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How to hire a Leader

Leader hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring leaders in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a leader is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per leader on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 42,398 leaders in the US and 172,293 job openings.
  • New York, NY, has the highest demand for leaders, with 395 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of leaders.

How to hire a leader, step by step

To hire a leader, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a leader:

Here's a step-by-step leader hiring guide:

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

What does a Leader do?

Leaders pave the way for a company to achieve certain goals. They are in charge of bringing the organization to greater heights. They set the direction of the organization, much like how a captain sets the sails of the ship. They are responsible for coming up with main strategies and alternatives should there be challenges along the way. Leaders ensure that the company is guided by its vision and mission and that the employees emulate company values. They do so through leading by example. Leaders should have strategic skills, decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills.

Learn more about the specifics of what a leader does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a leader, 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?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a leader 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 a leader that fits the bill.

    Here's a comparison of leader salaries for various roles:

    Type Of LeaderDescriptionHourly Rate
    LeaderA Leader is responsible for managing and leading a team of employees and providing them with effective guidance. They create an inspiring team environment with an open communication culture, delegate various tasks, and supervise day-to-day operations.$23-73
    Operations Team LeaderAn operations team leader is an individual who manages teams, encouraging cooperation, productivity, and teamwork. Operations team leaders foster team unity and enhance the daily efficiency of the companies or any business establishment... Show More$13-51
    Team Leader/TrainerThe team leader or the trainer primarily focuses on supporting the engineering team and is committed to fostering communication and leadership and giving training to the aspirants. Other duties include planning, executing, budgeting, monitoring, controlling, consulting, and collaborating with his/her /her teams.$11-37
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common Skills:
    • Customer Service
    • Strong Time Management
    • Excellent Interpersonal
    • PET
    • Digital Transformation
    • Work Ethic
    • Sales Floor
    • Client Facing
    • Project Management
    • Basic Math
    • Continuous Improvement
    • Professional Development
    • Business Development
    • HR
    Check All Skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage UNIX and mainframe systems software staff.
    • Achieve business metrics and implement WCM tools and processes.
    • Lead instrument calibration, OOS investigation, change control, deviation documentation to comply with GMP.
    • Lead a group to help a dog food producer to gain traction in the grocery store channel
    • Perform diagnostics, lead audits, kaizen events, value stream mapping, PDCA teams and employee involvement.
    • Lead in PTA efforts to recognize school staff by planning events and organize and plan monthly appreciation gifts.
    More Leader duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, leaders' average salary in utah is 51% less than in maine.
    • Seniority. Entry-level leaders 68% less than senior-level leaders.
    • Certifications. A leader 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 leader's salary.

    Average leader salary

    $86,964yearly

    $41.81 hourly rate

    Entry-level leader salary
    $49,000 yearly salary
    Updated February 7, 2025

    Average leader salary by state

    RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly Rate
    1Maine$108,922$52
    2District of Columbia$105,082$51
    3Massachusetts$104,649$50
    4New York$103,452$50
    5Connecticut$102,581$49
    6New Jersey$102,181$49
    7California$99,542$48
    8Delaware$99,093$48
    9Maryland$90,472$44
    10Michigan$89,874$43
    11Texas$89,464$43
    12Pennsylvania$88,998$43
    13Virginia$85,890$41
    14Illinois$84,539$41
    15Washington$84,466$41
    16Minnesota$82,088$39
    17Arizona$81,837$39
    18Ohio$80,878$39
    19Wisconsin$80,276$39
    20Georgia$75,943$37

    Average leader salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
    1Eli Lilly and Company$185,069$88.9818
    2Biogen$184,602$88.757
    3Novartis$184,135$88.538
    4AbbVie$180,658$86.8525
    5Bristol-Myers Squibb$177,084$85.145
    6AstraZeneca$175,872$84.559
    7Genentech$170,711$82.0720
    8Levi Strauss & Co.$158,876$76.3864
    9University of Maryland Medical System$155,334$74.684
    10Roku$153,976$74.032
    11BP America Inc$153,168$73.649
    12Apple$152,585$73.3672
    13ZS$152,270$73.217
    14UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital$147,908$71.11
    15Gillette$146,342$70.36
    16Bayer$146,203$70.294
    17Boston Consulting Group$144,090$69.2722
    18Abbott$141,494$68.0313
    19NVIDIA$140,752$67.679
    20Meta$140,595$67.5914
  4. Writing a Leader Job Description

    A leader 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 leader job description:

    Leader job description example

    + Clean building floors by sweeping, scrubbing, mopping, waxing, and vacuuming them

    + Clean, polish office tables, chairs, desks and all other furniture used in the office or the entire building

    + Dust mechanical devices like monitors, desktops, printers, and any other device

    + Clean windows, doors, glasses and mirrors with soapy water, sponge and any other necessary cleaning substance

    + Maintain the supply and equipment needed for cleaning duties

    + Make sure that waste bins are emptied to avoid trash littering around

    + Restock or resupply restroom papers and make sure the toilet is in a good condition

    + Take good care of the environment or building to make sure that hazardous materials are removed

    + Meet with any authority in the building to make request for items needed for work

    + Take careful and safety measures in the use of chemicals which can be harmful to the body or can damage things

    Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

    The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

    Connect With Us!

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    ARAMARK is an EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION employer - Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran

    Aramark will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance ordinance.
  5. Post your job

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

    Recruiting leaders 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 leader

    Once you have selected a candidate for the leader position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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 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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How much does it cost to hire a leader?

There are different types of costs for hiring leaders. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new leader employee.

Leaders earn a median yearly salary is $86,964 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find leaders for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $23 and $73.

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