How to hire a professional recruiter

How to hire a professional recruiter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step professional recruiter hiring guide:

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

What does a professional recruiter do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a professional recruiter, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a professional recruiter 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 professional recruiter that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of professional recruiter salaries for various roles:

   Type of Professional Recruiter	Description	Hourly rate
   Professional Recruiter	Human resources specialists recruit, screen, interview, and place workers. They often handle other human resources work, such as those related to employee relations, compensation and benefits, and training... Show more	$19-35
   Talent Acquisition Consultant	A Talent Acquisition Consultant is responsible for sourcing and recruiting high-quality candidates. They may work in an office setting or travel to different locations to search for new talents.	$23-47
   Staffing Consultant	A staffing consultant develops and maintains the accounts of clients through outside and inside organizational activities. Staffing consultants induct, assess, and monitor the job applicants preparing them for their assignments... Show more	$12-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Applicant Tracking Systems
   • Human Resources
   • Background Checks
   • Reference Checks
   • Recruitment Process
   • Work Ethic
   • Linkedin
   • Source Candidates
   • Phone Screens
   • Open Positions
   • Interview Process
   • Business Development
   • Career Fairs
   • Drug Screens

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all phases of the iCIMS - iRecruiter applicant tracking system process and source/recruit qualify internal and external management candidates.
   • Manage records of sales activities and follow-up on requirements by utilizing office specific HRIS technology.
   • Utilize internal database, LinkedIn (or other social media), job boards and other networks to identify qualify candidates.
   • Update and verify all information in ATS.
   • Perform recruitment metrics data analysis and reporting for business partners and team members using recruiting system and PeopleSoft HRIS.
   • Research and recruit potential employees through LinkedIn

   More professional recruiter duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your professional recruiter job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A professional recruiter 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 a professional recruiter in Ohio may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level professional recruiter usually earns less than a senior-level professional recruiter. Additionally, a professional recruiter 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 professional recruiter salary

   $54,615yearly

   $26.26 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level professional recruiter salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average professional recruiter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$70,067	$34
   2	Washington	$64,174	$31
   3	Pennsylvania	$62,030	$30
   4	California	$61,600	$30
   5	Massachusetts	$59,564	$29
   6	Alabama	$58,543	$28
   7	Maryland	$58,469	$28
   8	North Carolina	$56,132	$27
   9	Texas	$55,375	$27
   10	Montana	$54,525	$26
   11	Connecticut	$53,741	$26
   12	Illinois	$53,636	$26
   13	Arizona	$52,309	$25
   14	Indiana	$49,296	$24
   15	Michigan	$48,922	$24
   16	Mississippi	$48,174	$23
   17	Wisconsin	$48,054	$23
   18	Georgia	$47,220	$23
   19	Ohio	$46,311	$22
   20	Nevada	$46,085	$22

   Average professional recruiter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	McKinsey & Company Inc	$64,204	$30.87	3
   2	Yukon Kuskokwim Health	$62,562	$30.08
   3	Yuma Regional Medical Center	$60,261	$28.97
   4	McKee Foods	$59,251	$28.49
   5	The Restaurant	$58,485	$28.12
   6	SOS Healthcare Staffing	$58,224	$27.99
   7	Cooley	$57,708	$27.74	2
   8	Day & Zimmermann	$56,962	$27.39
   9	Bon Secours Community Hospital	$56,857	$27.34	14
   10	Advantage Solutions	$56,295	$27.06
   11	Vaco Binary Semantics	$56,157	$27.00	18
   12	Alsco, Inc.	$56,110	$26.98
   13	The Hartford	$56,071	$26.96
   14	Voca	$55,655	$26.76
   15	OSF HealthCare	$55,358	$26.61	1
   16	Hormel Foods	$55,135	$26.51
   17	U.S. Auto Parts	$55,058	$26.47
   18	Comcast	$54,618	$26.26	47
   19	Psg	$53,926	$25.93	3
   20	GEICO	$53,902	$25.91	3

4. Writing a professional recruiter job description

   A professional recruiter 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 professional recruiter job description:

   Professional recruiter job description example

   Recruiter - Professional (Remote)
   
   Locations
   
   U.S. - Remote
   
   Compensation and Benefits
   
   Orion offers competitive compensation and an industry-standard, comprehensive benefits package, to include medical, dental, and vision insurance (HSA and PPO options); as well as 401k, life insurance, ADD/STD/LTD, and generous PTO and paid holidays.
   
   Company description
   
   Orion Talent is a customer-centric company focused on helping people discover meaningful careers and businesses grow by finding, delivering, and engaging the best talent around the world. We do this by providing best-in-class military hiring and talent solutions which include RPO, Military Talent Solutions, Candidate Search and Total Talent Solutions. We're driven by a warrior ethos, commitment to customer satisfaction, and dedication to transforming companies and lives as the world's leading talent partner.
   
   Our Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) team has reinvented Talent Acquisition through dynamic, customized recruiting solutions. Our team leverages the best-equipped people, methods, and technology to delivers top-tier talent to our customer base. We are proud to be recognized as the #1 mid-market RPO solutions provider by HRO Today and believe our people are the key to that success!
   
   Job Description
   
   What You'll Do
   
   As a Recruiter on our RPO team, you'll be responsible for supporting client needs within various fields of business. You'll act as a consultant, advisor, and a true business partner to develop strategic solutions, creative recruiting and sourcing plans.
   
   Who You Are:
   
   Basic Qualifications
   
   4-year college degree or equivalent experience
   5+ years recruiting experience
   Recruiting experience in Oil & Gas and refineries.
   Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
   Exceptional organizational and analytical skills
   Demonstrated history of success
   Ability to handle high-volume accounts
   Fierce and competitive spirit
   Position will commensurate with experience
   
   Preferred Qualifications
   
   Recruiting experience across multiple industries
   Experience working remotely
   
   Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:
   
   Orion Talent is an equal opportunity employer. Orion Talent does not discriminate in employment of account of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right professional recruiter 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 professional recruiters they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit professional recruiters 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 professional recruiter job on Zippia to find and recruit professional recruiter 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 professional recruiters, 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.

   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 professional recruiter

   Once you've selected the best professional recruiter 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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How much does it cost to hire a professional recruiter?