How to hire an intake worker

How to hire an intake worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step intake worker hiring guide:

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

What does an intake worker do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The intake worker 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an intake worker 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 an intake worker that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of intake worker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Intake Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Intake Worker	Social workers help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. One group of social workers—clinical social workers—also diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.	$12-22
   Residence Counselor	Residence counselors are professionals who are responsible for providing services such as one-to-one therapy and crisis support to clients who are living in group homes or assisted-living facilities. These counselors must assist adults with moderate intellectual disabilities to find employment while monitoring their work performance... Show more	$13-20
   Youth Mentor	Youth mentors are adult individuals who are responsible for creating programs to improve the well-being of young people by providing role models that can support them academically and socially. These mentors must educate the community on issues related to mental health while making regular home visits to youth and young adults... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Social Work
   • Assistance Program
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Intake Assessments
   • Social Services
   • Data Entry
   • Community Resources
   • Child Abuse
   • Emergency Services
   • Intake Interviews
   • Substance Abuse
   • Mental Health
   • Law Enforcement
   • Crisis Intervention

   Check all skills

   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.

   More intake worker duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your intake worker job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An intake worker salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an intake worker in Kentucky may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level intake worker usually earns less than a senior-level intake worker. Additionally, an intake worker with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average intake worker salary

   $36,052yearly

   $17.33 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level intake worker salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average intake worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maryland	$47,786	$23
   2	District of Columbia	$46,908	$23
   3	Connecticut	$46,410	$22
   4	Texas	$43,640	$21
   5	New York	$42,605	$20
   6	Nevada	$41,745	$20
   7	North Dakota	$40,823	$20
   8	New Hampshire	$39,595	$19
   9	Massachusetts	$38,871	$19
   10	Ohio	$37,635	$18
   11	West Virginia	$37,621	$18
   12	Illinois	$37,115	$18
   13	New Mexico	$36,967	$18
   14	Kansas	$36,606	$18
   15	Colorado	$36,238	$17
   16	Washington	$35,431	$17
   17	Iowa	$34,580	$17
   18	Pennsylvania	$34,567	$17
   19	South Carolina	$33,850	$16
   20	Delaware	$33,658	$16

   Average intake worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$45,335	$21.80
   2	Philadelphia Corporation for Aging	$42,553	$20.46	3
   3	Texas	$39,885	$19.18	129
   4	Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland	$39,154	$18.82
   5	ICF	$38,874	$18.69
   6	Summit County	$37,789	$18.17
   7	Reno, NV	$37,738	$18.14
   8	Jefferson County Sheriffs Dept	$37,729	$18.14
   9	HELP USA	$37,450	$18.00	2
   10	Primary Health Care Corporation	$37,260	$17.91	2
   11	Douglas County	$37,202	$17.89	2
   12	Maximus	$37,121	$17.85	117
   13	Salvation Army North	$37,018	$17.80
   14	BRC	$36,312	$17.46	11
   15	La Clinica del Pueblo	$35,471	$17.05
   16	Aerotek	$34,616	$16.64	150
   17	Cayuga Centers	$34,301	$16.49
   18	Universal Health Services	$33,831	$16.26	386
   19	Utah Community Action	$33,398	$16.06
   20	University of Colorado Denver	$33,315	$16.02

4. Writing an intake worker job description

   An intake worker 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. Below, you can find an example of an intake worker job description:

   Intake worker job description example

   Title: Intake Coordinator
   
   Reports To: Intake Administrator
   
   FLSA: Non-Exempt
   
   Status: Full-time
   
   Supervisory Responsibility: Not Applicable
   
   *Purpose of the Role: *
   
   To ensure the timely and accurate processing of persons referred to the Agency so that they are assigned to a Client Care Coordinator in an expeditious manner and begin to receive services as soon as possible.
   
   *Essential Functions of the Role: *
   * Respond to any and all inquiries related to persons seeking services through the Agency (i.e. walk-in or referral).
   * Vet inquiries accordingly, schedule *a*ppointments within 1 - 2 business days.
   * Conduct intake meetings (either in the office or in the field) in accordance with the established processes. Any issues or concerns regarding Health Homes and/or eligibility, vet with Program
   
   Administrator.
   * Review intake paperwork with the Intake Administrator for quality assurance.
   * Once approved, input all data in a timely manner to the designated system.
   * Manage and maintain census data for New Rochelle clients, and any other areas as assigned.
   * Train receptionist to act as back-up in his/her absence, as appropriate.
   * Act as backup Receptionist for breaks and absences.
   * Provide administrative support to the New Rochelle location (and/or other locations) as needed.
   
   *Decision-Making Authority: *
   
   Decisions regarding client intakes are to be made with the guidance and collaboration of the Intake
   
   Administrator and/or Program Administrator. Decisions related to administrative support are to be made in collaboration with the Assistant Program Director and Program Director.
   
   *Working Relationships: *
   
   Internal: Intake Administrator, Program Administrator, Asst. Program Director, Client Care
   
   Supervisor, and Client Care Coordinators.
   
   External: Dept. of Social Services, Mental Health Providers, Primary Care Physicians, Probation
   
   Officers, Legal Services, District Attorney's Office, etc.
   
   Issued: March 2015
   
   Intake Administrator: Job Description Continued
   
   *Work Schedule: * 9 am - 5 pm
   
   *Physical Environment: * o Traditional office environment. o Must be comfortable attending appointments at various agencies and facilities.
   
   *Physical Demands: *Must be able to carry up to 20 lbs.
   
   *Mental and Visual Demands: *Flow of work and nature of duties involve normal coordination of mind and eyes much of the time. o Must be able to interact with persons having mental health issues, periods of instability (i.e. lack of shelter, food, clothing, or support), recently released from an institution (i.e. hospital, prison), limited comprehension and/or ability to manage through complex scenarios
   
   *Qualifications for this Role: *
   * CHOICE is a peer organization. Persons who work on the team must have experience with
   
   (either directly, via an immediate family member, or through work experience) a mental health condition, a period of hardship (i.e. homelessness, imprisonment), or a disability.
   * Proven ability to empathize with the clients we serve.
   * Tenacity and passion for this work with the ability to balance objectivity with empathy.
   * Computer literacy is required.
   * Bachelor's Degree required.
   * Associates accepted with experience.
   * Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.
   
   Job Types: Full-time, Contract
   
   Pay: $20.00 - $21.00 per hour
   
   Benefits:
   * 401(k) matching
   * Dental insurance
   * Flexible spending account
   * Health insurance
   * Life insurance
   * Paid time off
   * Retirement plan
   * Tuition reimbursement
   * Vision insurance
   Schedule:
   * 8 hour shift
   * Day shift
   * Monday to Friday
   
   Ability to commute/relocate:
   * Bronx, NY 10451: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
   
   Education:
   * Associate (Preferred)
   
   Experience:
   * Bilingual: 1 year (Required)
   * Intake: 1 year (Required)
   * Spanish: 1 year (Required)
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit intake workers, 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 intake worker

   Once you've selected the best intake worker 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.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new intake worker. 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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