How to hire a peer advisor

How to hire a peer advisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step peer advisor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your peer advisor job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a peer advisor for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A peer advisor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, peer advisors 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.

   Here's a comparison of peer advisor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Peer Advisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Peer Advisor	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.	$13-31
   Education Consultant	An education consultant is responsible for providing educational assistance to learning institutions or a private household setting. Educational consultants develop strategies to improve a student's learning approach and academic standing... Show more	$17-81
   Education Internship	An education intern is responsible for assisting class activities, teaching students with various learning methodologies under a head instructor's supervision. Education interns create comprehensive lesson plans subject for the teacher's review and develop engaging activities and learning materials to create an active learning environment to monitor the students' personal and social development... Show more	$11-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Financial Aid
   • Front Desk
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Role Model
   • Course Selection
   • Class Schedules
   • Public Speaking
   • Academic Support
   • GPA
   • Course Registration
   • PowerPoint
   • General Education
   • Mathematics
   • Administrative Tasks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage UAFS's F-1/J-1 student visa SEVIS compliance as DSO/ARO, ensuring all documentation is in order prior to students arriving.
   • Help student come up with new ideas to improve their study habits and increase their GPA.
   • Mentor freshman students in maintaining a good GPA.
   • Help students in different classes such as French, mathematics, biology and chemistry.
   • Engage and prepare PowerPoint presentations to new students coming in for orientation and for class group work.
   • Train and present information through PowerPoint.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, peer advisors' average salary in oklahoma is 57% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level peer advisors 55% less than senior-level peer advisors.
   • Certifications. A peer advisor 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 peer advisor's salary.

   Average peer advisor salary

   $44,099yearly

   $21.20 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level peer advisor salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

4. Writing a peer advisor job description

   A peer advisor 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 peer advisor job description:

   Peer advisor job description example

   About Us

   Good Shepherd Services is a leading multi-service agency with more than 85 programs that serve over 30,000 youth and families each year - and builds on their strengths to help them gain skills for success. At Good Shepherd we respect the dignity and worth of every person and reject intolerance, inequity and injustice in whatever form it may take. Voted one of the top 100 places to work in NYC by Crain's New York, Good Shepherd Services offers a fantastic work environment, a collaborative team dedicated to fulfilling our mission, and an amazing array of benefits. Join our team and help make a difference!

   NOTE: As a NYC contracted agency all positions at Good Shepherd Services fall under the NYC vaccine mandate. All employees, volunteers and interns must show proof of vaccination upon hire.

   Benefits

   Candidates hired in this position will work in person but will have the flexibility to work remotely when program need allows

   Overview Reports To: Program Director, Brooklyn Lifelink

   Location: 503 5 ^TH Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11215

   Hours: Up to 12 Hours/Week; Non-Exempt

   Job Summary: The Peer Advisor will assist in mentoring Lifelink Bridge students and provide support with recruiting potential Lifelink Bridge students.

   Major Duties:

   • Plan and co-lead workshops on college enrollment, life in college and other experiences related to college.
   • Accompany and assist the Recruitment Specialist at recruitment events and present to potential program candidates and answer questions based on knowledge of the program and personal experience in the program.
   • Follow up with and reach out to youth who express interest in Brooklyn Lifelink.
   • Help with presenting social/academic workshops for Bridge students.
   • Shadow Lifelink Tutors to learn effective ways of providing academic support to students.
   • Function as a member of the Good Shepherd Brooklyn LifeLink team; attend staff meetings and contribute new ideas.
   • Provide timely statistical and narrative documentation as required.
   • Perform other duties as assigned.

   Qualifications:

   • High School Diploma required.
   • Current college student in good academic standing.
   • Be a current or former member of LifeLink.
   • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
   • Must demonstrate reliable and consistent work habits.
   • Must have a commitment to work from a strength based and/or youth development perspective.

   Additional Information

   Good Shepherd Services is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that stands up for justice and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our values and approach, and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

   Good Shepherd Services is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and termination of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right peer advisor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with peer advisors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit peer advisors who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your peer advisor job on Zippia to find and recruit peer advisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with peer advisor candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 peer advisor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the peer advisor 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.

   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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