How to hire a job counselor

How to hire a job counselor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step job counselor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your job counselor 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 job counselor 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 job counselor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, job counselors 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 job counselor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Job Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Job Counselor	School counselors help students develop academic and social skills and succeed in school. Career counselors assist people with the process of making career decisions by helping them develop skills or choose a career or educational program.	$12-45
   Admissions Representative	As the name entails, admissions representatives assist prospective and new students attending a university. They give these students the information they need to make a well-informed decision regarding enrollment, make admissions decisions, and review documents... Show more	$11-28
   Peer Mentor	A peer mentor is an individual who builds a relationship with another person or mentee who is new to the career or at the same level. Peer mentors must serve as a social role model and educate mentees on various resources and services... Show more	$10-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Training Programs
   • at-Risk Youth
   • Substance Abuse
   • GED
   • Community Resources
   • Vocational Training
   • Child Care
   • Support Services
   • Mental Illness
   • Community Agencies
   • Local Community
   • Computer System

   Responsibilities:

   • Work with and case manage families receiving TANF financial benefits and with customers receiving displace worker financial help.
   • Monitor caseworkers to ensure rehabilitation services are properly coordinate to aid clients in achieving self-sufficiency.
   • Utilize aforementioned partnerships to assist TANF recipients in obtaining employment which lead to career advancement and case closure.
   • Addressed domestic violence and substance abuse issues, housing and all community resources relate to successful rehabilitation.
   • Represent elected officials & county management in civil employment litigation matters and grievance hearings.
   • Draft EEOC OFCCP, DOL, DFEH and PERB position statements and responses.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your job counselor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A job counselor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, job counselors' average salary in south dakota is 57% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level job counselors 73% less than senior-level job counselors.
   • Certifications. A job counselor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a job counselor's salary.

   Average job counselor salary

   $49,977yearly

   $24.03 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level job counselor salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 29, 2025

4. Writing a job counselor job description

   A job description for a job counselor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a job counselor job description:

   Job counselor job description example

   Who Are We?Solid reputation, passionate people and endless opportunities. That's Travelers. Our superior financial strength and consistent record of strong operating returns mean security for our customers - and opportunities for our employees. You will find Travelers to be full of energy and a workplace in which you truly can make a difference.
   Job Category
   Legal
   
   Target Openings
   1
   
   What Is the Opportunity?
   Responsible for providing high quality and cost-effective legal representation. Demonstrates superior knowledge and expertise in the litigation process and provides excellent client service as part of a legal team. Responsible for independent, aggressive case handling with a resolution management focus.
   What Will You Do?
   Litigates cases to verdict, demonstrating superior use of trial skills and techniques.Ability to independently handle a full to moderate caseload with moderate level of severity and complexity from case inception through trial/resolution.Works under the guidance of Senior Counsel in litigating complex and high exposure files.Conducts legal research as necessitated and supervises research projects delegated to Associate Counsel and paralegals.Independently drafts pleadings, motions, briefs, discovery and other file documents.Attends court events and other appointments independently.Learns and understands claim customers expectations and key department business goals and assists them in meeting those goals.Handles and actively seeks opportunities to become involved in special projects and on committees.Provides recommendations and case analysis to business partners on appropriate file handling strategy.Integrates legal support staff into case handling process.Builds and maintains superior internal and external client relationships.Completes all required administrative tasks including time reporting, closed cases, reports and other materials appropriate to performance of job duties.Effectively makes use of technology and automation in the practice of law.Adheres to all standards of excellence in file management.Travels as required to meet business needs.Ability to mentor and train less experienced counsel and legal support staff.Provide advice and training to claim partners and clients.Perform other duties as assigned.
   What Will Our Ideal Candidate Have?
   2-7 years or equivalent legal experience Insurance litigation work exposure desirable Demonstrated track record of trial skills and techniques Successful completion of the bar and ethics examinations in the state(s) in which representation is required Active license to practice law. Articulate presentation skills using technology Strong and persuasive legal writing skills and oral advocacy skills Ability to clearly and succinctly articulate position
   
   What is a Must Have?
   Graduation from an accredited law school with a strong academic record.Minimum 2 years legal experience.
   
   What Is in It for You?
   
   Health Insurance: Employees and their eligible family members - including spouses, partners, and children - are eligible for coverage from the first day of employment.Retirement: Travelers provides a core contribution of 3% of your total eligible earnings to your Deferred Profit Sharing Plan (“DPSP”). Travelers also matches your savings plan contribution dollar-for-dollar up to 5% of base pay.Paid Time Off: Start your career at Travelers with a minimum of 20 days Paid Time Off (“PTO”) annually, plus the opportunity to purchase additional days to allow for up to a total of 36 PTO days per year. You will also receive twelve paid company Holidays.Wellness Program: The Travelers wellness program is comprised of tools and resources that empower you to achieve your wellness goals. In addition, our Life Balance program provides access to professional counseling services and other resources to support your daily life needs. Through Life Balance, you're eligible for free counseling sessions with a licensed therapist.Volunteer Encouragement: We have a deep commitment to the communities we serve and encourage our employees to get involved. Travelers has a Matching Gift and Volunteer Rewards program that enables you to give back to the charity of your choice.
   
   Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
   Travelers is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing accommodation to persons with disabilities. If you require accommodation during the recruitment or interview process we will work with you to accommodate your needs.
   
   If you are a candidate and have specific questions regarding the physical requirements of this role, please send us an email so we may assist you.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right job counselor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your job counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit job counselor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting job counselors 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.

   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 job counselor

   Once you've selected the best job counselor 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new job counselor 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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How much does it cost to hire a job counselor?