How to hire a laboratory technician/phlebotomist

How to hire a laboratory technician/phlebotomist, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

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

   Type of Laboratory Technician/Phlebotomist	Description	Hourly rate
   Laboratory Technician/Phlebotomist	Medical laboratory technologists (commonly known as medical laboratory scientists) and medical laboratory technicians collect samples and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissue, and other substances.	$12-22
   Medical Service Technician	A medical service technician provides health care and treatments to patients under the supervision or directives of a more experienced physician. Most of their responsibilities revolve around assessing a patient's condition, administering required aid, diagnosing patients, conducting check-ups, and counseling patients... Show more	$11-29
   Medical Technologist	A medical technologist's role is to conduct laboratory tests with accuracy and speed. It is their responsibility to gather, prepare, and analyze samples such as blood, tissues, and bodily fluid... Show more	$19-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Lab Tests
   • Specimen Collection
   • Patient Care
   • Lab Tech
   • Data Entry
   • Blood Specimens
   • Phlebotomy Training
   • Urine Analysis
   • Blood Samples
   • Compassion
   • Tourniquet
   • Specimen Integrity
   • Process Specimens

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Confer with patients to obtain information for laboratory records, explain procedures and addressed patient concerns
   • Provide professional laboratory services in the hospital setting for patients who are in a rehabilitation setting.
   • Perform phlebotomy techniques, sterilize equipment, efficiently handle medical lab instrument, and mark test reports after experimentation & results.
   • Experience with ICD-9, ICD-10 & CPT coding.
   • Obtain insurance approvals and authorizations using appropriate ICD-9 and CPT codes.
   • Handle venipuncture, electrocardiogram, and blood testing, centrifuging autoclaving.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, laboratory technician/phlebotomists' average salary in south carolina is 40% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level laboratory technician/phlebotomists 43% less than senior-level laboratory technician/phlebotomists.
   • Certifications. A laboratory technician/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 technician/phlebotomist's salary.

   Average laboratory technician/phlebotomist salary

   $36,243yearly

   $17.42 hourly rate

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   Entry-level laboratory technician/phlebotomist salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a laboratory technician/phlebotomist job description

   A good laboratory technician/phlebotomist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a laboratory technician/phlebotomist job description:

   Laboratory technician/phlebotomist job description example

   Full-Time Days Variable shifts, 11:00a-7:30p, 7:30a-2:00p, 7:30a-7:30p Job Description:
   
   Lab Technician to perform interviews, specimen collection, and blood product collections, under the general supervision of the appropriate supervisor. Performs a variety of general support and technical duties related to the collection of blood donations and patient phlebotomies.
   Duties and Responsibilities:
   + Follows FDA and AABB guidelines for blood donation and product production.
   + Collects and processes donated blood products.
   + May identify quality issues as they relate to educational, safety and laboratory function with regard to Support Services.
   + Reports safety concerns, violations and/or questions to the appropriate individual and may assist with the completion of reports, summaries and inspections in order to assist with compliance safety related agencies. May conduct regularly scheduled fire drills and safety audits, and maintain accurate and complete Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) libraries for area(s) of assignment.
   Qualifications:
   + Minimum Experience:
   + 1 - 2 years
   + Minimum Education:
   + High School or G.E.D.
   + Preferred Courses:
   + Medical Terminology; Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS)
   + Required Certification:
   + Phlebotomy certification
   + Physical Demands:
   + Heavy physical effort (lift/carry 26 to 50 lbs)
   + Frequent prolonged standing/walking
   + Occasionally lifts, positions, pushes and/or transfers patients
   + Lifts supplies/equipment
   + Manual dexterity and mobility
   + Considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching
   + Skills:
   + Collects blood products from donors and patients
   + (Donor Center) Performs component preparation and platelet aphaeresis; Excellent interpersonal skills
   + Req Protective Equipment-
   + Eye Protection
   + Face Protection
   + Lab Coat or Apron
   + Mask
   + Non-Sterile Medical Gloves
   + Sterile Medical Gloves
   + 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.

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5. Post your job

   To find laboratory technician/phlebotomists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any laboratory technician/phlebotomists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level laboratory technician/phlebotomists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your laboratory technician/phlebotomist job on Zippia to find and recruit laboratory technician/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

   Your first interview with laboratory technician/phlebotomist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 laboratory technician/phlebotomist

   Once you've decided on a perfect laboratory technician/phlebotomist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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