How to hire a general assistant

How to hire a general assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step general assistant hiring guide:

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

What does a general assistant do?

Post a general assistant job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The general assistant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect general assistant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of general assistants.

   Type of General Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   General Assistant	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$10-30

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • HR
   • Payroll
   • General Assistance
   • Dental Procedures
   • General Maintenance
   • Front Desk
   • Patient Care
   • Financial Statements
   • Telephone Calls
   • Office Equipment
   • Travel Arrangements
   • Logistics
   • Computer System

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage branches providing information technology support, logistics, training and operational support.
   • Improve and prepare visual presentation materials for executive-level meetings using PowerPoint.
   • Handle VIP arrangements, coordinate all interdepartmental meetings and correspondence, compile and produce reports for internal and external management.
   • Create personalization with customers through``Facebook"uploading various photos and upcoming events.
   • Maintain I9's and EEO's for multiple job units.
   • Schedule outside radiology testing, requesting prior authorization when necessary.

   More general assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your general assistant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A general assistant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, general assistants' average salary in montana is 68% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level general assistants earn 66% less than senior-level general assistants.
   • Certifications. A general assistant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a general assistant's salary.

   Average general assistant salary

   $37,718yearly

   $18.13 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level general assistant salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average general assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$71,605	$34
   2	Massachusetts	$53,592	$26
   3	Virginia	$53,554	$26
   4	New Hampshire	$50,898	$24
   5	Ohio	$49,217	$24
   6	New York	$47,212	$23
   7	Vermont	$44,910	$22
   8	Michigan	$40,747	$20
   9	Florida	$38,591	$19
   10	California	$38,560	$19
   11	Illinois	$38,260	$18
   12	Washington	$36,816	$18
   13	North Carolina	$36,057	$17
   14	Mississippi	$35,987	$17
   15	Texas	$33,519	$16
   16	Iowa	$33,054	$16
   17	Oregon	$32,912	$16
   18	Colorado	$29,937	$14
   19	Montana	$23,157	$11

   Average general assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Massachusetts General Hospital	$79,974	$38.45
   2	The University of Vermont Health Network	$68,439	$32.90	2
   3	Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College	$67,225	$32.32
   4	eBryIT	$59,692	$28.70
   5	UT Health San Antonio	$59,682	$28.69
   6	University of Illinois Springfield	$59,292	$28.51	1
   7	University of California	$53,553	$25.75	2
   8	Toyota Financial Svc	$52,971	$25.47
   9	PACE Engineers	$51,089	$24.56
   10	Scotland Memorial Hospital	$47,914	$23.04
   11	Surgical Specialists of Lancaster	$47,361	$22.77
   12	International Paper	$46,743	$22.47	3
   13	Sony Pictures	$45,812	$22.02
   14	Student Conservation Association	$45,484	$21.87	2
   15	Global Indemnity Group	$44,035	$21.17
   16	St Joseph Medical Group	$43,871	$21.09	3
   17	Knights of Columbus	$42,064	$20.22
   18	Baylor College of Medicine	$41,826	$20.11
   19	Target	$40,177	$19.32	284
   20	Pascagoula-Gautier School District	$38,922	$18.71

4. Writing a general assistant job description

   A job description for a general assistant 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 a general assistant job description:

   General assistant job description example

   Yulista Support Services LLC
   
   Regular
   
   This position includes Chief Engineer and Assistant Engineer functions.
   The Chief Engineer is overall responsible for the operation and maintenance of all engines, motors, electrical, sewage and water systems.
   The Chief Engineer and Asst. Engineer perform a N0042122R0185 Page 50 of 144 variety of duties concerned with the operation, maintenance, repair, and cleaning of equipment and facilities in the deck, engine, and steward department areas.Education: High School Diploma or GEDExperience: The Chief Engineer shall have a minimum of 5 years' experience in operations and/or maintenance of diesel powered vessels greater than 500hp including at least 1 year of experience shall be as Chief Engineer of vessels of similar size and horsepower while holding the DDE 4000 license.The Assistant Engineer shall have minimum 2 years' experience in operationsand/or maintenance of diesel powered vessels greater than 500hp or 3 years'experience in a position related to marine machinery.
   The Assistant Engineer shall have a valid Merchant Mariner Documentations (MMD ) pertaining to either engineering or deck assignments Certifications and Licenses:Coast Guard license as designated Duty Engineer (DDE) Engineer of vessels of 4000hp and Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW).Certification, and 500 Ton license required.Security Clearance Secret
   
   PREFERENCE STATEMENTPreference will be given to Calista shareholders and their descendants and to spouses of Calista shareholders, and to shareholders of other corporations created pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, in accordance with Title 43 U.S. Code 1626(g).
   
   EEO STATEMENTAdditionally, it is our policy to select, place, train and promote the most qualified individuals based upon relevant factors such as work quality, attitude and experience, so as to provide equal employment opportunity for all employees in compliance with applicable local, state and federal laws and without regard to non-work related factors such as race, color, religion/creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship, genetic information, or other protected status. When applicable, our policy of non-discrimination applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, transfer, promotion, placement, layoff, compensation, termination, reduction in force and benefits. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONIt is Calista and Subsidiaries' business philosophy and practice to provide reasonable accommodations, according to applicable state and federal laws, to all qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities. The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe the general content and requirements for performance of this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties, responsibilities, and requirements. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter the scope of work within the framework of this job description at any time without prior notice.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting general assistants 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. 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 general assistant

   Once you've selected the best general assistant 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.

   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 general assistant. 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a general assistant?