How to hire a recruiter

How to hire a recruiter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step 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 recruiter job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new recruiter
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a recruiter do?

Post a recruiter job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The recruiter 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 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 salaries for various roles:

   Type of Recruiter	Description	Hourly rate
   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	$16-35
   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:

   • Applicant Tracking Systems
   • Customer Service
   • Human Resources
   • Linkedin
   • Healthcare
   • Background Checks
   • Recruitment Process
   • Source Candidates
   • PowerPoint
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • Work Ethic
   • Recruitment Strategies
   • Reference Checks
   • EEO

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage an average 20 c-level and executive job requisitions per month and achieve a time to slate average of 3 days.
   • Manage these teams and eventually hire someone to take over the Jr. high ministry completely.
   • Manage the internal data base system (ICIMS) maintaining high priority candidates as well as priority job openings.
   • Manage and negotiate contracts for all job boards including: Monster-SignOnSanDiego, YahooHotJobs, Careerbuilder, Jobing, and Craigslist.
   • Manage records of sales activities and follow-up on requirements by utilizing office specific HRIS technology.
   • Utilize ATS (applicant tracking software) for organizational recruiting efforts, reviewing applicant information and managing open requisitions.

   More recruiter duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, recruiters' average salary in south dakota is 44% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level recruiters 53% less than senior-level recruiters.
   • Certifications. A recruiter 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's salary.

   Average recruiter salary

   $51,374yearly

   $24.70 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level recruiter salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

   Average recruiter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$71,994	$35
   2	Massachusetts	$66,273	$32
   3	District of Columbia	$65,815	$32
   4	Washington	$64,601	$31
   5	New Jersey	$64,011	$31
   6	New York	$63,134	$30
   7	Oregon	$59,741	$29
   8	Maine	$57,078	$27
   9	Virginia	$57,041	$27
   10	Maryland	$56,159	$27
   11	Colorado	$55,801	$27
   12	Pennsylvania	$53,191	$26
   13	Texas	$50,772	$24
   14	Nevada	$50,748	$24
   15	Arizona	$50,535	$24
   16	Utah	$48,908	$24
   17	Illinois	$48,549	$23
   18	Minnesota	$48,081	$23
   19	North Carolina	$48,049	$23
   20	Georgia	$46,488	$22

   Average recruiter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$108,128	$51.98	2
   2	Microsoft	$102,519	$49.29	32
   3	Google	$95,669	$45.99	28
   4	Northern Trust	$93,236	$44.83	6
   5	Silicon Valley Bank	$92,308	$44.38
   6	Western Digital	$91,245	$43.87	8
   7	Pandora	$90,348	$43.44
   8	Apple	$88,396	$42.50	1
   9	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$87,695	$42.16	37
   10	Applied Materials	$85,981	$41.34
   11	Amazon	$83,763	$40.27	11
   12	Pinterest	$83,711	$40.25
   13	MongoDB	$83,453	$40.12	2
   14	Bain & Company	$83,357	$40.08
   15	Activision Blizzard	$82,698	$39.76
   16	ZeniMax Media	$82,556	$39.69
   17	Citi	$82,274	$39.55	2
   18	Amphenol	$82,117	$39.48
   19	Nokia	$82,042	$39.44
   20	Koppers	$81,746	$39.30

4. Writing a recruiter job description

   A job description for a recruiter 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 job description:

   Recruiter job description example

   As an Associate Tech Recruiter your role will be to ensure your clients are best positioned to attract, source and recruit top talent, both internally and externally. The primary responsibilities include staffing the business with quality hires, providing strategic recruitment solutions and proactive pipelining for future needs.
   **Responsibilities**
   + Manage end-to-end talent acquisition process, create and implement talent acquisition strategies
   + Provide guidance to hiring managers on talent acquisition processes, controls and policies
   + Source and pipeline qualified candidates through a wide variety of channels
   + Evaluate, interview and present qualified candidates to hiring managers and solicit feedback on candidates to refine talent acquisition strategy as applicable
   + Partner with senior management, HR colleagues, and finance to anticipate upcoming needs and strategize pipelines
   + Proactively share innovative solutions to add value, anticipate needs, and streamline the process for the client
   + Demonstrate expert level of understanding of talent acquisition needs by participating in client meetings, being aware of changes within the business, acting as a subject matter expert for areas of recruiting responsibility as well as managing hiring manager/candidate expectations
   + Provide a positive candidate experience with frequent and timely communication throughout the talent acquisition process; share manager feedback and appropriately disposition all candidates
   + Educate candidates on the career growth potential, benefits, compensation philosophy and many advantages of employment, selling both the firm and the opportunity
   + Conduct appropriate compensation expectation conversations with both hiring managers and candidates to ensure closure of offers
   + Take ownership of the Affirmative Action Plan; understand diversity goals and provide education to hiring managers in order to ensure and present a diverse candidate slate
   + Provide meaningful market data in support of client needs
   + Utilize the complete functionality of the applicant tracking system and maintain data integrity and controls
   **Required Skills**
   + Bachelor's degree required
   + 3-7 years of experience in full life cycle talent acquisition at a fast paced corporate environment or talent acquisition agency
   + Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
   + Able to work independently in a dynamic environment of change, challenge and multiple deadlines and priorities, high attention to detail
   + Possess a controls mindset; understand employment laws and regulations
   + Experience using HireVue, SmashFly and other talent acquisition platforms is preferred
   + Experience planning and managing networking event or projects
   + Superior multitasking, project management and presentation skills coupled with business acumen
   + Prior experience handling sensitive/confidential information
   + Able to tell a story with data and metrics
   + Strong time management skills, and the ability to consistently prioritize and re-prioritize
   JPMorgan Chase & Co., one of the oldest financial institutions, offers innovative financial solutions to millions of consumers, small businesses and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Our history spans over 200 years and today we are a leader in investment banking, consumer and small business banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management.
   We recognize that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, we make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs.
   The health and safety of our colleagues, candidates, clients and communities has been a top priority in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. JPMorgan Chase was awarded the "WELL Health-Safety Rating" for all of our 6,200 locations globally based on our operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to address a post-COVID-19 environment.
   As a part of our commitment to health and safety, we have implemented various COVID-related health and safety requirements for our workforce. Employees are expected to follow the Firm's current COVID-19 or other infectious disease health and safety requirements, including local requirements. Requirements include sharing information including your vaccine card in the firm's vaccine record tool, and may include mask wearing. Requirements may change in the future with the evolving public health landscape. JPMorgan Chase will consider accommodation requests as required by applicable law.
   Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veterans

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find recruiters for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any recruiters they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level recruiters with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit recruiters, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 recruiter

   Once you've found the recruiter candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new recruiter. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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