How to hire an employee counselor

How to hire an employee counselor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step employee counselor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your employee 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 an employee 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

   An employee counselor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, employee counselors 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 employee counselors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Employee Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Employee Counselor	Human resources specialists recruit, screen, interview, and place workers. They often handle other human resources work, such as those related to employee relations, compensation and benefits, and training... Show more	$17-39
   Technical Recruiter	The primary role of technical recruiters is to look for candidates who will fill the technical jobs in different areas such as engineering and information technology. Their roles and responsibilities also include devising or writing job specifications and descriptions, assessing and interviewing job candidates, and representing the company at campus events and job fairs... Show more	$21-42
   Recruiter	Recruiters are responsible for filling up vacancies in the organization. They put up job postings on the company website and other recruitment websites, screen applicants, prospective schedule candidates for interviews, conduct initial interviews, and, should candidates pass the initial interview, endorse them to hiring managers... Show more	$16-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Disciplinary Actions
   • Operational Procedures
   • Local Regulations
   • Employment Law
   • Sexual Harassment
   • HR
   • Litigation
   • Payroll
   • Collective Bargaining
   • Stress Management
   • FMLA
   • Ethics

   Responsibilities:

   • Experience with ADP including managing systems vacation accrual set up and report smith.
   • Process monthly payroll and tracking of accrue leaves.
   • Work with department leaders to prevent FMLA and IFMLA abuse within the organization.
   • Audit and disseminate payroll on a weekly basis to long term and short term temporary employees.
   • Establish and maintain content across several areas of the corporate intranet, gaining familiarity with SharePoint functionality and features.
   • Launch internal mediation program for salary employees allowing resolution of disputes without 3rd party intervention.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your employee counselor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An employee counselor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, employee counselors' average salary in alaska is 46% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level employee counselors 55% less than senior-level employee counselors.
   • Certifications. An employee counselor 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 an employee counselor's salary.

   Average employee counselor salary

   $55,822yearly

   $26.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level employee counselor salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 12, 2026

4. Writing an employee counselor job description

   A job description for an employee counselor 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 an employee counselor job description:

   Employee counselor job description example

   Adventist HealthCare/Howard University Hospital seeks to hire a Chief of Employee/Labor Relations and Labor Counsel who will embrace our mission to extend Gods care through the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.
   As the Chief of Employee/Labor Relations and Labor Counsel you will:
   Represent Adventist HealthCare/Howard University Hospital as the principal legal and strategic official in the administration of comprehensive Labor and Employee Relations programs
   Oversees the administration of collective-bargaining agreements and relationships at Howard University Hospital; represents management in collective-bargaining negotiations, legal proceedings, arbitration and mediation; interprets collective-bargaining agreements; advises executives, directors, and managers in all aspects of labor relations matters.
   Directs all phases of collective-bargaining negotiations including serving as first-chair for Adventist HealthCare in collective-bargaining negotiations
   Supervises, directs, and evaluates labor and employee relations staff.
   Advises and counsels Senior leadership, Human Resources, and Management on all Labor and Employee relations related activities including discipline and discharge, grievance processing, performance management, reductions in force (RIFs), work stoppages, restructuring, etc. to minimize risk to the company. Advises Senior leadership, Human Resources, and Management and Human Resources on risk mitigation and dispute resolution
   Supervises, directs, and manages outside counsel ensuring timely, efficient, and cost effective, responsible, and efficient handling of all matters.
   Oversee thorough, high quality and timely internal investigations and consistently demonstrate appropriate confidentiality, integrity, and sensitivity in handling all labor and employee relations-related investigations. Review/revise investigative reports and articulate findings to respective stakeholders and review committees
   Develops and delivers highly-specialized labor and employee relations education and awareness programs for all management levels
   Build maintain effective, collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, Union officials, and represent the organization at industry and community events
   
   Qualified candidates will possess:
   Masters in Labor Relations or Juris Doctor Degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) is preferred.
   Expert knowledge the National Labor Relations Act and the NLRB practice and procedure; Advanced knowledge of ADA, ADEA, FMLA, and FLSA; seven (7) or more years of progressively responsible traditional labor law and labor relations experience.
   Advanced knowledge and understanding of human resources practices and employment laws and regulations.
   Experience arbitrating and mediating labor cases.
   Prior NLRB, law firm, and in-house counsel experience.
   Demonstrated experience leading a team of professionals in the context of labor and employee relations.
   If the candidate possess a JD they must be an active member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar or can waive in and be admitted within 360 days of appointment and remain a member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar during his/her employment.
   
   At Adventist HealthCare our job is to care for you. We do this by offering:
   Work life balance through non rotating shifts
   Recognition and rewards for professional expertise
   Competitive comprehensive benefit plans offered (including health, disability, PTO and 403B retirement plan with matching and 3 year vesting)
   
   As a faith-based organization, with over a century of caring for the communities in the Maryland area, Adventist HealthCare has earned a reputation for high-quality, compassionate care. Adventist HealthCare was the first and is the largest healthcare provider in Montgomery County.
   
   If you want to make a difference in someones life every day, consider a position with a team of professionals who are doing just that, making a difference.
   
   COVID-19 Vaccination
   
   Adventist HealthCare requires all applicants to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before commencing employment. Applicants may be required to furnish proof of vaccination and, if offered, may elect to be vaccinated at an designated Adventist HealthCare location.
   
   Tobacco and Drug Statement
   
   Tobacco use is a well-recognized preventable cause of death in the United States and an important public health issue. In order to promote and maintain a healthy work environment, Adventist HealthCare will not hire applicants for employment who either state that they are nicotine users or who test positive for nicotine and drug use.
   
   While some jurisdictions, including Maryland, permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, marijuana continues to be classified as an illegal drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act. As a result, medical marijuana use will not be accepted as a valid explanation for a positive drug test result.
   
   Adventist HealthCare will withdraw offers of employment to applicants who test positive for Cotinine (nicotine) and marijuana. Those testing positive are given the opportunity to re-apply in 90 days, if they can truthfully attest that they have not used any nicotine products in the past ninety (90) days and successfully pass follow-up testing.
   
   Equal Employment Opportunity
   
   Adventist HealthCare is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We are committed to attracting, engaging, and developing the best people to cultivate our mission-centric culture. Our goal is to have a welcoming, equitable, and safe place to work and grow for all employees, no matter their background. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
   
   Adventist HealthCare will make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, in accordance with applicable law. Adventist HealthCare is a religious organization as defined under applicable law; however, it will endeavor to provide reasonable accommodations for applicants religious beliefs.
   
   Applicants who wish to request accommodations for disabilities or religious belief should contact the Support Center HR Office.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with employee counselor candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of 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 employee counselor

   Once you've found the employee counselor 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.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new employee counselor. 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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