Post job

Employment specialist vs placement specialist

The differences between employment specialists and placement specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an employment specialist and a placement specialist. Additionally, a placement specialist has an average salary of $45,676, which is higher than the $39,530 average annual salary of an employment specialist.

The top three skills for an employment specialist include customer service, rehabilitation and mental health. The most important skills for a placement specialist are customer service, patients, and social work.

Employment specialist vs placement specialist overview

Employment SpecialistPlacement Specialist
Yearly salary$39,530$45,676
Hourly rate$19.00$21.96
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs59,75723,909
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

What does an employment specialist do?

An employment specialist deals with job applicants to match their talents to a specific job that properly suits them. Employment specialists assist applicants or the unemployed by testing their skills, conducting mock interviews, and creating a proper resume. They can work separately within a company or be part of the human resources department to assist in the hiring process. Employment specialists are often tasked to handle company layoffs and act as the liaison officer between the employer and the Department of Labor.

What does a placement specialist do?

Placement Specialists are professionals who work for an organization to conduct screening and interviewing job candidates for various organizational positions. These specialists must use various methods such as email, cold-calling, or instant messaging applications to solicit candidates for job openings. They are required to assist job candidates with filling out and submitting their new hire documentation, ensuring that all necessary paperwork is processed with the appropriate departments. Placement specialists must also educate candidates about the organization's compensation and benefits, as well as schedule orientation training.

Employment specialist vs placement specialist salary

Employment specialists and placement specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Employment SpecialistPlacement Specialist
Average salary$39,530$45,676
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $52,000Between $31,000 And $65,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCSunnyvale, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyUniversity of California, BerkeleyNabors Industries
Best paying industryProfessionalInsurance

Differences between employment specialist and placement specialist education

There are a few differences between an employment specialist and a placement specialist in terms of educational background:

Employment SpecialistPlacement Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Employment specialist vs placement specialist demographics

Here are the differences between employment specialists' and placement specialists' demographics:

Employment SpecialistPlacement Specialist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 30.4% Female, 69.6%Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 7.7% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between employment specialist and placement specialist duties and responsibilities

Employment specialist example responsibilities.

  • Collaborate with partner agencies to share leads, information and execute OJT agreements.
  • Assist in managing unemployment claims, wrongful termination claims, civil and EEOC suits.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of vocational rehabilitation theory and practice along with the hiring needs and job requirements of the local business community.
  • Present information about vocational rehabilitation to community.
  • Maintain records according to CARF standards.
  • Verify identity with I9 documents like driver license; passports and social security cards.
  • Show more

Placement specialist example responsibilities.

  • Utilize Taleo applicant tracking system to manage candidate volume.
  • Develop naturally support vocational rehabilitation services for individuals dually diagnose with mental illness & intellectual disabilities, & other co-occurring disorders.
  • Interview and select participants eligible for educational assistance from WIA and TAA benefits.

Employment specialist vs placement specialist skills

Common employment specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Rehabilitation, 9%
  • Mental Health, 8%
  • Social Work, 6%
  • Competitive Employment, 5%
  • Mental Illness, 4%
Common placement specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 22%
  • Patients, 11%
  • Social Work, 7%
  • Mental Health, 6%
  • Linkedin, 6%
  • Foster Care, 5%

Browse business and financial jobs