How to hire a development specialist

How to hire a development specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step development specialist hiring guide:

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

What does a development specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a development specialist, 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

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

   The following list breaks down different types of development specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Development Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Development Specialist	Training and development specialists plan, conduct, and administer programs that train employees and improve their skills and knowledge.	$17-46
   Training Coordinator	A training coordinator is a professional who develops and conducts training programs for employees or volunteers. Training coordinators create printed and instructional materials as well as maintain an online library of training resources... Show more	$15-31
   Training Consultant	A training consultant's job is to prepare, evaluate, and execute an organization's employee education programs. Their duties and responsibilities may include developing instructional materials, identifying knowledge and skills gaps, and organizing learning activities... Show more	$18-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Professional Development
   • Patients
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • PowerPoint
   • Project Management
   • Training Programs
   • Java
   • HR
   • Salesforce
   • Social Work
   • Work Ethic
   • Catheter

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage RFP and contracting process.
   • Manage a comprehensive caseload and keep accurate count of individuals enroll in WIA program.
   • Manage complex USDA management information system records for portfolio properties.
   • Manage alumni and corporate relations and activities and continuous learning education initiatives.
   • Recruit, manage and motivate volunteers in public education, professional education, service and rehabilitation and tobacco control programs.
   • Provide educational and recreational programming for young adults with developmental disabilities and neurological disorders, such as autism.

   More development specialist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, development specialists' average salary in louisiana is 48% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level development specialists earn 61% less than senior-level development specialists.
   • Certifications. A development specialist 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 development specialist's salary.

   Average development specialist salary

   $60,344yearly

   $29.01 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level development specialist salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average development specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$77,705	$37
   2	New York	$76,261	$37
   3	California	$72,052	$35
   4	Washington	$71,349	$34
   5	Massachusetts	$70,539	$34
   6	District of Columbia	$70,218	$34
   7	Illinois	$68,069	$33
   8	Michigan	$67,576	$32
   9	Minnesota	$60,144	$29
   10	Pennsylvania	$59,018	$28
   11	Texas	$57,997	$28
   12	Ohio	$57,984	$28
   13	Wisconsin	$55,975	$27
   14	Colorado	$55,291	$27
   15	Arizona	$53,077	$26
   16	Missouri	$52,009	$25
   17	Indiana	$50,612	$24
   18	North Carolina	$50,203	$24
   19	Mississippi	$49,240	$24
   20	Tennessee	$48,138	$23

   Average development specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ropes & Gray	$177,700	$85.43	6
   2	Google	$125,482	$60.33	16
   3	First Republic Bank	$122,552	$58.92
   4	BNY Mellon	$120,564	$57.96	10
   5	McKinsey & Company Inc	$120,370	$57.87	49
   6	Koch Industries	$119,039	$57.23	9
   7	Varian Medical Systems	$118,992	$57.21
   8	Citi	$118,302	$56.88	13
   9	Abbott	$118,071	$56.76	15
   10	VMware	$117,501	$56.49
   11	Mitsubishi Motors	$117,349	$56.42
   12	SAP	$116,189	$55.86	36
   13	Bloomberg	$115,463	$55.51	1
   14	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$115,029	$55.30	8
   15	Morgan Stanley	$113,759	$54.69	11
   16	Applied Materials	$113,715	$54.67	5
   17	Medtronic	$113,460	$54.55	322
   18	Summit Electric Supply	$113,240	$54.44
   19	Parsons	$111,981	$53.84	13
   20	Zscaler	$111,922	$53.81

4. Writing a development specialist job description

   A development specialist 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 development specialist job description:

   Development specialist job description example

   Develop relationships with new and targeted casino guests. Meets and greets guests on the gaming floor, providing them with customer service during visits.
   ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
   
   Includes the following:
   Develops and maintains relationships with new/targeted guests. Maintain contact and provide regular follow-up, as needed. Evaluates guest play to determine appropriate complimentary offers. Maintains knowledge of casino promotions and special events. Assists in executing promotions, events, and shows. Makes outbound calls related to promotions, special events, and shows to preferred guests. Ensures hotel reservations are made accurately and efficiently. Serves as a support function to the property host, as needed. Maintains knowledge of all casino gaming policies and procedures. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
   SUPERVISORY/MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
   
   No supervisory/management authority.
   
   EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
   
   High School Diploma and 0 to 2 years of player development and/or marketing experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Associate's Degree in marketing preferred.
   
   KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
   Effective written, communication, presentation, and computer skills including working knowledge of all Microsoft Office products. Ability to set priorities, work independently, and proceed with objectives with limited supervision in a fast-paced environment. Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer services, which includes customer needs assessments, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. Ability to obtain and maintain licensing by the appropriate gaming authority. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license.
   WORK ENVIRONMENT
   
   Work may be performed in a variety of office settings, including climate-controlled office settings and/or casino floors which involve exposure to smoke and crowd noise. Work may require lifting and carrying materials up to 50lbs. Must have flexibility to work varied shifts including weekends and holidays.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right development specialist 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 development specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit development specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting development specialists 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 development specialist

   Once you've found the development specialist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new development specialist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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 development specialist?