How to hire a counselor technician

How to hire a counselor technician, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The counselor technician 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

   Hiring the perfect counselor technician 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.

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

   Type of Counselor Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Counselor Technician	Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors advise people who suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, or other behavioral problems. They provide treatment and support to help the client recover from addiction or modify problem behaviors.	$12-32
   Behavioral Analyst	Behavioral Analyst supports and implements a plan to help patients overcome social and mental disabilities. They are involved in assessing patients' behavior in school, homes, or communities, implementing behavioral plans, updating therapy notes to track progress, and communicating with staff, families, and teachers in relaying the client's needs... Show more	$20-53
   Behavior Interventionist	A behavior interventionist, or sometimes called behavior intervention specialist (BIS), is a professional who provides support and training for students with behavioral challenges through behavior management techniques and coping skills. Behavior interventionists must assist in implementing Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP) or Individual Education Programs (IEP) to students who have difficulties in learning and advancing with their class... Show more	$13-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Intellectual Property
   • Patients
   • Substance Abuse
   • Litigation
   • Mental Health
   • Crisis Intervention
   • CPR
   • Vital Signs
   • Saas
   • Direct Care
   • Residential Treatment Facility
   • Program Rules
   • Client Intake
   • Client Behavior

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the dispute resolution/litigation process; responding to and resolving threaten litigation; responding to subpoenas and regulatory inquiries and investigations.
   • Transport clients to AA and NA meetings.
   • Transport clients to N/A or AA meetings each day, and also to the YMCA for recreational purposes.
   • Provide written documentation, facilitate group and individual programming and ensure safety of patients.
   • Supervise and/or escort patients in their medical and/or therapeutic treatments conduct by other professionals.
   • Manage the dispute resolution/litigation process; responding to and resolving threaten litigation; responding to subpoenas and regulatory inquiries and investigations.

   More counselor technician duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, counselor technicians' average salary in nebraska is 51% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level counselor technicians earn 61% less than senior-level counselor technicians.
   • Certifications. A counselor technician 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 technician's salary.

   Average counselor technician salary

   $42,314yearly

   $20.34 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level counselor technician salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average counselor technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$62,389	$30
   2	California	$61,395	$30
   3	New Jersey	$56,980	$27
   4	Massachusetts	$53,060	$26
   5	Washington	$41,765	$20
   6	Wisconsin	$38,976	$19
   7	Illinois	$38,916	$19
   8	Ohio	$37,810	$18
   9	Arkansas	$36,374	$17
   10	Texas	$33,804	$16
   11	Iowa	$32,280	$16

   Average counselor technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	BNY Mellon	$135,694	$65.24
   2	Bain & Company	$122,307	$58.80
   3	BMO Capital Markets	$110,650	$53.20
   4	Deutsche Bank	$74,403	$35.77	2
   5	Pwc	$71,226	$34.24	6
   6	Capital Group	$69,713	$33.52	4
   7	Northwestern Mutual	$68,701	$33.03
   8	Boston Scientific	$65,694	$31.58	3
   9	SAMSUNG SDS	$60,795	$29.23	3
   10	Cleveland Clinic	$45,711	$21.98	29
   11	Tustin Unified School District	$42,344	$20.36	3
   12	Nexus: Youth and Family Solutions	$39,464	$18.97	17
   13	Spectrum Health	$39,211	$18.85	40
   14	Acushnet Holdings	$39,132	$18.81
   15	Westcare Health Corporation	$39,081	$18.79	53
   16	Southern Glazer's	$38,786	$18.65
   17	East Side Union High School District	$37,421	$17.99
   18	Walmart	$36,980	$17.78	7
   19	UnityPoint Health	$32,292	$15.53	45

4. Writing a counselor technician job description

   A counselor technician 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 counselor technician job description:

   Counselor technician job description example

   We are currently seeking a dynamic and business savvy Counsel with significant experience handling complex technology and commercial contract matters.
   In this role you'll have the opportunity to:
   
   + Provide strategic support and legal guidance in structuring, drafting, negotiating, and interpreting complex commercial agreements with vendors, partners, and other third parties in the areas of technology, including but not limited to software and hardware licensing and maintenance, e-commerce, SaaS/Cloud, and digital marketing.
   
   + Provide high quality, specialized and practical advice in business-to-business arrangements and advising on issues like IT consulting/outsourcing arrangements and software/hardware supply and implementation agreements.
   
   + Partner with business, compliance, and government relations stakeholders to engage, educate, and help guide regulatory and industry policy globally related to innovative technologies impacting the financial services industry.
   
   + Manage outside counsel to support the development, application and protection of Company patents.
   
   + Work with outside counsel and internal resources to provide day-to-day advice and strategic guidance regarding the domestic and international implementation of the Company's brand, including associated trademark and copyright related matters.
   
   + Support the Company's investments and acquisitions by conducting technology-related diligence on companies.
   
   + Build cross-functional teams with business, compliance, law and strategy partners to solve for novel legal issues presented by the application of new technologies in financial services.
   
   Willing to consider applicants at the next level based on experience.
   
   We're looking for someone with:
   
   + Requires JD and 5+ years' experience as an attorney with technology expertise
   
   + Must be admitted to practice in the state employed within twelve months of hire
   
   + Requires knowledge of the relevant area of law and its application
   
   + Must be able to work as a member of a team and independently on a self-motivated basis
   
   + Requires superior written and verbal communication skills
   
   + Must be able to apply knowledge of the law to make sound judgments, communicate, and interact with others in a professional manner
   
   + Some travel may be required
   
   Preferred skills:
   
   + 7+ years' experience as an attorney is preferred
   
   + Experience with patents is preferred
   
   Salary ranges below reflect targeted base salaries. Non-sales positions have the opportunity to participate in a bonus program. Sales positions are eligible for sales incentives, and in some instances a bonus plan, whereby total compensation may far exceed base salary depending on individual performance. Actual compensation for all roles will be based upon geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer.
   
   $127000 - $179000 / year
   
   Location / Work Environment
   
   This role offers the ability for in-office, hybrid (blending both office and remote work in a typical workweek), and remote work arrangements. You'll work with your leader to determine which option may align best based on several factors. Locations for hybrid talent include Des Moines.
   
   Work Authorization/Sponsorship
   
   At this time, we're not considering candidates that need any type of immigration sponsorship (additional work authorization or permanent work authorization) now or in the future to work in the United States? This includes, but IS NOT LIMITED TO: F1-OPT, F1-CPT, H-1B, TN, L-1, J-1, etc. For additional information around work authorization needs please use the following links.
   
   Nonimmigrant Workers and Green Card for Employment-Based Immigrants
   
   Investment Code of Ethics
   
   For Principal Global Investors positions, you'll need to follow an Investment Code of Ethics related to personal and business conduct as well as personal trading activities for you and members of your household. These same requirements may also apply to other positions across the organization.
   
   Experience Principal
   
   While our expertise spans the globe, we're bound by one common purpose: to foster a world where financial security is accessible to all. And our success depends on the unique experiences, backgrounds, and talents of our employees - individually and all of us together. Explore our core values, benefits and why we're an exceptional place to grow your career.
   
   Principal is an Equal Opportunity Employer
   
   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
   
   #LI-Remote
   
   
   Enterprise Segment: Corporate
   
   Business Area: Law
   
   External Company Name: Principal Financial Group
   
   Street: 711 High Street
   
   Remote: Yes
   
   FLSA Status: Exempt

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right counselor technician for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with counselor technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit counselor technicians who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit counselor technicians, 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 technician

   Once you've decided on a perfect counselor technician 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 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.

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