How to hire an employment specialist

How to hire an employment specialist, step by step

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

What does an employment specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your employment specialist 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 employment specialist 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 employment specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, employment specialists 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 employment specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Employment Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Employment Specialist	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	$13-25
   Staffing Coordinator	A staffing coordinator is responsible for assisting the staffing needs of an organization, organizing the hiring process, and monitoring the working schedule of staff to ensure smooth operations. Staffing coordinators often coordinate with recruiting agencies for staffing solutions to fill roles and process onboarding... Show more	$14-29
   Human Resources Coordinator	A human resources coordinator is responsible for cooperating with the company's human resources department, supporting its processes and procedures, and assisting with employees' concerns. Human resources coordinators' duties include maintaining business files and employees' records, processing documents and submitting required reports, administering background checks for the recruitment process, reviewing and referring to company's handbook for corrective action and performance review, scheduling meetings and facilitating events, and advising effective strategies to human resources management... Show more	$15-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Rehabilitation
   • Mental Health
   • Social Work
   • Competitive Employment
   • Mental Illness
   • Community Resources
   • Employment Services
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Veterans
   • HR
   • Background Checks
   • Vocational Rehabilitation
   • Support Services

   Check all skills

   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.

   More employment specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the employment specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. An employment specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an employment specialist in Idaho may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level employment specialist. Additionally, an employment specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average employment specialist salary

   $39,530yearly

   $19.00 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level employment specialist salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average employment specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$61,414	$30
   2	California	$47,496	$23
   3	New York	$45,126	$22
   4	Washington	$43,833	$21
   5	Virginia	$43,355	$21
   6	Oregon	$42,993	$21
   7	Massachusetts	$42,697	$21
   8	Maryland	$42,231	$20
   9	Georgia	$41,741	$20
   10	Illinois	$40,789	$20
   11	Colorado	$40,195	$19
   12	Connecticut	$39,723	$19
   13	Florida	$38,714	$19
   14	Pennsylvania	$37,821	$18
   15	Wisconsin	$37,725	$18
   16	Ohio	$36,847	$18
   17	Iowa	$36,004	$17
   18	Indiana	$35,117	$17
   19	Minnesota	$34,642	$17
   20	Louisiana	$33,959	$16

   Average employment specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$49,588	$23.84
   2	University of California	$49,179	$23.64	3
   3	Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc	$49,138	$23.62	2
   4	Catholic Health East	$48,480	$23.31
   5	MUFG EMEA	$47,048	$22.62
   6	New River Community College	$46,800	$22.50
   7	Archdiocese Of San Antonio	$46,393	$22.30	3
   8	Salem State University	$46,136	$22.18
   9	New Jersey Institute of Technology	$45,747	$21.99	1
   10	Spectrum Comm	$45,459	$21.86	5
   11	Triangle Services	$45,392	$21.82	3
   12	New York State Restaurant Association	$45,321	$21.79
   13	Helen Keller International	$45,090	$21.68	4
   14	Southwest Key Programs	$45,051	$21.66
   15	University of Colorado Boulder	$44,971	$21.62	2
   16	Telecare	$44,946	$21.61	1
   17	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$44,799	$21.54
   18	Syracuse University	$44,789	$21.53	1
   19	Washington State University	$44,395	$21.34
   20	Downtown Streets Team	$44,352	$21.32

4. Writing an employment specialist job description

   An employment specialist 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. To help get you started, here's an example of an employment specialist job description:

   Employment specialist job description example

   Part-time -
   $12.88/hr.
   
   As a Community Employment Specialist in Warren, you will help adults with disabilities find and keep meaningful employment. This opportunity is ideal for a self-directed, professional, and motivated candidate with good communication skills who enjoys working one-on-one with individuals with disabilities to achieve community employment success.
   
   You will support the achievements and skills of each individual as you work to facilitate their placement in community-based employment. Assume the role of a job coach in understanding the tasks of the job before training the individual. Once trained, you will supervise the individual until they are fully integrated into the workplace and able to work independently.
   
   Additional responsibilities include interfacing with potential employers and maintaining communication, training consumers on job tasks, assessments, report writing, and daily documentation. Equipment for electronic documentation was provided as well as mileage reimbursement for personal vehicle use.
   Qualifications for Community Employment Specialist:
   Associate's Degree preferred OR High School diploma or equivalent and 1-year experience working with adults with intellectual disabilities Must have a valid driver's license and access to a reliable vehicle to transport individuals Eligibility for State Police Criminal Record Check and Child Abuse History Clearance FBI clearance is required for individuals who do not meet PA residency requirements Benefits for Community Employment Specialist:
   
   We offer competitive wages, ongoing training, and flexible scheduling for both Full- and Part-Time positions. In addition, Full-Time employees receive a generous benefits package which includes:
   Medical & Time Off
   Medical/Dental/Vision with coverage options for spouse and dependents Flexible Spending Accounts Generous PTO plans 7 Paid holiday days Company-paid Life Insurance Long-Term Disability and Short-Term Disability available Employee discounts for select events and services Bonuses & Opportunities
   401(k) and 403(b) Retirement Savings Eligible for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Employee Referral Program with bonuses up to $750 Paid training Scholarship opportunities 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 various strategies that you can use to find the right employment specialist 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 employment specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit employment specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting employment specialists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 employment specialist

   Once you've selected the best employment specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new employment specialist. 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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How much does it cost to hire an employment specialist?