How to hire a lead counselor

How to hire a lead counselor, step by step

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

What does a lead counselor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The lead counselor 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

   A lead counselor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead 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 lead counselor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Lead Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead 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.	$48-151
   Counselor/Case Manager	A Counselor provides advice for coping with everyday situations, relationships, health challenges, or disabilities of patients. Case Managers develop, monitor, and evaluate treatment plans and the progress of patients within the social service departments, healthcare companies, hospital networks, etc.	$15-22
   Counselor Internship	When it comes to Counselor Internship, among the primary responsibilities is to assist in dealing with various activities such as preparing and verifying necessary documentation, observing consultations and outreach programs, guide clients and help develop multiple helpful strategies, and provide assessments. Furthermore, one can conduct counseling and consultation only under supervision... Show more	$14-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Legal Advice
   • Litigation
   • Work Ethic
   • Substance Abuse
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Group Therapy
   • Behavioral Issues
   • Clinical Supervision
   • CPR
   • Mental Health Professionals
   • Family Therapy
   • Direct Care
   • Community Resources
   • Group Sessions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Monitor children at the pool, CPR certify.
   • assist with reading writing mathematics social skills and everyday living skills.
   • Maintain safety and ensure well being of children daily by implementing discipline procedures and using CPR training when necessary.
   • Dispense medication and coordinate supervision of patients abusing behavior altering drugs.
   • Implement a research-base treatment program for children with ADHD and other behavioraldeficiencies.
   • Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.

   More lead counselor duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, lead counselors' average salary in montana is 50% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lead counselors 68% less than senior-level lead counselors.
   • Certifications. A lead 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 lead counselor's salary.

   Average lead counselor salary

   $178,478yearly

   $85.81 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead counselor salary

   $100,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

   Average lead counselor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$197,444	$95
   2	Connecticut	$177,413	$85
   3	New York	$177,023	$85
   4	District of Columbia	$172,028	$83
   5	Massachusetts	$171,416	$82
   6	Delaware	$170,579	$82
   7	Texas	$167,180	$80
   8	Maryland	$163,488	$79
   9	New Hampshire	$157,821	$76
   10	Virginia	$157,654	$76
   11	Arizona	$157,035	$76
   12	Mississippi	$154,424	$74
   13	Illinois	$153,070	$74
   14	New Mexico	$150,964	$73
   15	Nevada	$150,877	$73
   16	North Carolina	$150,649	$72
   17	Alabama	$148,031	$71
   18	Minnesota	$147,471	$71
   19	Rhode Island	$144,584	$70
   20	Ohio	$144,193	$69

   Average lead counselor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	MDI	$215,508	$103.61
   2	Meta	$205,390	$98.75	76
   3	Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.	$203,791	$97.98
   4	Messenger	$191,692	$92.16
   5	Ralph Lauren	$170,382	$81.91
   6	Allstate	$164,987	$79.32	11
   7	Ascension Michigan	$164,461	$79.07	41
   8	Westcare Health Corporation	$163,241	$78.48	57
   9	The Nugget Company	$163,241	$78.48
   10	YMCA of Metro Knoxville	$163,092	$78.41	14
   11	Forward	$160,942	$77.38	2
   12	New Horizons Village	$160,227	$77.03
   13	Systems Planning and Analysis	$159,358	$76.61
   14	Ymca Of Metropolitan Atlanta	$158,618	$76.26	28
   15	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$148,898	$71.59	15
   16	Walmart	$148,531	$71.41	6
   17	McKesson	$145,238	$69.83	11
   18	Pyramid Healthcare	$141,031	$67.80	2
   19	Horizon Services	$140,642	$67.62	1
   20	ResMed	$135,418	$65.10

4. Writing a lead counselor job description

   A job description for a lead 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 lead counselor job description:

   Lead counselor job description example

   This position is responsible for assisting the Residence Manager in maintaining an effective behavior/habilitation program for adults with developmental disabilities. Also provides indirect supervision of and assistance to residential counselors assigned to the residential program.
   Responsibilities • Assists in the training of residential counselors who are assigned to a residence
   by providing instruction in data collection, writing monthly quarterly/annual reports and presents written consumer reports at the IDT meetings.
   • Assists to insure that all assigned resident methodology programs are implemented according to resident schedules.
   • Assists to insure that programs are being implemented correctly with corresponding program changes within the home.
   • Implements all individual resident money management programs as assigned.
   • Coordinates leisure schedules and monitors leisure programs in accordance with individual residence interests and needs.
   • In the absence of the Residence Manager insures that resident monthly, quarterly, and annual reports are completed correctly and on time. Also insures that program data is presented at IDT meetings.
   • Assumes the role of “facilitator” for at least one resident as assigned.
   • Insures that the residents are properly clothed maintaining clothing inventories in accordance with each resident's IDT schedule.
   • Coordinates with On-Site Supervisor the daily activities of residents as they pertain to maladaptive behaviors and the staffing off-ground activities.
   • Coordinates residence paper work relative to ADL skills, maintenance issues, including food and supply requests.
   • Provides crisis intervention assistance and relief coverage where required.
   • Participates in a minimum of 2 on-site/direct care shifts per week.
   • Insures that families and visitors are greeted in a courteous friendly manner.
   • Attends meetings and serves on committees as directed.
   • Follow federal, state and local governmental regulatory guidelines pertaining to a safe, healthy, and clean work environment, reporting health and safety concerns to the supervisor. Qualifications HS Diploma/GED preferred OR two years experience working with a I/DD population. Some supervisory experience is preferred. •Valid Driver License within Tri-State (NY, NJ, or CT) area. •Must successfully complete OPWDD Medication Certification Course at the discretion of the Department Head. •Must display leadership skills and relate well to the Individuals, families and staff. •Must successfully complete OPWDD Medication Certification Course, CPR/First Aid course and SCIP-R training at the discretion of the Department Head Salary: $19.90/hr Opengate is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right lead counselor 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 lead counselors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit lead counselors 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 lead counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit lead counselor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting lead 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. 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 lead counselor

   Once you've found the lead counselor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lead counselor. 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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How much does it cost to hire a lead counselor?