How to hire an employment coach

How to hire an employment coach, step by step

Here's a step-by-step employment coach hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the employment coach you need to hire. Certain employment coach 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

   An employment coach's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, employment coaches 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.

   Here's a comparison of employment coach salaries for various roles:

   Type of Employment Coach	Description	Hourly rate
   Employment Coach	Coaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts look for new players and evaluate their skills and likelihood for success at the college, amateur, or professional level... Show more	$12-23
   Scout	There are different types of scout based on the organization or workplace. There are sports scouts, talent scouts, and athletic scouts... Show more	$13-56
   Student Athlete	A student-athlete competes in various sporting events to represent a school or institution. Most student-athletes are under scholarships and receive an allowance, either from the school or a particular organization... Show more	$12-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Autism
   • Employment Services
   • Intellectual Disabilities
   • Community Resources
   • CPR
   • Natural Supports
   • Vocational Rehabilitation
   • Competitive Employment
   • Physical Disabilities
   • ISP
   • Resume Building
   • Career Development
   • On-The-Job Training

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform additional responsibilities as deemed appropriate by school and district supervisors such as organizing and managing elementary school mathematics information nights.
   • Certify in medication administration assistance, bloodborne pathogens, and CPR.
   • Maintain designate student job site notebooks on daily basis, including observing/recording data relevant to IEP goals.
   • Implement career and employment relate IEP and transition goals as specified in student's IEP or ITP.
   • Perform additional responsibilities as deemed appropriate by school and district supervisors such as organizing and managing elementary school mathematics information nights.
   • Demonstrate strong communication and leadership skills in effectively designing and implementing strategies in coaching disable high school students at their jobs.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, employment coaches' average salary in wyoming is 60% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level employment coaches 46% less than senior-level employment coaches.
   • Certifications. An employment coach 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 employment coach's salary.

   Average employment coach salary

   $36,154yearly

   $17.38 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level employment coach salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing an employment coach job description

   An employment coach 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 an employment coach job description:

   Employment coach job description example

   $150 Sign-on Bonus
   Supported Employment Job Coach - Part-Time
   
   Pay Rate: $16.00/hr.
   
   Hours: Flexible hours - weekdays
   
   Help adults with disabilities keep meaningful employment. As a Job Coach, you will provide onsite support and training to individuals with disabilities in community-integrated employment.
   
   Responsibilities include maintaining contact with employers, completing progress notes, transporting clients to and from work, and following through with regularly scheduled routines for the job site. This position is located in Bridgeville.
   Qualifications for Supported Employment Job Coach :
   

   • Must be 18 years of age
   • High School diploma or equivalent required
   • Preferred experience working with adults with intellectual disabilities
   • Must have a valid driver's license, insurance, registration, and access to a reliable vehicle to transport individuals
   • Eligibility for State Police Criminal Record Check and Child Abuse History Clearance

   Benefits for Supported Employment Job Coach:
   
   We offer competitive wages and ongoing training for our positions.
   
   Bonuses & Opportunities
   

   • 403(b) Retirement Savings options
   • Eligible for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness
   • Available $750 bonus through Employee Referral Program
   • Paid training
   • Employee discounts for select events and services

   Who is Barber National Institute?
   
   The Barber National Institute is a non-profit committed to its mission of providing the highest quality services for children and adults with autism, intellectual disabilities, or behavioral health challenges and their families. Since our founding in 1952, we have evolved into a multi-faceted organization serving more than 6,200 individuals annually with a wide range of educational, vocational, residential, and behavioral health programs.
   
   Qualified applicants must meet eligibility for PA Child Abuse History and Criminal Record Check. We are an affirmative action federal contractor equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. If you need accommodation to apply, please contact HR. EOE

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find employment coaches for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with employment coach 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.

   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 employment coach

   Once you've found the employment coach 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.

   To prepare for the new employment coach first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 an employment coach?