people with disabilities in securing employment... Show more	$15-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Career Development
   • Career Services
   • Professional Development
   • Career Planning
   • Mental Health
   • Career Exploration
   • Financial Aid
   • Community Resources
   • Support Services
   • Mock Interviews
   • PowerPoint
   • Training Programs
   • Interview Preparation
   • Career Fairs

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Monitor and manage IEP forms and certifications to adhere to program requirements.
   • Interpret PSAT results with parents and students through education workshop.
   • Coordinate transitioning veterans with community hiring facilities in the areas of their desire location.
   • Provide information to individuals on matters pertaining to social security, veterans administration, and uniform service health benefits program.
   • Provide testing, including TABE, Proveit and Oscar.
   • Develop new intake orientation and TABE testing process for prospective participants.

   More career counselor duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, career counselors' average salary in oklahoma is 43% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level career counselors earn 45% less than senior-level career counselors.
   • Certifications. A career 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 a career counselor's salary.

   Average career counselor salary

   $44,870yearly

   $21.57 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level career counselor salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average career counselor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$53,684	$26
   2	District of Columbia	$52,566	$25
   3	New York	$51,797	$25
   4	Virginia	$48,755	$23
   5	Pennsylvania	$48,170	$23
   6	Maryland	$48,165	$23
   7	Wisconsin	$45,539	$22
   8	Minnesota	$44,800	$22
   9	Illinois	$44,467	$21
   10	Texas	$44,047	$21
   11	Ohio	$41,799	$20
   12	Tennessee	$41,496	$20
   13	Colorado	$41,201	$20
   14	Iowa	$41,150	$20
   15	Washington	$40,684	$20
   16	Georgia	$39,000	$19
   17	Florida	$37,276	$18
   18	Kentucky	$35,150	$17
   19	Utah	$33,597	$16
   20	Indiana	$33,114	$16

   Average career counselor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Columbia University in the City of New York	$62,724	$30.16	9
   2	Portland State University	$62,197	$29.90	2
   3	Alfred University	$60,029	$28.86
   4	Long Island University	$56,370	$27.10
   5	Emory University	$55,441	$26.65	5
   6	University of California-Berkeley	$52,146	$25.07	1
   7	Medical College of Wisconsin	$52,125	$25.06	6
   8	Research Foundation of The City University of New York	$51,344	$24.68
   9	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$51,309	$24.67
   10	State of West Virginia	$51,194	$24.61	93
   11	Ace Charter High School	$51,110	$24.57
   12	University of Washington	$50,235	$24.15	15
   13	University of Rochester	$49,450	$23.77	24
   14	Georgia State University	$49,332	$23.72	10
   15	The College of St. Scholastica	$48,322	$23.23
   16	University of Wisconsin System	$48,298	$23.22	6
   17	The George Washington University	$48,238	$23.19
   18	University of South Florida	$48,111	$23.13	10
   19	University of Houston	$48,019	$23.09	21
   20	Propel Schools	$47,746	$22.95	1

4. Writing a career counselor job description

   A career 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a career counselor job description:

   Career counselor job description example

   Founded in 1975, The Help Group is the largest, most innovative and comprehensive nonprofit of its kind in the United States serving children with special needs related to autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, ADHD, developmental delays, abuse and emotional problems.

   Bridgeport Vocational Center is a unique learning environment for young adults with special needs ages 18 to 22 where they can develop and master the critical skills necessary for a successful transition from school to adult independence.

   The program offers a structured curriculum that combines classroom instruction with real world application based on evidence that students learn best from this integrated approach. This one-of-a-kind program embeds core academics within community-based instruction and vocational education.

   QUALIFICATIONS:

   Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential that authorizes counseling services. Knowledge of graduation requirements and entrance requirements for post-secondary institutions. Ability to work with students, parents, faculty, post-secondary educational representatives and community groups. Valid California driver license and good driving record required.

   EXCITING RESPONSIBILITIES:

   • Provide career counseling services through group and individual counseling.
   • Write letters of recommendation for students regarding jobs, scholarships and special programs as requested.
   • Facilitate processing of student forms and applications.
   • Help students become aware of all phases of post-secondary school options.
   • Organize and maintain College Counseling Center containing college catalogs, brochures, handbooks, and other appropriate resource materials.
   • Maintain student records regarding post-secondary plans.

   The Help Group offers wonderful training opportunities, a supportive, professional work environment and great benefits, including:

   · Competitive salary

   · 100% employer-sponsored health insurance plan- Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance

   · 403b Retirement Plan

   · Flexible Spending Account

   · Employee Assistance Program

   We are an equal opportunity employer that values diversity at all levels. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find career counselors 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 career counselors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level career counselors 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 career counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit career counselor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with career counselor 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 career counselor

   Once you've decided on a perfect career 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   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 career counselor?