How to hire an optician apprentice

How to hire an optician apprentice, step by step

Here's a step-by-step optician apprentice hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an optician apprentice, 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

   An optician apprentice's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, optician apprentices 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 optician apprentices and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Optician Apprentice	Description	Hourly rate
   Optician Apprentice	Dispensing opticians help fit eyeglasses and contact lenses, following prescriptions from ophthalmologists and optometrists. They also help customers decide which eyeglass frames or contact lenses to buy.	$13-23
   Optical Technician	Optical lab technicians, also known as ophthalmic laboratory technicians, create prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses. They work together with optometrists, opticians, and ophthalmologists... Show more	$12-25
   Licensed Optician	A licensed optician is responsible for attending to clients with eye care needs and recommends eyewear selection according to the optometrist's advice. Licensed opticians order the frames and lenses and ensure that the measurement would fit according to the instructions... Show more	$15-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • POS
   • Customer Service
   • Patients
   • Product Knowledge
   • HIPAA
   • Appointment Scheduling
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Insurance Coverage
   • Insurance Claims
   • Computer System
   • Patients Needs
   • Frame Adjustments
   • Lens Selection
   • R

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain coating quality using adhesion testing and spectrophotometers, and manage coating hues and reflectance adjustments.
   • File patient medical records; bill insurance; contact insurance companies regarding patient insurance benefits, comply with all HIPAA policies.
   • Assist customers in picking out a frame that goes well with their life style, RX and price needs.
   • Process MTR's and RX reminders and stock merchandise.
   • Maintain patient confidentiality and HIPAA.
   • Create referral business by designing specialty lenses to patients' specifications.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, optician apprentices' average salary in oklahoma is 44% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level optician apprentices 40% less than senior-level optician apprentices.
   • Certifications. An optician apprentice 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 an optician apprentice's salary.

   Average optician apprentice salary

   $37,698yearly

   $18.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level optician apprentice salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing an optician apprentice job description

   A good optician apprentice 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 an optician apprentice job description:

   Optician apprentice job description example

   Are you looking for a great new career with a company that offers unlimited potential? If so we are looking for you!
   
   We are in search of driven sales associates and apprentice opticians with the desire to join a winning team. We are hiring part time candidates at our Pearle Vision location in Olympia, WA. This position could flex into full time for the right candidate. We will assist those looking for a new career in joining the apprentice program and train while working toward their Optician license. We will pay for training, testing and all license fees to help you get started on the career of a lifetime.
   
   This is a great opportunity for someone that wants to learn and advance. We are looking for high energy and fun loving people with customer service, critical thinking and business driving skills to join our team.
   
   We pay top dollar for top talent and we work hard to provide an environment that treats our employees like family.
   
   What makes Pearle Vision a great place to work? There's not just one answer..... Along with great hourly pay which is top in the industry, we also provide an outstanding commission plan to reward hard work. We offer flexible hours and a great benefits package. We also believe in delivering the best customer experience possible. Working in our stores combines medical with fashion and we strive to make every customer that walks in our doors a customer for life.
   
   At Pearle Vision, the opportunities are endless! We're looking for positive energy and enthusiastic people who love working in a high-performance sales culture that are looking to make a difference. Our people turn eyewear from necessary products into fashion accessories and help people see their best.
   Apply today and begin an exciting new career with Pearle Vision!
   
   Job Type: Part-time
   
   Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour
   
   Benefits:
   * Dental insurance
   * Employee assistance program
   * Employee discount
   * Flexible schedule
   * Flexible spending account
   * Health insurance
   * Health savings account
   * Professional development assistance
   * Tuition reimbursement
   * Vision insurance
   Schedule:
   * 8 hour shift
   * Weekend availability
   Supplemental pay types:
   * Commission pay
   
   Experience:
   * Sales: 1 year (Preferred)
   * Optical: 1 year (Preferred)
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting optician apprentices 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 optician apprentice

   Once you've decided on a perfect optician apprentice 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.

   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 optician apprentice first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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