How to hire a firearms instructor

How to hire a firearms instructor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step firearms instructor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your firearms instructor 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 a firearms instructor 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a firearms instructor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a firearms instructor that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of firearms instructors.

   Type of Firearms Instructor	Description	Hourly rate
   Firearms Instructor	Career and technical education teachers instruct students in various technical and vocational subjects, such as auto repair, healthcare, and culinary arts. They teach academic and technical content to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to enter an occupation.	$15-39
   Adjunct Faculty	Adjunct faculty is the collective term for adjunct professors or lecturers. The adjunct faculty teaches students based on the limited-term of their contract... Show more	$21-73
   Teacher-In-Training	A teacher-in-training is a teaching professional who offers technical teaching assistance to teachers in developing effective behavior management and instructional strategies to support student learning. The teacher must collaborate with principals while employing diverse techniques to increase the effectiveness of student learning... Show more	$11-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Defensive Tactics
   • Fire Training
   • Safety Procedures
   • Training Programs
   • Live Fire
   • Ammunition
   • Weapon Systems
   • NRA
   • Glock
   • M4
   • Emergency Response
   • Combat
   • CPR
   • Handguns

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Instruct new USMC recruits to master skill of weaponry and achieve marksmanship distinction.
   • Teach a reading and math class.
   • Coordinate available firearms classes or slots with multiple agencies under DOD.
   • Compete nationwide with service pistols and service rifles in national shooting matches.
   • Prepare the work and training schedules for a team of five combat arms instructors.
   • Develop PowerPoint presentations and provide hands on, one on one work with students.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, firearms instructors' average salary in alaska is 53% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level firearms instructors 60% less than senior-level firearms instructors.
   • Certifications. A firearms instructor 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 firearms instructor's salary.

   Average firearms instructor salary

   $52,498yearly

   $25.24 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level firearms instructor salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a firearms instructor job description

   A firearms instructor 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 a firearms instructor job description:

   Firearms instructor job description example

   OUTDOOR/FIREARMS ENTHUSIAST
   
   At Academy Sports + Outdoors, our Purpose is to make it easier for everyone to enjoy more sports and outdoors. The
   
   Outdoor Enthusiast, through an enthusiasm for the field & stream business, is responsible for a premier customer experience in our outdoor categories. From the first fishing trip with dad to the avid hunter, this position provides knowledge and solutions to a diverse customer base. Through this important work, the Outdoor Enthusiast impacts customer satisfaction, store profitability, and Academy's Purpose.
   
   Education: High school diploma or general education degree (GED) required.
   
   Experience:
   
   * 4+ years of personal experience with the outdoors hobbies, interests and skill sets; fishing and hunting experience preferred.
   * At least one (1) year of sales experience with products related to outdoor hobbies, interests or skill sets or related work experience.
   
   Skills:
   
   * Excellent customer service orientation; an effective problem solver and communicator with customers and team members; bilingual is a plus.
   * Passionate and well-versed in the variety of outdoors hobbies, interests and skill sets such as fishing, hunting, competitive shooting, and camping.
   * Demonstrated ability to balance sales techniques with customer engagement to drive sales.
   * Perform basic mathematical computations and apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions in written, oral or diagram form.
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   * Enthusiastically delivers a premium customer experience for all who hunt, fish, camp or spend time in the great outdoors.
   * Complete position certification and maintain knowledge of trends and products in outdoor industry.
   * Drive sales through exceptional customer service skills, sales techniques and product knowledge to connect customers with the right products.
   * Engage with and provide consultative support for all outdoor customers, from the expert fly fisherman to the family going on their first camping trip together.
   * Trains Team Sports, Fishing and Hunting Team Members on new or special product specifications.
   * Provides feedback to Manager, Store Director and Regional Merchant on product assortments and customer demand as requested.
   * Process firearm sales in compliance with federal and state law, including properly completing ATF Form 4473 and conducting background checks.
   * Required to complete Firearms Sales Certification training.
   * Required to learn and follow company policies, procedures and safety rules.
   * Adhere to company work hours, policies, procedures and rules governing professional staff behavior.
   * Duties may change and team members may be required to perform other duties or roles as assigned.
   
   Physical Requirements & Attendance:
   
   * Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays based on business needs.
   * Constantly stand, walk, reach, handle, use repetitive motions (hand/wrist/fingers), feel and lift up to 20 pounds.
   * Frequently stoop, crouch, use fingers, grasp, push, pull, talk, hear and lift up to 21 to 40 pounds.
   * Occasionally required to sit, climb, balance and lift 41 to 60 pounds.
   
   Job Type: Part-time
   
   Pay: $15.00 - $17.00 per hour
   
   Benefits:
   * 401(k)
   * 401(k) matching
   * Dental insurance
   * Employee discount
   * Flexible schedule
   * Health insurance
   * Vision insurance
   Shift:
   * Day shift
   * Evening shift
   * Morning shift
   Weekly day range:
   * Monday to Friday
   * Weekend availability
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find firearms instructors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any firearms instructors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level firearms instructors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find firearms instructor candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting firearms instructors 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 firearms instructor

   Once you've found the firearms instructor 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new firearms instructor. 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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