How to hire an office aide

How to hire an office aide, step by step

Here's a step-by-step office aide hiring guide:

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

What does an office aide do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The office aide 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

   An office aide's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, office aides 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.

   This list presents office aide salaries for various positions.

   Type of Office Aide	Description	Hourly rate
   Office Aide	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$10-17
   Office Support Clerk	Office support clerks are professionals who provide clerical and administrative duties that support the daily activities of an organization's office setting. These clerks are required to answer incoming calls from clients while maintaining all office and cleaning supplies for the organization... Show more	$12-18
   General Office Clerk	A general office clerk is responsible for performing various clerical duties to support business functions and ensure smooth daily operations. General office clerks respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, welcoming guests, and assisting in disseminating information across the organization... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Phone Calls
   • Telephone Calls
   • Customer Service
   • Front Desk
   • Database Systems
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Financial Aid
   • Office Equipment
   • Clerical Tasks
   • Office Machines
   • Office Tasks
   • RUN Errands
   • Fax Machines

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage operational FedEx relationship through order fulfillment, shipment tracking, and communication with parties involve in shipment transaction.
   • Handle bulk mailings for annual donations, alumni & target donors.
   • Elaborate letters, PowerPoint presentations.
   • Create PowerPoint presentations used for school development.
   • Administer executive responsibilities to assist the office manager with administrative task and operating QuickBooks.
   • Ensure sensitive information pertaining to veterans are kept secure.

   More office aide duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your office aide job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An office aide salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an office aide in Kansas may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level office aide usually earns less than a senior-level office aide. Additionally, an office aide with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average office aide salary

   $14.06hourly

   $29,255 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level office aide salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average office aide salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$38,738	$19
   2	California	$35,635	$17
   3	New Jersey	$31,629	$15
   4	New York	$31,596	$15
   5	Massachusetts	$30,829	$15
   6	Montana	$30,725	$15
   7	Arizona	$29,728	$14
   8	Utah	$29,195	$14
   9	Ohio	$28,366	$14
   10	Wyoming	$28,178	$14
   11	North Carolina	$26,602	$13
   12	Texas	$25,347	$12
   13	Georgia	$23,690	$11

   Average office aide salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Professional	$33,654	$16.18	3
   2	City of Richmond	$31,841	$15.31	1
   3	Paramus Public Schools	$30,584	$14.70	10
   4	The New York Public Library	$28,885	$13.89
   5	Cambridge City Hall, Minnesota	$28,859	$13.87
   6	Legacy Traditional Schools	$28,049	$13.49	6
   7	John Adams Academy	$27,590	$13.26	1
   8	Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District	$26,843	$12.91
   9	Jacksonville State University	$25,519	$12.27	7
   10	The Salvation Army	$25,308	$12.17	104
   11	City of San Rafael	$25,051	$12.04
   12	Guilford College	$24,641	$11.85
   13	Laramie County Community College	$24,401	$11.73

4. Writing an office aide job description

   An office aide 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. Below, you can find an example of an office aide job description:

   Office aide job description example

   Welcome to Pathways of California’s career website! If you are passionate about helping others and enthusiastic about your future, we want you to join our team!
   
   Our company is known for an unwavering commitment to exceptional value and recovery-focused, quality care. We are experts in the field of behavioral health care, providing cutting-edge mental health and substance use community-based services and offer a dynamic employment experience! Pathways offers competitive salaries and benefits, comprehensive on-boarding and job training, a supportive learning environment, ongoing education in the use of evidence-based, promising practices and much more!
   
   We have over 30 outpatient behavioral health locations nestled throughout our communities located in Kern County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego County.
   Pathways is seeking an innovative and purpose driven individual to join our team as a Office Aide/Case Aide for our CalWORKs program in Westminster.
   
   Program: CalWORKs helps participants remove Mental Health and/or substance abuse “barriers” to employment to aid the progress of moving from welfare to active participation in employment activities. CCS-CalWORKs has been providing these much needed Mental Health and substance abuse services to CalWORKs recipients for the past 16 years. Clinics in Santa Ana and Westminster offer services to Orange County residents at multiple locations. Participants must be California Welfare recipients with Mental Health and/or substance abuse issues and enrolled in CalWORKs or Cal-Learn programs. CCS-CalWORKs provides Evaluation & Assessment Services, Individual & Group Therapy, Crisis Intervention, Case Management, Family Support & Education and Referrals to Community Resources. CCS-CW Evidenced Based Practice (EBP) Services offered: CBT.
   
   Summary: Under the general direction of the Office Manager, Office Assistant, clinical staff and/or management the Case Aide will provide a broad range of administrative support and office duties; including assisting in providing outreach, case management and client advocacy services for individuals requiring mental health care which may include treatment for substance abuse. In addition, may provide appropriate childcare to children of clients who have not yet received or are not eligible for childcare benefits. This position must be proactive and problem solve in all responsibilities and possess strong organizational skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize multiple tasks, and be flexible.
   
