How to hire a laboratory phlebotomist

How to hire a laboratory phlebotomist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step laboratory phlebotomist hiring guide:

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

What does a laboratory phlebotomist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a laboratory phlebotomist, 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 laboratory phlebotomist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, laboratory phlebotomists 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of laboratory phlebotomists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Laboratory Phlebotomist	Description	Hourly rate
   Laboratory Phlebotomist	Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations. Some explain their work to patients and provide assistance when patients have adverse reactions after their blood is drawn... Show more	$12-21
   Medical Scribe	As a medical scribe, their main responsibility is to follow a physician's daily work and do charting of patient encounters in real-time by accessing their medical electronic health record (EHR). It is their duty to make sure the patient schedules are followed, generate referral letters for physicians and manage and sort medical documents within the EHR... Show more	$11-18
   Medical Internship	When it comes to a medical internship, one of the primary duties is to attend to the patients' needs while under a more experienced physician's supervision. During this period, the medical interns must rotate in various fields of specialties or departments for exposure... Show more	$15-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • Specimen Collection
   • Blood Specimens
   • Patient Care
   • Phlebotomy Procedures
   • Phlebotomy Training
   • Infection Control
   • Blood Samples
   • Medical Terminology
   • Clinical Laboratory
   • Data Entry
   • Specimen Handling
   • Patient Registration

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Follow written guidelines for identifying patients and labeling specimens, using computer to efficiently organize specimen collection by priority.
   • Record and perform EKG's.
   • Help set up centrifuges for blood testing.
   • Repair and recalibrate centrifuges for correct speed and weight.
   • Provide venipuncture and or EKG services for inpatient and emergency room as requested by physicians.
   • Process specimens in the emergency room stat laboratory.

   More laboratory phlebotomist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, laboratory phlebotomists' average salary in oklahoma is 45% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level laboratory phlebotomists 44% less than senior-level laboratory phlebotomists.
   • Certifications. A laboratory phlebotomist 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 laboratory phlebotomist's salary.

   Average laboratory phlebotomist salary

   $16.32hourly

   $33,951 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level laboratory phlebotomist salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average laboratory phlebotomist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$49,969	$24
   2	New Jersey	$41,163	$20
   3	New York	$40,168	$19
   4	New Hampshire	$39,122	$19
   5	Wisconsin	$37,791	$18
   6	Pennsylvania	$36,950	$18
   7	Oregon	$36,468	$18
   8	Michigan	$36,168	$17
   9	West Virginia	$34,743	$17
   10	Arizona	$34,398	$17
   11	Colorado	$33,750	$16
   12	Illinois	$33,402	$16
   13	Ohio	$32,671	$16
   14	North Carolina	$31,668	$15
   15	Iowa	$31,042	$15
   16	Tennessee	$30,721	$15
   17	Alaska	$30,663	$15
   18	South Carolina	$30,623	$15
   19	Texas	$29,780	$14
   20	Florida	$29,587	$14

   Average laboratory phlebotomist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$45,753	$22.00
   2	Favorite Healthcare Staffing	$41,362	$19.89
   3	UC Santa Barbara	$41,156	$19.79
   4	Cook Children's Medical Center	$39,685	$19.08	3
   5	Sutter Health	$38,750	$18.63	81
   6	Prime Healthcare	$37,594	$18.07	77
   7	University of Wisconsin Oshkosh	$37,495	$18.03	10
   8	NCH Healthcare System	$37,406	$17.98	10
   9	Southcoast Health	$37,393	$17.98	8
   10	Washington Hospital Healthcare System	$37,227	$17.90
   11	Tenet Healthcare	$36,690	$17.64	166
   12	LifePoint Health	$36,120	$17.37	94
   13	HealthTrust	$36,052	$17.33	18
   14	Touro College	$35,894	$17.26	4
   15	Mille Lacs Health System	$35,788	$17.21	2
   16	Mission Regional Medical Center	$35,592	$17.11	89
   17	Baptist Health Care	$35,176	$16.91	9
   18	UF Health Jacksonville	$35,042	$16.85	1
   19	The University of Kansas Health System	$34,937	$16.80	15
   20	Mayo Clinic	$34,928	$16.79	123

4. Writing a laboratory phlebotomist job description

   A laboratory phlebotomist 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 laboratory phlebotomist job description:

   Laboratory phlebotomist job description example

   Under the direct supervision of the appropriate supervisor, performs a variety of general support and some technical duties in specimen procurement, clerical office, central processing, other assigned areas, and/or a technical section. Functions in on- and/or off-site service areas. May be required to accept on-call responsibilities. May perform occasional in-charge duties in the absence of immediate supervisor. May prepare cytology slides and pathology specimens.
   Duties and Responsibilities
   + Performs a variety of duties at progressively greater skill levels under varying degrees of supervision; records results. May operate a variety of laboratory instruments.
   + Performs quality control and instrument check procedures and maintains related records.
   + Trains other employees in day to day procedures.
   + May receive specimens into the laboratory, process specimens, deliver specimens to on- and off-site locations, store specimens for future analysis and dispose of specimens.
   + May receive and transport supplies, equipment, reports and specimens between the laboratory and other health care locations. May prepare/distill chemical solutions.
   + May collect specimens as directed using appropriate or specified equipment for collecting and handling specimens.
   + Enters or retrieves data from established computer files.
   + Provides complete and accurate instructions to patients and other customers of the laboratory.
   + May assist with autopsies and other duties as directed by the Coroner and/or pathologist.
   + May review physician orders for supporting documentation.
   + Resolves billing problems and/or receives insurance updates.
   Qualifications
   + High School or G.E.D.
   + Medical terminology; Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Phlebotomy Program if applicable
   + Phlebotomy certification if applicable
   + 6 - 12 months required
   + Must possess a valid driver’s license in the current state of residence. Driving record must meet requirements established by WellSpan Risk Management.
   #Bonus
   Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. WellSpan Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy and intention of the System to maintain consistent and equal treatment toward applicants and employees of all job classifications without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right laboratory phlebotomist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with laboratory phlebotomists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit laboratory phlebotomists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your laboratory phlebotomist job on Zippia to find and recruit laboratory phlebotomist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit laboratory phlebotomists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 laboratory phlebotomist

   Once you've selected the best laboratory phlebotomist 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new laboratory phlebotomist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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