How to hire a direct care counselor

How to hire a direct care counselor, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your direct care counselor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a direct care counselor for hire on a part-time basis or as a 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 direct care counselor 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 direct care counselor that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of direct care counselors.

   Type of Direct Care Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Direct Care Counselor	Personal care aides help clients with self-care and everyday tasks. They also provide social supports and assistance that enable clients to participate in their communities.	$10-23
   Residential Advisor	Residential advisors are responsible for coordinating activities in various residential buildings and facilities, such as group homes and dormitories. They perform various tasks that include ordering supplies, determining the need for maintenance and repair, and assigning rooms... Show more	$12-21
   Direct Support Professional	Direct support professionals are responsible for taking care of patients with physical or mental limitations. They do a variety of tasks for their patients, such as doing household chores, running errands for them, cooking for them, feeding them, bathing and dressing them, and helping them with their medication, among others... Show more	$8-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Crisis Intervention
   • Autism
   • CPR
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Incident Reports
   • Data Collection
   • Community Integration
   • Medical Appointments
   • ISP
   • SCIP
   • AMAP
   • Adaptive
   • Residential Program
   • Meal Preparation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Obtain SCIP-R, CPR, and AMAP certifications.
   • Provide training to residents in improving ADL and independent living skills per the IHP and any/all relate behavior or medical requirements.
   • Obtain AMAP certification and administer medications under the supervision of assign nursing staff.
   • Provide direct care assistance for campers with autism, intellectual disabilities, and/or developmental delays.
   • Perform one-on-one supervision of children with disabilities including autism, complex mental health problems, and complex behavioral problems.
   • Help develop and carry-out treatment goals for individual clients as outlined in treatment plans and/or ISP goals and objectives.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, direct care counselors' average salary in louisiana is 35% less than in maryland.
   • Seniority. Entry-level direct care counselors earn 55% less than senior-level direct care counselors.
   • Certifications. A direct care counselor 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 direct care counselor's salary.

   Average direct care counselor salary

   $16.07hourly

   $33,422 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level direct care counselor salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing a direct care counselor job description

   A direct care 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 direct care counselor job description:

   Direct care counselor job description example

   Residential Counselor
   
   In our Whately Program – for people with Acquired Brain Injuries
   
   We’re looking for inspiring team members who enjoy bringing out the best in people and are especially motivated to work with adults with Brain Injuries .
   
   As a Residential Counselor, you will:
   
   · assists residents with personal care (bathing, dressing, and eating);· drive them to appointments, errands, and to community events;· you will be required to complete daily shift notes and other communications;· help with their exercise programs, play games, work on projects, and share time outside;· help prepare meals, clean, do laundry, and help keep the home pleasant and comfortable.
   
   You’re someone who has:
   
   · High School Diploma or GED is required;· valid driver’s license and acceptable motor vehicle record;· physical ability to perform the requirements of this position and ensure residents safety;· basic computer/office skills;· physical ability to perform the requirements of this position and ensure residents safety;· Background check (CORI).
   
   Schedule:
   
   Vacancy 1 Monday 3pm-10pm Friday 7am-5pm Total 17 hours Vacancy 2 Monday 7am-3pm Friday 7am-3pm Total 16hrs Vacancy 3 Tuesday 9am-3pm Wednesday 8am-4pm Thursday 9am-3pm Total 20hrs Pay & Benefits We offer a wage of $15.50/hour—** plus a bonus of $1.50/hr for every hour worked until 12/31/22 **- $0.75 wage differential for Medication Administration Program (MAP) certification. We provide paid orientation and training for certification in Medication Administration Program (MAP), CPR & First Aid, and Proactive Approaches to Behavioral Challenges (PABC) if applicable. We also offer a generous time-off package; comprehensive health and dental insurance plans; a 403(B) retirement plan, with employer matching; long-term disability benefits; paid life insurance; tuition assistance; and several more benefit options. Interested? We look forward to hearing from you! ServiceNet is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status. We are proud to be a tobacco-free employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right direct care counselor 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 direct care counselors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit direct care counselors 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 direct care counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit direct care counselor 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 direct care counselors, 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 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 direct care counselor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the direct care counselor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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.

   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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