How to hire a music department chairperson

How to hire a music department chairperson, step by step

Here's a step-by-step music department chairperson hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The music department chairperson 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

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

   This list presents music department chairperson salaries for various positions.

   Type of Music Department Chairperson	Description	Hourly rate
   Music Department Chairperson	Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and career and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.	$15-36
   Professor	A professor is a teaching professional who provides instructions to students on various academic and vocational subjects in colleges, universities, and vocational schools. Professors design curriculums for courses and ensure that they meet college and department students... Show more	$42-134
   Art Educator	Art Educators are hired to enhance humanities subjects and give students different ways to appreciate art in various forms. In museums, Art Educators work as both curators, guides for visitors and art lovers... Show more	$11-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Music Education
   • Music Theory
   • Choral Music
   • Fine Arts
   • Jazz Ensemble
   • K-12
   • Chorus
   • Classroom Management
   • Music Festival

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead meetings with ESL department teachers in which teachers collaborate on unit plan ideas, classroom strategies and student needs.
   • Edit and approve promotional tools such as flyers, posters, handbills, and giveaways.
   • Develop individual educational plans (IEP) design to promote educational, physical and social development.
   • Restructure online courses in anthropology, psychology, and sociology using web-base readings and audio-visual materials.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, music department chairpeople' average salary in west virginia is 58% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level music department chairpeople 58% less than senior-level music department chairpeople.
   • Certifications. A music department chairperson 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 music department chairperson's salary.

   Average music department chairperson salary

   $50,320yearly

   $24.19 hourly rate

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   Entry-level music department chairperson salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing a music department chairperson job description

   A good music department chairperson 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 music department chairperson job description:

   Music department chairperson job description example

   Mission Statement
   
   The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
   
   Position Summary
   
   Aide in The Salvation Army's 2022 Christmas Kettle Campaign by providing appropriate seasonal music accompaniment and entertainment throughout the Southern California Division Corps and other Army fundraising events and programs.
   
   Essential Functions
   
   + Read music proficiently and play a brass instrument in a quartet or quintet.
   
   + Read music proficiently and sing a part in a quartet or quintet.
   
   + Travel to events throughout the Southern California Division.
   
   + Other duties as assigned by the Divisional Music Outreach Coordinator or Divisional Music and Gospel Arts Director.
   
   Working Conditions.
   
   Ability to walk, stand, bend, squat, climb, kneel and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis. Ability to grasp, push, pull objects such as files, file cabinet drawers, and reach overhead. Ability to operate computer, fax, and telephone. Ability to lift up to 25 lbs.
   
   Minimum Qualifications
   
   + Salvationist currently attending a Salvation Army Corps.
   
   + Must be 18 years of age or Older.
   
   Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
   
   + Able to play a brass instrument to a certain level of proficiency.
   
   + Able to sing a part to a certain level of proficiency.
   
   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)

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right music department chairperson 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 music department chairperson job on Zippia to find and recruit music department chairperson candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit music department chairpeople, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 music department chairperson

   Once you've selected the best music department chairperson 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is 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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