   Essential Duties/Responsibilities : Administrative Duties and Child Care Administrative support, ranging from data entry, filing, handling in-coming phones efficiently. Greets visitors (e.g. clients, vendors and other visitors), answer questions and/or directs to appropriate person. Manages inventory, orders supplies, prepare or distribute mail(ings) and faxes and run errands as directed by Office Assistant or Supervisor Maintains the lobby area as a professional, clean and welcoming space. Ability to use Excel and Word to complete reports, data entry, draft or revise letters, and update spreadsheets. Maintain, update, or create charts as needed, organize charts or files to standards and copy forms as needed. Provides childcare as assigned or directed. Reports any problems relating to child(ren) to supervisor timely. Provides oversight to ensure children are safe and secure. Observe and monitor children's activities. Provide attentive and comforting presence for children. Maintain and ensures HIPAA, ethical standards and professional boundaries with all staff and clients Organize, and store toys and materials to ensure order in activity areas/Sanitize toys and play equipment. Bring urgent issues and emergencies with children to parents' or guardians' attention immediately. Other duties as assigned or necessary to support your department/program, office and/or the company. Outreach, case management and client advocacy services Performs case management support functions to include obtaining background information and records on clients, may do some charting and help maintain case files and assists clients with completing applications and other forms. Provides community resource linkages for clients and staff. Assists case manager in coordinating client services. Assists clients with understanding and utilizing public services. Arranges, or may provide on an as needed basis, transportation for clients who do not have their own transportation. Assists in maintaining contact with inactive clients and perform follow-up contact as directed, and inform case managers of their clients' needs, whereabouts and current status. Keeps a daily record of work activities and maintains related casework and other paperwork in a timely manner. Maintains professional relationships with relevant agencies and service providers. Participates in staff and client meetings, and training activities as required. Other duties as assigned or necessary to support your department and/or the company. Recovery Requirements  Provide the best customer care possible. Identify and build upon the strengths of clients, coworkers, and the communities we serve. Support clients’ steps towards Recovery and Wellness. Create an organizational culture that respects and celebrates the diversity of our clients. Value learning as an ongoing process that enables us to better service our clients and establishes our leadership in the industry. Research and utilize our industry’s best practices and analyze our own services to ensure the best possible outcomes. DO THE FOLLOWING APPLY TO YOU? High School Diploma or GED equivalent One plus years experience in Childcare/ Childcare training and/or one to two years experience in community mental health rehabilitation services or Bachelor of Arts degree in a mental health related field. Licensing Requirements Certificates, Licenses, Registrations Proof of: valid California driver’s license and auto insurance, as well as proof of education are required Possess or will obtain valid CPR certificate as stipulated by program requirements. Knowledge, Skills and Experience One year work experience preferably in an office environment – handling administrative support, office duties and handling answering phones. Must have excellent and professional phone manner. Good interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills Ability to manage multiple projects Must be detail-oriented, excellent organizational skills and possess good follow-through skills Ability to exercise judgment and interface effectively with all levels of staff, clients and visitors Strong customer service orientation Intermediate level PC skills required. Physical Requirements Office Environment (not remote position). Requires extensive sitting with periodic standing and walking; May be required to lift up to 20 pounds Requires significant use of computer, tablet, phone and/or general office equipment Needs adequate visual acuity, ability to grasp and handle objects Needs ability to communicate effectively through reading, writing, and speaking in person or on telephone Will require off-site travel 20% - local and out of state (meeting, county and/or client needs) Decision Making Responsibilities Recognizes any unusual client situation, complaint and/or circumstances and reports them to supervisor(s) immediately. Reports any suspected child abuse indicators to management immediately.
   
   *NOW OFFERING DAILY PAY TO OUR EMPLOYEES*
   
   Competitive salaries & benefits• Paid Vacation Days (1st year 12 days; increases with tenure)• Paid Sick Days (Accrual per pay period)• 10 Paid Holidays (including Day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve )• Medical, Dental, Vision including a Health Savings Account or FSA• Health, Dependent and Transportation Flexible Spending Accounts• Basic and Optional Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse and/or Dependents• 401K Perks @ Pathways (student loan refinancing, pet insurance, Verizon wireless discount, movie, hotel, concert and sporting event discounts)
   
   If you're #readytowork PATHWAYS CA is #readytohire! Not the job you’re looking for? Pathways has a variety of positions in various locations; please go to www.pathwaysofcalifornia.com/ click on “Apply Here” icon in the upper right-hand corner and click on the location near you from the drop-down menu.
   
   Pathways is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right office aide 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 office aide job on Zippia to find and recruit office aide candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting office aides 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 office aide

   Once you have selected a candidate for the office aide 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 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 office aide. 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 an office aide?