How to hire a residential trainer

How to hire a residential trainer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step residential trainer hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your residential trainer 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 residential trainer 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

   Hiring the perfect residential trainer 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of residential trainers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Residential Trainer	Description	Hourly rate
   Residential Trainer	Social and human service assistants provide client services, including support for families, in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. They assist other workers, such as social workers, and they help clients find benefits or community services.	$12-21
   Direct Support Staff	The direct support staff is a professional who takes responsibility for the overall care of people with developmental disabilities. Direct support professionals work directly with developmental illness patients in long-term health care facilities... Show more	$8-25
   Direct Care Provider	A Direct Care Worker specializes in providing care and assistance to patients, typically to the elderly. Their responsibilities include preparing and feeding meals, administering medication and other treatments, and monitoring their conditions, updating the physician or the patients' families regularly... Show more	$9-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Data Collection
   • Independent Living
   • Meal Preparation
   • Medication Administration
   • Doctor Appointments
   • Direct Supervision
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Community Outings
   • ADL
   • Medical Appointments
   • Patient Care
   • Transport Clients
   • Direct Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage situations through effective oral communication skills and PMT restraint.
   • Assist consumers with daily ADL skills.
   • Implement training and interventions as outlined in ISP and behavioral treatment plan.
   • Promote continuity of care by accurately and completely communicating to other caregivers the status of patients for which care is provided.
   • Document progress and communicate to MHMR case manager.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your residential trainer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A residential trainer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, residential trainers' average salary in georgia is 43% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level residential trainers earn 44% less than senior-level residential trainers.
   • Certifications. A residential trainer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a residential trainer's salary.

   Average residential trainer salary

   $16.45hourly

   $34,217 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level residential trainer salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing a residential trainer job description

   A residential trainer 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 a residential trainer job description:

   Residential trainer job description example

   Residential Trainer Night 10:00pm to 6:00am for Behavior Treatment and Training Center (BTTC)

   Role Responsibilities

   Subject to the approval of the BTTC manager, the Residential Trainer is selected by the Shift Supervisor and is accountable to the Shift and Relief Supervisors of the BTTC. The Behavior Treatment and Training Center (BTTC) Residential Trainer works directly with children who have a diagnosis of and intellectual and development disability and problem behaviors. The RT must complete pre-service training, implements behavior analysis programs and special treatment sessions as directed. Provides frequent positive interactions with individuals and conducts social skills educational, recreational and vocational training. The RT is responsible for providing supervision, a safe and pleasant environment for the individuals, meets specialized needs and assists in transitioning persons served to discharge placements. Residential Essential staff are required during emergency events to ensure the operations of Texana Center continue and ensure the safety and welfare of the individuals receiving services from Texana Center.

   Salary

   • $15.00/hour

   Required Education and/or Certifications, Experience, Skills

   • High School Diploma/ G.E.D.
   • Valid Texas Driver’s license

   Preferred Education and/or Certifications, Experience, Skills

   • Experience and ability to work with others and to work patiently and effectively with persons who exhibit challenging behaviors and ability to manage such behaviors at BTTC as a Residential Trainer in good standing.
   • Experience working with individuals with disabilities who display aggressive and self-injurious behaviors.

   Job Related Physical Requirements

   • Ability to perform SAMA and CPR.
   • Must be able to perform light (15lb), pushing, stooping, light carrying (15lb), repeated bending, reaching above shoulder, simple grasping, hearing, walking and sitting.
   • Must have the ability to see, write, operate office equipment, and operate motor vehicle and have depth perception.
   • Qualified individual must be able to perform these functions with or without reasonable accommodations.

   Texana Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with residential trainer 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.

   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 residential trainer

   Once you've selected the best residential trainer 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 residential trainer. 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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