How to hire a career developer

How to hire a career developer, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the career developer you need to hire. Certain career developer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

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

   Type of Career Developer	Description	Hourly rate
   Career Developer	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.	$13-33
   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
   Student Advisor	A student advisor is responsible for supporting the students' personal growth and development by guiding them on their learning processes and educational goals. Student advisors provide regular counseling for the students to analyze their career aspirations, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and strategize learning plans to address those difficulties... Show more	$14-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Leadership Development
   • Career Development
   • Leadership
   • Securities
   • Business Development
   • Training Programs
   • Human Resources
   • Career Exploration
   • Career Fairs
   • Professional Development
   • GED
   • Career Planning
   • PowerPoint
   • Community Resources

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist customers at teller windows.
   • Assist them in obtaining their GED and furthering their education.
   • Provide case management services to youth working to obtain a GED.
   • Create a social media presence on Facebook and administer the page.
   • Ensure that WIA youth meet their goals by conducting one-on-one counseling and group education/support sessions.
   • Attend leadership conferences to enhance knowledge of managerial responsibilities.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your career developer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A career developer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, career developers' average salary in maine is 53% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level career developers 59% less than senior-level career developers.
   • Certifications. A career developer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a career developer's salary.

   Average career developer salary

   $45,445yearly

   $21.85 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level career developer salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

4. Writing a career developer job description

   A good career developer 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 career developer job description:

   Career developer job description example

   Blue Engine is always accepting resumes. If you are interested in exploring job opportunities on our staff but do not see a position that interests you at this time, we invite you to submit your resume and cover letter here. We will reach out if you are a good fit for a future role.
   Our Story
   Blue Engine amplifies existing teaching talent. We work with partners to optimize the power of team teaching so that teachers can create individualized learning experiences that meet the needs of every student. In Blue Engine classrooms, teachers and students alike succeed and thrive.
   
   Who We Are
   Blue Engine is an organization that believes:
   In the infinite potential of all humans
   In an education system that works to liberate that potential
   Teams enable outcomes that individuals alone cannot achieve
   Good intentions cannot be confused with measurable results
   Strong human connections are our lifeblood
   
   Foundational Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity - Our Bedrock Value:
   The prevalence of historic and current systems of oppression in our society fundamentally impact the lives of students we serve. These systems foster entrenched privilege for some while ensuring the systemic oppression and denial of equal opportunity for others. Only by assembling diverse, inclusive, and actively anti-racist teams will Blue Engine build alliances that disrupt and dismantle these systems at their root. Neutrality in this fight is a myth; there are only two paths forward. Either we actively work to dismantle these systems on behalf of young people or we remain complicit in maintaining the status quo. Our path is the first. This requires us to seek and embrace discomfort, learn from perspectives different from our own, and interrogate our own assumptions and beliefs through dialogue that builds towards a hopeful, empowered future for every student in every classroom in America.
   
   We are looking for a team member who is invested in these core values, and embodies them in their work and leadership.
   
   Please submit your cover letter in the Additional Information section on the following page.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right career developer 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.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting career developers 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.

   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 developer

   Once you've selected the best career developer 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.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new career developer. 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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