How to hire a certified personal finance counselor

How to hire a certified personal finance counselor, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a certified personal finance counselor, 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

   Hiring the perfect certified personal finance counselor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of certified personal finance counselors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Certified Personal Finance Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Certified Personal Finance Counselor		$15-34
   Finance Counselor	A finance counselor specializes in providing billing advice to patients in a hospital or similar setting. They are primarily responsible for giving cost-estimates and offering financial assistance in payment plans and other options such as insurance... Show more	$15-24

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Money Management
   • Credit Management
   • Interest Rates
   • Customer Service
   • Inbound Calls
   • Debt Management
   • Outbound Calls
   • Credit Reports

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead cleanup of company database and files with pending patient and insurance payments through Meditech software program.
   • Provide assistance to uninsure patients and families in completing and filing Medicaid or assistance program applications with the appropriate agency.
   • Represent MMI professionally and effectively to all constituents through participation in professional development programs and through the certification process.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, certified personal finance counselors' average salary in oklahoma is 39% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level certified personal finance counselors 55% less than senior-level certified personal finance counselors.
   • Certifications. A certified personal finance counselor 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 certified personal finance counselor's salary.

   Average certified personal finance counselor salary

   $48,474yearly

   $23.30 hourly rate

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   Entry-level certified personal finance counselor salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing a certified personal finance counselor job description

   A certified personal finance 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. Below, you can find an example of a certified personal finance counselor job description:

   Certified personal finance counselor job description example

   Rapier Solutions seeks an experienced certified Personal Financial Counselor (PFC) for a full-time position to provide financial counseling and information services to Active and Reserve Service Members and eligible dependents. Selected candidate will provide personal financial services that promote financial stability and resilience, education, and awareness. Position offers full-time benefits. No Sales.
   
   Selected candidate must have two years’ experience in financial education counseling and possess an AFC ©, CFP ™ or ChFC © certifications, and a bachelor's degree. Understanding of military structure, culture, and values preferred.
   
   Develop, brief, and counsel Service members and their families on financial matters that support financial readiness
   Provide outreach, and training presentation curriculum to diverse audiences. Provide Face-to-Face financial counseling - Support and educate individuals and families to help address specific needs, including the provision of appropriate resource referrals. Provide financial briefings - Facilitate briefings designed to promote awareness and educate Service members and their families on various personal finance topics. Facilitate requested briefings using a library of approved presentations and handouts on a variety of financial topics. Perform Event Outreach - outreach and engage event attendees with conversations about setting financial goals, guidance to appropriate resources, as well as discussions on all areas of personal finance. Requirements: Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC); or Certified Financial Planner (CFP); or Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) Financial certification with two years’ experience. Excellent oral and written communication skills Be a US Citizen Ability to pass State Criminal History Repository (SCHR) checks, credit, and FBI fingerprint check Ability to pass a National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NAC-I) and Childcare National Agency Check with Inquiries (CNAC-I) background investigations. Company DescriptionAbout Rapier Solutions:
   
   Rapier Solutions is a national Consulting firm with a commitment to quality, employees, and customer service. Since our inception in 2002, we provide a history and commitment to implementing statements of work as promised and receiving outstanding job performance evaluations. For our employees, we offer a close-knit network of support, great environment, and superior benefits.
   
   With an excellent client relations foundation, we promise to provide the best consulting and staffing solutions at the best value. Since 2009, we've embraced ISO standards and hold ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems and ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Policy Management Certifications for the ease of our clients and employees.
   
   Rapier Solutions, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EOE)/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
   
   Rapier Solutions, Inc. is a drug-free workplace.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find certified personal finance counselors 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 certified personal finance counselor job on Zippia to find and attract quality certified personal finance counselor candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit certified personal finance counselors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 certified personal finance counselor

   Once you've decided on a perfect certified personal finance 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 certified personal finance counselor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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