How to hire a skip tracer

How to hire a skip tracer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step skip tracer hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The skip tracer 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 skip tracer 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.

   This list presents skip tracer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Skip Tracer	Description	Hourly rate
   Skip Tracer	Private detectives and investigators search for information about legal, financial, and personal matters. They offer many services, such as verifying people’s backgrounds and statements, finding missing persons, and investigating computer crimes.	$9-31
   Lead Investigator	Lead investigators are responsible for gathering information from both eyewitnesses and suspects. They have to untangle the crime scene for possible clues like DNA, fingerprints, physical evidence, and more... Show more	$14-54
   Debt Collector	Debt collectors are also known as collection agencies and are responsible for recovering past due debts. Most of them are hired by companies to collect debt either for a fee or a percentage of the total amount recovered... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Debt Collection
   • Outbound Calls
   • Skip Trace
   • Delinquent Accounts
   • Payment Arrangements
   • FDCPA
   • