How to hire a counselor and coach

How to hire a counselor and coach, step by step

Here's a step-by-step counselor and coach hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a counselor and coach, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a counselor and coach to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a counselor and coach that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of counselor and coach salaries for various roles:

   Type of Counselor And Coach	Description	Hourly rate
   Counselor And Coach	Recreation workers design and lead recreational and leisure activities for groups in volunteer agencies or recreation facilities, such as playgrounds, parks, camps, aquatic centers, and senior centers. They may lead activities such as arts and crafts, dance, sports, adventure programs, music, and camping.	$6-29
   Site Leader	A site leader is responsible for managing the staff's performance, ensuring the smooth delivery of daily operations, and guiding the successful project completion by maximizing the staff's productivity within the specified timeframe and budget goals. Site leaders work closely with the clients, together with the site manager, to identify their specifications and requirements, as well as providing progress updates and suggesting design adjustments as needed... Show more	$14-64
   Program Lead	A program lead is responsible for managing a business program's operation from its conceptualization to implementation. Program leads must have excellent communication and researching skills to monitor current industry trends, adjusting program techniques and strategies to meet society's demands... Show more	$28-82

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Role Model
   • at-Risk Youth
   • Mediation
   • Skill Development
   • Incident Reports
   • Emergency Situations
   • Punctuality
   • Student Athletes
   • Mental Health
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Group Sessions
   • Substance Abuse
   • CPR
   • Motivational

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead a successful group of kids by ensuring safety and behavioral expectations are met and providing structure and organize educational activities.
   • Facilitate mediation sessions with college students in order to develop negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
   • Set a good example for campers and others including cleanliness, punctuality, sharing clean-up, and sportsmanship.
   • Report writing, radio etiquette, cpr and first aid certify, and also room and common area searches.
   • Work collaboratively with many collegiate coaches as a counselor for boys football camp and boys and girls basketball and soccer camps.
   • Exercise strong leadership skills and practice self-discipline.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, counselor and coaches' average salary in ohio is 50% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level counselor and coaches earn 77% less than senior-level counselor and coaches.
   • Certifications. A counselor and coach 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 counselor and coach's salary.

   Average counselor and coach salary

   $14.27hourly

   $29,678 yearly

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   Entry-level counselor and coach salary

   $14,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 31, 2026

4. Writing a counselor and coach job description

   A job description for a counselor and coach 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 counselor and coach job description:

   Counselor and coach job description example

   $1000 Sign-On Bonus! Join our team!
   
   + $500 after 3 Months/ $500 after 6 Months
   
   Do you want to help improve the lives of at-risk youth in your community?
   
   Do you want to join a team of people who are hard-working and want to help others?
   
   Do you want to build a career, while making a difference in the world?
   
   If this sounds like you, let's talk! We're hiring Night Youth Care Workers/Coach Counselors at {Walton Academy for Growth & Change} in {DeFuniak Springs, Florida}, an affiliate of Rite of Passage. Our employees are dedicated and passionate individuals that are committed to inspiring positive change in the lives of youth. Joining our team is more than just a job, it's an opportunity to create a meaningful career with a company driven by its powerful mission to make a difference.
   
   Rite of Passage is a leading national provider of programs and opportunities for troubled and at-risk youth from social services, welfare agencies and juvenile courts. With an emphasis on evidence-based practices and positive skill development, combined with our supportive and therapeutic approach, our organization is respected by industry experts as a highly effective solution for our youth. Since 1984, over 25,000 youths have entered and completed our programs. ROP has built its reputation on running life-changing educational treatment programs that positively contribute to the community.
   
   What you'll do:
   
   As a Coach Counselor, you'll provide safety and around-the-clock supervision for the youth in our program, and provide an atmosphere that is supportive of the needs of the students. You'll monitor and document student behaviors and activities, participate and assist with educational, social, athletic and recreational activities, and work in collaboration with other professional staff to establish and/or meet the goals of each student's treatment plan.
   
   There is no previous experience required for this role. Training will be provided, but if you do have related experience and/or education, you may be eligible to start above entry-level.
   
   To be considered, you should:
   
   + Be empathetic, patient, and treat others with respect.
   
   + Have a high school diploma or equivalent.
   
   + Be at least 21 years of age.
   
   + Have a desire to work with troubled teens.
   
   + Be able to pass a criminal background check, drug screen, physical, and TB test.
   
   The Perks:
   
   + A schedule that allows for more consecutive days off.
   
   + Eligible for Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance after 90 days of employment.
   
   + Choice of supplemental benefits, including Short Term Disability and Life Insurance.
   
   + Eligible for 100% 401k match of up to 6% of your salary after 1 year of employment.
   
   + Paid Time Off that can be used as soon as it accrues.
   
   + Free Meals on shift.
   
   + Employee incentives including On-The-Spot Bonuses, Rams Bucks, and Longevity Awards.
   
   + Growth opportunities nationwide - we have 40 programs in 16 states!
   
   + Tuition Assistance.
   
   Apply today and help us make a difference!
   
   Qualifications
   
   Behaviors
   
   Preferred
   
   + Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
   
   + Team Player: Works well as a member of a group
   
   + Leader: Inspires teammates to follow them
   
   Motivations
   
   Preferred
   
   + Self-Starter: Inspired to perform without outside help
   
   + Flexibility: Inspired to perform well when granted the ability to set your own schedule and goals
   
   + Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization
   
   Education
   
   Preferred
   
   + High School or better
   
   Licenses & Certifications
   
   Preferred
   
   + Drivers License
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
   
   The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find counselor and coaches 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 counselor and coach job on Zippia to find and recruit counselor and coach candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit counselor and coaches, 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 counselor and coach

   Once you've decided on a perfect counselor and coach 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.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is 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 counselor and coach?