How To Become An Intake Worker: What It Is and Career Path

What is an intake worker and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Debra Minsky-Kelly

The intake workers determine the type of medical service a patient would need. As an intake worker, you have to greet new patients, collect their information, and determine their needs. From the gathered information, intake workers can check for eligibility for available assistance programs. You then proceed to refer the patients to the appropriate medical staff and direct them through the medical facility and processes. You are to schedule appointments for the patients to meet with the right medical staff. Intake workers assist patients with their files and application completion.

A degree in health care administration or a similar field is required for this role. To be an intake worker, you must have an in-depth knowledge of medical terms and procedures. You must also possess good customer service and communication skills. Furthermore, you should be good at record-keeping, be proficient in the use of a computer, and be a good team player. Intake workers earn an average of $34,983 per year.

What general advice would you give to an intake worker?

Debra Minsky-Kelly

Director of Field Education / Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work, Carthage College

I think there are two critical skills for social workers, whether they are first entering the workforce or seasoned professionals. These skills are humility and an appreciation for ambiguity in our work. A humble approach to our work empowers clients to become experts on their circumstances. Social workers are then positioned in a collaborative role to help clients use existing skills and resources to improve their situations. An appreciation for ambiguity is closely related to the idea of humility. It helps us to remember that practice situations we face in this field are often far more complicated than they appear on the surface. Thus, all social workers need to make a strong commitment to lifelong learning and ongoing consultation with colleagues to ensure that multiple perspectives are included as we work to solve complex problems.

ScoreIntake WorkerUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $36,052

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.51%

Asian 2.67%

Black or African American 13.37%

Hispanic or Latino 15.12%

Unknown 4.19%

White 63.14%

Gender

female 79.83%

male 20.17%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an intake worker

Explore intake worker education requirements

Most common intake worker degrees

Bachelor's

50.5 %

Associate

19.3 %

Master's

12.3 %

Start to develop specific intake worker skills

Skills	Percentages
Social Work	18.24%
Assistance Program	7.98%
Scheduling Appointments	7.66%
Intake Assessments	7.03%
Social Services	6.56%

Complete relevant intake worker training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New intake workers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an intake worker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real intake worker resumes.

Research intake worker duties and responsibilities

Manage assignments of paying medical bills limit in depth that include organizing and researching regulations as pertain to veterans eligibility.
Develop effective, trusting relationships with identify veterans, with a focus on facilitating housing placement, stability, and independence.
Provide interventions for at-risk children with emotional disabilities, including sexual/physical abuse, delay development, autism, and social impairment.

Prepare your intake worker resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your intake worker resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an intake worker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable intake worker resume templates

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