How to hire a recruiter associate

How to hire a recruiter associate, step by step

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

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

What does a recruiter associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The recruiter associate 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

   Hiring the perfect recruiter associate also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

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

   Type of Recruiter Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Recruiter Associate	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	$18-36
   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
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Applicant Tracking Systems
   • Human Resources
   • Source Candidates
   • EEO
   • Background Checks
   • Recruitment Process
   • Linkedin
   • Phone Screens
   • Work Ethic
   • CRM
   • Phone Calls
   • Interview Process
   • Data Entry

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and negotiate contracts for all job boards including: Monster-SignOnSanDiego, YahooHotJobs, Careerbuilder, Jobing, and Craigslist.
   • Source from internal database, online job boards, LinkedIn as well as user and networking groups.
   • Process successful candidates to Taleo.
   • Input data into applicant tracking system (ATS) and generates reports as necessary.
   • Source and locate qualify candidates through various methods (social networking, ATS systems, etc . )
   • Perform tasks in Taleo such as assessing candidate profiles, reporting, and moving candidates throughout the process.

   More recruiter associate duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, recruiter associates' average salary in utah is 44% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level recruiter associates 48% less than senior-level recruiter associates.
   • Certifications. A recruiter associate 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 recruiter associate's salary.

   Average recruiter associate salary

   $54,489yearly

   $26.20 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level recruiter associate salary

   $39,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average recruiter associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$73,543	$35
   2	Washington	$71,708	$34
   3	New Jersey	$65,152	$31
   4	New York	$64,847	$31
   5	Massachusetts	$60,822	$29
   6	Maryland	$60,616	$29
   7	California	$59,663	$29
   8	Pennsylvania	$58,105	$28
   9	Oregon	$56,836	$27
   10	Colorado	$55,936	$27
   11	Virginia	$55,784	$27
   12	Michigan	$55,670	$27
   13	Texas	$54,695	$26
   14	Delaware	$54,357	$26
   15	Minnesota	$53,665	$26
   16	Illinois	$53,367	$26
   17	Georgia	$53,211	$26
   18	Indiana	$48,799	$23
   19	Florida	$48,219	$23
   20	Wisconsin	$48,099	$23

   Average recruiter associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Hobby Lobby	$83,536	$40.16
   2	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$82,139	$39.49	29
   3	Goldman Sachs	$82,094	$39.47	4
   4	Pacific Investment Management Company LLC	$80,801	$38.85	2
   5	Citi	$77,149	$37.09	1
   6	Activision Blizzard	$73,429	$35.30
   7	Morgan Stanley	$69,381	$33.36
   8	Bain & Company	$68,778	$33.07
   9	Andersen	$67,896	$32.64
   10	Ernst & Young	$67,357	$32.38	5
   11	GLG	$67,353	$32.38
   12	Palo Alto Networks	$65,950	$31.71
   13	M&T Bank	$64,309	$30.92
   14	Veeva Systems	$63,374	$30.47
   15	Gastro Health	$61,554	$29.59
   16	Aya Healthcare	$61,484	$29.56	16
   17	MarketAxess	$61,423	$29.53	1
   18	Response Mine	$61,274	$29.46
   19	Wells Fargo	$60,963	$29.31
   20	Tesla	$60,951	$29.30

4. Writing a recruiter associate job description

   A job description for a recruiter associate role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a recruiter associate job description:

   Recruiter associate job description example

   LaSalle Network is looking for eager, motivated entry-level candidates to join our Schaumburg office as
   Associate Recruiters ! We offer an award-winning training program that will equip you with the knowledge, tools and skills that you need to start a successful career in the staffing and recruiting industry.
   
   As an Associate Recruiter , you will learn the fundamentals of recruiting through a combination of classroom instruction, shadowing and role plays with our tenured and knowledgeable managers and trainers. After your initial onboarding, you will join one of our specialized recruiting teams and learn to become a subject matter expert in your space. Before long, and with the support of your teammates and managers, you will experience the thrill of your first placement, the satisfaction of helping your clients and candidates and the sense of accomplishment that comes with hitting your goals and helping our company grow!
   
   Associate Recruiter Responsibilities:
   Source candidates through LinkedIn, job boards and our applicant tracking system Contact candidates through phone and email outreach to discuss their qualifications and career goals Meet or exceed established metrics (daily and weekly), including number of calls and number of interviews scheduled Execute search strategies to support team with filling client openings Develop skills in interviewing, client communication and negotiation
   
   Associate Recruiter Requirements:
   Bachelor's degree High degree of motivation and drive Strong work ethic and desire to achieve personal and financial goals Prior work experience in any fast-paced environment involving heavy customer interaction or sales Excellent written and verbal communication skills Energetic, curious and hungry for feedback and professional development
   
   This Associate Recruiter role is a great opportunity for anyone who wants upward mobility and an unparalleled company culture. We foster an environment where people are encouraged to be their authentic selves, achievements are celebrated and rewarded, and people collaborate and support each other - all while prioritizing fun!
   
   Apply to become our next Associate Recruiter today!
   
   Thank you,
   
   Megan Trzcinski
   
   Senior Director, Corporate Recruiting
   
   LaSalle Network
   
   Keywords and Related Terms: associate recruiter , recruiter , recruiting , recruitment , sales , staffing , human resources , HR , entry-level , entry level #LI-ADMIN
   
   LaSalle Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer m/f/d/v.
   
   LaSalle Network is the leading provider of professional staffing and recruiting services. LaSalle has worked with more than 10,000 companies, ranging from Fortune 500s to start ups. With units specializing in accounting and finance, administrative, marketing, executive search, technology, supply chain, healthcare revenue cycle, call center, and human resources, LaSalle serves companies of all sizes and across all industries.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right recruiter associate 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 recruiter associate job on Zippia to find and recruit recruiter associate 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 recruiter associates, 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 recruiter associate

   Once you've selected the best recruiter associate 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new recruiter associate. 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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