How to hire a direct service professional

How to hire a direct service professional, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the direct service professional you need to hire. Certain direct service professional roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A direct service professional's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, direct service professionals 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 direct service professionals and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Direct Service Professional	Description	Hourly rate
   Direct Service Professional	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.	$32-90
   Aide	Aides are personal employees of their clients who commonly have health issues that render them unable to do certain tasks. They help out their clients with activities they may need assistance in... Show more	$10-16
   Life Skills Instructor	A life skills instructor advises people that are seeking support and coaching. They are responsible for helping them learn and develop skills like doing day-to-day tasks, interacting with other people, caring for themselves, as well as doing basic duties... Show more	$10-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Direct Care
   • CPR
   • Mental Health
   • Development Disabilities
   • Direct Support
   • DSP
   • Money Management
   • Hippa
   • Meal Preparation
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Role Model
   • Mental Illness
   • Intellectual Disabilities
   • Administer Medications

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist consumers with their ADL skills, such as showering, administering medications, and laundry.
   • Ensure completion of ISP goals, as well as input and come up with new ideas for new ISP's.
   • Administer medications, assist with ADL's, and communicate with interdisciplinary team members to ensure continuity of care
   • Provide caring and companionship to elderly and developmentally disable consumers and provide primary resident care and assistance with daily living activities.
   • Provide clients family members, DCF workers, and/or probation officers with up to date of treatment planning and progress.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your direct service professional job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A direct service professional can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, direct service professionals' average salary in north dakota is 56% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level direct service professionals 64% less than senior-level direct service professionals.
   • Certifications. A direct service professional 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 direct service professional's salary.

   Average direct service professional salary

   $114,053yearly

   $54.83 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level direct service professional salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 30, 2025

4. Writing a direct service professional job description

   A job description for a direct service professional 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 direct service professional job description:

   Direct service professional job description example

   Looking for a technician who would be willing to work Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday!! Established in 1994, Mr. Electric is a global franchise organization providing electrical installation and repair services. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its “Franchise 500,” Mr. Electric franchisees provide these services to both residential and commercial customers. At almost 200 locations worldwide, each location is independently owned and operated. Our team of qualified experts lives our code of values of Respect, Integrity, and Customer Focus while having fun in the process!As an Electrician, you are a key member of the team and coordinate the installation, repair, and service of electric and electronic components. Exemplifying our code of values, you show respect and courtesy to all customers and employees.This position is right for you if you are an electrician, devoted to your craft. You are focused, responsible, self-motivated and have a knack for troubleshooting. You are driven to provide the highest level of customer service and earn the trust of your clients. Specific Responsibilities :

   • Install, maintain, and repair existing equipment
   • Determine condition of electrical equipment, troubleshoot malfunctions, and determine needed repairs
   • Identify materials and quantities needed for new and repair projects
   • Evaluate customer requests and provide work order descriptions and price projects
   • Follow established processes and procedures
   • Operate with safety as a primary concern for self and customer

   Job Requirements :

   • Physically able to lift heavy objects as necessary
   • Proficiency to navigate tablet based technology
   • Professional appearance and personality
   • Positive Attitude
   • Team player who can work independently

   Benefits : Benefits package varies by location We are actively interviewing for this position - Apply today and our hiring manager will follow-up!

   Notice

   Mr. Electric LLC is the franchisor of the Mr. Electric® franchised system. Each Mr. Electric® franchised location is independently-owned and operated by an independent franchisee performing services. As a service to its independent franchisees, Mr. Electric LLC lists employment opportunities available throughout the franchised network so those employment opportunities may be conveniently found by interested parties at one central location for brand management purposes only. Mr. Electric LLC is NOT the employer seeking help. The only employer is the independent franchisee who has listed its available positions on this website.

   *Acknowledgement

   I acknowledge that each independent Mr. Electric® franchisee hires and determines the terms and conditions of employment for its own employees. Any employment benefits, compensation and employment practices vary by location. Neither Mr. Electric LLC (“Franchisor”) nor its affiliates have the power to: (1) hire, fire or modify the employment condition of franchisee’s employees; (2) supervise and control franchisee’s employee work schedule or conditions of employment; (3) determine the rate and method of payment; or (4) accept, review or maintain franchisee employment records. Mr. Electric LLC is NOT the employer and/or joint employer for: (i) any of the job opportunities listed on this website; (ii) any of the independent franchisees; and, (iii) any of the employees of the independent franchisees.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right direct service professional 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 service professionals they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit direct service professionals 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 service professional job on Zippia to find and recruit direct service professional 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 service professionals, 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.

   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 direct service professional

   Once you've decided on a perfect direct service professional 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new direct service professional. 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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