How to hire an outreach counselor

How to hire an outreach counselor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step outreach counselor hiring guide:

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

What does an outreach counselor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an outreach counselor, 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 outreach counselor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, outreach 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of outreach counselors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Outreach Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Outreach 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.	$16-29
   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
   Intensive In-Home Counselor	An Intensive In-Home Counselor conducts individual counseling sessions for parents and deals with delicate issues like sexual addiction. They also prepare progress reports for clients.	$19-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Social Work
   • Rehabilitation
   • Mental Illness
   • Community Agencies
   • Outreach Program
   • Community Resources
   • Substance Abuse
   • Money Management
   • Social Services
   • Flyers
   • Mental Health
   • Community Services
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Child Abuse

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
   • Deliver direct services to children with autism by executing individualize plans, completing necessary documentation and communication effectively with team.
   • Validate entitlement and process customer claims for reimbursement for submission to DFAS for payment.
   • Process claims for reimbursement, determine entitlements and prepare documents for submission to DFAS for payment.
   • Provide behavior modification and social skills training to children and adolescents with ADHD and other behavioral and emotional disorders.

   More outreach counselor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the outreach counselor job description is a good way to get more applicants. An outreach counselor salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an outreach counselor in Michigan may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level outreach counselor. Additionally, an outreach counselor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average outreach counselor salary

   $45,946yearly

   $22.09 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level outreach counselor salary

   $34,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 13, 2026

   Average outreach counselor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$57,946	$28
   2	New York	$55,203	$27
   3	Massachusetts	$52,279	$25
   4	Pennsylvania	$51,854	$25
   5	Ohio	$40,823	$20
   6	Arizona	$40,813	$20
   7	Nebraska	$40,226	$19
   8	Missouri	$36,493	$18
   9	Florida	$36,384	$17

   Average outreach counselor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Bristol Community College	$77,071	$37.05	8
   2	Mount Sinai Health System	$72,685	$34.94	9
   3	Crisis Services	$58,459	$28.11	7
   4	University of Arizona Foundation	$56,422	$27.13	9
   5	University of Nebraska System	$53,834	$25.88
   6	Missouri Southern State University	$49,920	$24.00
   7	East House	$46,130	$22.18	14
   8	Community Human Services	$45,547	$21.90	1
   9	Pine Street Inn	$44,136	$21.22	28
   10	St. Anne Institute	$43,482	$20.90	3
   11	Project Transition	$42,642	$20.50	13
   12	Americorps	$41,654	$20.03	35
   13	Jackson Recovery Centers	$41,069	$19.74	2
   14	The Home For Little Wanderers	$40,809	$19.62	21
   15	Aspire Health	$39,971	$19.22	25
   16	Children's Home Society of Florida	$37,385	$17.97	36
   17	State of Georgia: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia	$34,974	$16.81	40
   18	Servicenet Inc.	$33,857	$16.28
   19	Open Sky Community Services	$33,850	$16.27	32
   20	The Edinburg Center	$33,236	$15.98	13

4. Writing an outreach counselor job description

   An outreach counselor 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 outreach counselor job description:

   Outreach counselor job description example

   • Undergraduate degree with minimum of 1 year of experience in a similar role (required).
   • Must be able to pass background and drug screen prior to start date.

   Job Type: Full-time (Non-Exempt)

   Benefits: • 403(b) with company match • Medical, Dental and Vision Eligibility 1st of month after 30 days • Employer Paid Short Term Disability • Paid time off • Life insurance • Up to 10 paid holidays • Pet insurance • Assistance with certification and licensure.

   Location: Lakeland, Fl.

   Cove Behavioral Health is a nonprofit organization with over 48 years of providing behavioral health treatment services to the greater Tampa Bay area. COVE will offer you opportunities that you wouldn't have with other organizations, once you become one of our team mates. Cove Behavioral Health is a HRSA approved site and you may be eligible to apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. We also offer free Clinical Supervision, Tuition Reimbursement, CEU's, and many other ways to show appreciation to our teammates! COVE is a full-service provider of SA services. We are Nationally Accredited and have won numerous national and state awards for premier services. We serve all ages and take all insurances. We have board certified MD's that will provide a consultation of what an individual plan might look like when people don't know what to do, much like other Doctor consultations. We have a private adult detox and are known for our specialties in pregnant women and women's services, Opiate Addiction treatment, residential treatment and community prevention as Centers of Excellence.

   At Cove Behavioral health we value diversity and inclusion. Cove Behavioral Health provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, in accordance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Employment decisions at Cove will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Cove does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any characteristic protected by law. Cove will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Cove is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug & Tobacco Free Facility.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit outreach counselors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 outreach counselor

   Once you've decided on a perfect outreach counselor 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 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 an outreach counselor?