How to hire a groomer assistant

How to hire a groomer assistant, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the groomer assistant you need to hire. Certain groomer assistant 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a groomer assistant 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 groomer assistant that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of groomer assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Groomer Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Groomer Assistant	Animal care and service workers provide care for animals. They feed, groom, bathe, and exercise pets and other nonfarm animals... Show more	$10-20
   Pet Sitter	A pet sitter is responsible for taking care of household pets while their owners are away. Pet sitters perform services for pet maintenance, including taking them to the veterinarian, monitoring their food, walk them in the park, and administer medications, if any... Show more	$4-29
   Bather	A bather typically works at veterinary clinics and pet grooming establishments where they are primarily in charge of bathing animals, particularly cats and dogs. They are responsible for ensuring that the animals are comfortable with the water temperature, using particular soap and shampoo, drying fur, and adhering to the pet owner's other requests... Show more	$10-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PET
   • Customer Service
   • Appointment Scheduling
   • Coats
   • Teeth
   • Front Desk
   • Animal Handling
   • Clipping
   • Sales Floor
   • Reminder Calls
   • Direct Support
   • Vital Signs
   • Computer System
   • Allergies

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all breeding, whelping, raising of puppies, grooming and showing of dogs for owners in the AKC.
   • Perform animal grooming duties such as washing, brushing, clipping and trimming coats.
   • Bath animals: clean ears, express anal glands, trim nails, dry & brush coats.
   • Wash, dry, and brush dogs of various breed and temperament, as well as clipping nails and cleaning ears.
   • Bath dogs and perform related activities, including nail clipping and grinding, ear cleaning and plucking, and gland expression.
   • Maintain electronic record of pet information and file paper documents.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, groomer assistants' average salary in tennessee is 41% less than in oregon.
   • Seniority. Entry-level groomer assistants earn 51% less than senior-level groomer assistants.
   • Certifications. A groomer 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 groomer assistant's salary.

   Average groomer assistant salary

   $14.77hourly

   $30,725 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level groomer assistant salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

4. Writing a groomer assistant job description

   A groomer assistant 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 a groomer assistant job description:

   Groomer assistant job description example

   Animal Hospital of Signal Mountain is looking to add some experienced talent into our growing Team! We are a 4 doctor practice that offers a comprehensive journey for each furry friend that comes through our doors! Our team of dedicated Groomers and Bathers are trained to utilize their skills, in keeping our clients clean and with regular maintenance.Our bathers assist our Groomers in providing a high standard of grooming/bathing care. We have been serving the community since 1989 and have recently added exotics to our practice and a wonderful Rehab facility.
   Why AHSM?
   
   Signal Mountain is a short drive from Chattanooga and offers unparalleled natural beauty with breathtaking views, access to hiking trails, and a great climate!
   
   What's NEW! - What you can Expect?
   
   * New: A team oriented approach to medicine with an emphasis on professionalism. What that looks like is. 1 groomer, 1 bather, dedicated, less stressed approach in a patient visits. Giving the bather and groomer more time to communicate and groom/bathe the patient.
   * New: AHSM is offering a chill protocols for stressed patients. This is to give the groomer/bather and pet a less stressful visit.
   * Drop off appointments for clients in a hurry.
   * New: Quarterly time off for rest, balance of life and emotional decompression.
   * Benefits: Medical /Dental / Vision / Short Term / Long Term Disability/ Generous paid time off / Uniform Allowance / 401K and Match
   
   The ideal AHSM candidate:
   
   * A certified bather with 1-2 years of bathing experience or a non certified bather with a minium of 2 years of experience.
   * A strong knowledge base of animal restraint and disease processes - Practices Fear Free Techniques
   * The ability to adapt to the different needs.
   * Obtain/document complete & accurate medical records, excellent verbal and written communication skills with team members and clients
   * Strong attention to detail
   * Able to perform nail trims, proper ear cleaning, and teeth brushing. Bathing cats are a plus.
   * Knowledge of Avimark Software Experience is a BONUS!
   
   Wage and Extras:
   
   * Based on the candidates knowledge and experience in the veterinary field AHSM rate of hourly pay ranges from $11 to $13 an hour, and tips.
   * Pet Discounts up to 50%
   * Quarterly and monthly bonuses
   * For the right candidate a signing bonus available will be discussed at interview.
   * Percentage of the employees health insurance is covered. AHSM also offers medical coverage to your family as well.
   * Education discounts and access to several educational opportunities.
   * < Back to search results

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find groomer assistants 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 groomer assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit groomer assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit groomer assistants, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 groomer assistant

   Once you've found the groomer assistant 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.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new groomer assistant 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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