How to hire a hall director

How to hire a hall director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step hall director hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your hall director 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 hall director 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

   A hall director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, hall directors 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.

   This list presents hall director salaries for various positions.

   Type of Hall Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Hall Director	Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and faculty research at colleges and universities. Their job duties vary depending on the area of the college they manage, such as admissions, student life, or the office of the registrar.	$15-37
   Dean	A dean is responsible for overseeing the educational operations of the assigned department, enforcing school policies, and monitoring the students' progress by coordinating with the teachers and setting up procedures to improve teaching methods. Deans administer educational training and programs for the students, as well as extra-curricular activities to develop the students' social behavior, maximize their potentials, and increase their self-confidence... Show more	$23-72
   Registrar	A registrar's role is to process and maintain accurate records within an institution or establishment. They are the main point of communication to obtain various kinds of information... Show more	$13-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Residence Life
   • Desk Assistants
   • Student Development
   • On-Call Rotation
   • Direct Supervision
   • Student Conduct
   • Emergency Situations
   • Staff Development
   • Student Life
   • Community Development
   • Mediation
   • Conflict Resolution
   • Staff Training
   • Crisis Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Motivate, train and lead a team of nine ministry coordinators.
   • Direct resident relations by providing oversight of resident retention, leasing and marketing programs.
   • Cultivate, coordinate, and assist in the development of student leadership and responsibility through programming and direct involvement with students.

   More hall director duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, hall directors' average salary in arkansas is 39% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level hall directors earn 58% less than senior-level hall directors.
   • Certifications. A hall director 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 hall director's salary.

   Average hall director salary

   $49,785yearly

   $23.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level hall director salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average hall director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Michigan	$51,812	$25
   2	Ohio	$50,911	$24
   3	Louisiana	$50,841	$24
   4	Minnesota	$50,399	$24
   5	Wisconsin	$50,141	$24
   6	Maryland	$50,112	$24
   7	Colorado	$47,853	$23
   8	Texas	$47,529	$23
   9	Iowa	$45,574	$22
   10	Virginia	$43,974	$21
   11	Tennessee	$43,767	$21

   Average hall director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of Michigan	$59,575	$28.64	1
   2	Grand View University	$54,980	$26.43	3
   3	University of New Orleans	$54,057	$25.99
   4	University of Colorado Boulder	$53,702	$25.82
   5	Tennessee Technological University	$51,627	$24.82
   6	Xavier University	$51,018	$24.53	1
   7	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$48,422	$23.28
   8	Virginia Commonwealth University	$47,046	$22.62	4
   9	Texas Christian University	$43,996	$21.15
   10	University of Tennessee	$42,824	$20.59	3
   11	Lakeland University	$42,787	$20.57
   12	Minnesota State University, Mankato	$40,942	$19.68
   13	Carthage College	$38,852	$18.68

4. Writing a hall director job description

   A good hall director job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a hall director job description:

   Hall director job description example

   Employment Status: Administrative
   
   Description of Key Responsibility:
   
   1. As a means of supporting student persistence, create a community living environment that fosters academic success, respect, support, and positive human interaction.
   
   2. Know residents individually and intentionally maximize those relationships to support student success in the living-learning environment.
   
   3. To ensure student success and persistence, assist students who are experiencing personal difficulties through consultation and/or referral to other resources. Follow-up/Case manage referrals from the Behavioral Intervention Team.
   
   4. Supervise Resident Assistants. Participate in their selection, provide appropriate training, schedule and assign their work, monitor and evaluate their performance, and make corrective and/or disciplinary interventions as necessary.
   
   5. Facilitate check-in and check-out procedures at the beginning and end of each semester. Maintain accurate records of keys and occupancy. Maintain control over issuing, replacement, and collection of room keys. Perform inspections and document condition of rooms, including determination of damage charges to be assessed.
   
   6. Attend Residence Life staff meetings and facilitate meetings involving Resident Assistants. Serve on committees and participate in meetings in a variety of settings. Represent the College and the department by participating in meetings of municipal, civic and professional organizations.
   
   7. Oversee the development and implementation of a variety of social and educational programs for resident students. Monitor and assist Resident Assistants in planning and conducting programs, including those that involve other campus organizations and personnel, as well as outside presenters and entertainers. When appropriate, participate in and/or conduct programs. Manage and account for funds allocated for residential programming.
   
   8. Serve as a resource for promoting and expanding diversity and inclusion within the residence halls. Provide support for programs, curricula, and trainings to build the multicultural competence of Resident Assistants (RAs) and residents, in particular as they relate to the student experience. Work with colleagues in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the Office of Multicultural Affairs on these initiatives as appropriate.
   
   9. For the purpose having Residence Life staff available to assist students and families at all times, participate in a 24-hour duty rotation schedule with other hall directors to include weekdays, weekends, and holidays throughout the calendar year.
   
   10. Demonstrate civil and inclusive behavior when interacting with staff, faculty, students and visitors to the College. Promote a flexible, collaborative and inclusive work and living environment and engage in educational opportunities to increase awareness and understanding of diversity and inclusion.
   
   11. Support the College's mission, vision and values, and contribute to the advancement of the College's Strategic Plan.
   
   12. Demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous quality improvement
   
   13. Respond to unexpected situations such as disputes between students, violations of College policies by students, medical and other emergencies. In cases of illness or injury, ensure that established procedures are followed and that students, or others, receive appropriate care.
   
   14. Intervene in and document, when appropriate, student behavior which is inconsistent with College policy or disruptive to the campus community. Determine and implement corrective action, which may include mediation, counseling, and/or referral to the College's student conduct process.
   
   15. Serve as Administrative Hearing Officer as part of the College Student Conduct process.
   
   16. Serve as a facility manager. Perform regular tours of residential facilities to account for furnishings, keys, equipment, safety hazards, maintenance and cleaning needs. Ensure that buildings and their contents are properly maintained, primarily by reporting deficiencies to maintenance and custodial personnel.
   
   17. Assist with the operation of the Office of Residence Life by performing various administrative tasks. This may include the coordination of special departmental projects. Hold office hours at the Office of Residence Life.
   
   18. Participate in the New Student Orientation. Participate in and facilitate programs designed to assist new students in their transition to college life and to life living on campus.
   
   19. Advise the Residence Hall Council (where appropriate) and provide direction for programming which furthers the mission of the department.
   
   20. Perform related duties, projects, and tasks as assigned that contribute to the effective operation of the Office of Residence Life, and the College in general.
   
   21. Complete duties associated with assigned collateral work during the academic year and/or the summer months.
   
   Education/Training:
   
   A bachelor's degree is required. A master's degree is preferred.
   
   Experience:
   
   A minimum of (1) one year of experience working with college students in a residential setting. Preferred experience would include management of a facility, supervising others, developing programs, and collaborating with professionals or paraprofessionals on a variety of developmental programs. Fluency of the Spanish language is preferred.
   
   Position Summary:
   
   The Area Hall Director ensures that students living in on-campus housing are able to enjoy and benefit from the residential experience, with a focus on creating supportive and inclusive communities in which all of our students have the means and environment for success. This is done through overseeing developmental programming, and providing assistance to individuals experiencing personal and/or academic difficulties, collaboratively maintaining the physical and operational integrity of facilities, and supervising the Resident Assistant staff.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find hall directors 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 hall directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level hall directors 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.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your hall director job on Zippia to find and attract quality hall director candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit hall directors, 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.

   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 hall director

   Once you've decided on a perfect hall director candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   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 hall director 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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