How to hire a human services instructor

How to hire a human services instructor, step by step

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

What does a human services instructor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a human services instructor, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A human services instructor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, human services instructors 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.

   Here's a comparison of human services instructor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Human Services Instructor	Description	Hourly rate
   Human Services Instructor	Social and human service assistants provide client services, including support for families, in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. They assist other workers, such as social workers, and they help clients find benefits or community services.	$11-37
   Advocate	An advocate is a voice for the voiceless. It is their responsibility to speak on behalf of an individual or a particular cause... Show more	$12-27
   Liaison	A liaison is a middle person responsible for collaborating different institutes, managing professional relationships to create benefiting results that would help a business' meet its goals and objectives. Duties of a liaison include facilitating communications, establishing partnership contract plans and procedures, managing conflicts, providing immediate resolution for concerns, and evaluating collaboration parameters... Show more	$14-45

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Human Services
   • Social Work
   • Professional Development
   • Curriculum Development
   • Philosophy
   • Literature
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Syllabus
   • CPR
   • Direct Care
   • Course Materials
   • Training Programs
   • Course Content
   • Student Evaluations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Guide individuals in accomplishing their ISP objectives by demonstrating effective instruction techniques and positive reinforcement.
   • Work in humanities with an emphasis in literature.
   • Design course syllabus, curriculum, and topics of discussion.
   • Have experiencing teaching developmental courses to deficient entry level students, as well as college level writing and literature.
   • Prepare syllabus and lesson plans base on department educational goals, developing unique strategies to teach various levels of adult learners.
   • Support and implement behavioral therapy with individuals with autism, primarily focusing on social skills in school and the community environment.

   More human services instructor duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, human services instructors' average salary in michigan is 51% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level human services instructors earn 70% less than senior-level human services instructors.
   • Certifications. A human services instructor 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 human services instructor's salary.

   Average human services instructor salary

   $42,301yearly

   $20.34 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level human services instructor salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 15, 2026

   Average human services instructor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$69,983	$34
   2	Texas	$55,932	$27
   3	New York	$52,934	$25
   4	Colorado	$51,441	$25
   5	North Carolina	$51,137	$25
   6	Oregon	$48,652	$23
   7	Illinois	$47,207	$23
   8	Pennsylvania	$46,342	$22
   9	Washington	$45,391	$22
   10	North Dakota	$42,107	$20
   11	Virginia	$41,662	$20
   12	South Carolina	$41,449	$20
   13	Indiana	$40,418	$19
   14	Michigan	$33,245	$16

   Average human services instructor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mohawk Valley Health System	$77,814	$37.41
   2	Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College	$69,978	$33.64	114
   3	Westchester Community College	$66,878	$32.15	1
   4	Hargrave Military Academy	$66,555	$32.00
   5	ICF	$65,921	$31.69
   6	The City University of New York	$65,551	$31.51	33
   7	Dutchess Community College	$63,967	$30.75	2
   8	PSEA	$63,832	$30.69	43
   9	North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics	$59,126	$28.43
   10	ManTech	$56,105	$26.97
   11	Walla Walla Community College	$55,174	$26.53
   12	UC Santa Barbara	$52,236	$25.11
   13	Finger Lakes Community College	$47,581	$22.88
   14	Community College of Aurora	$46,299	$22.26	4
   15	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$45,907	$22.07
   16	Metropolitan State University of Denver	$43,222	$20.78	27
   17	Pennsylvania State Treasurer	$39,429	$18.96	11
   18	University of Colorado	$39,014	$18.76	142
   19	SHASTA COUNTY	$38,040	$18.29
   20	University of Pennsylvania	$36,943	$17.76	70

4. Writing a human services instructor job description

   A human services 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a human services instructor job description:

   Human services instructor job description example

   • Endurance – Moving About: Frequently (1/3 to 2/3 of the time) Move from location to location, up to .5 miles or more at a time. Ability to drive walk for at least one hour; to lift at least ten pounds; to assist adults in activities of daily living who are non-ambulatory
   • Specific Examples Include but are not limited to: Move about the facility site to monitor the consumers and inspect the facility/ Moves between the residential facility and other locations where applicable to accompany consumers with their daily chores/activities.
   • Endurance-Overall Strength: Some sedentary work. Bending, lifting, and squatting, with objects weighing up to 40 lbs. Must be able to handle consumers with physical impairment problems. Exerts force and or lifts or carries objects weighing up to 40 pounds occasionally.
   • Climbing: Periodic – Does not occur every shift, ascend and descend stairs to make rounds of the building. Driveway incline is an uneven surface frequently used to access required work areas.

   ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

   • Location: Inside/Outside - Work is predominately inside and generally provides protection from weather conditions and temperature changes. Outdoors accompanying consumers to assist with daily chores/activities.
   • Stairs/Steps: Periodic – Does not occur on every shift. Ascend and descend stairs, steps or similar uneven surfaces to access any required work area or other areas related to functioning in the workplace.

   Company DescriptionFounded in 1967, Clausen House is a registered charitable 501(c)(3) institution that provides housing, wellness programs, and advocacy for developmentally disabled adults in Oakland and the surrounding East Bay area. Our clients are adults challenged by autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other intellectually and developmentally disabling conditions.
   
   We currently support 200 adults with developmental disabilities, and indirect support to their families in Oakland and throughout Alameda County. We deliver a life-enhancing array of services that enables our clients to live, work, socialize, and thrive to their fullest potential. Our dedicated staff of over 60 professionals delivers services that include housing, independent and supported living, supported employment, adult education, and social recreation.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting human services 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.

   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 human services instructor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the human services instructor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new human services 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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How much does it cost to hire a human services instructor?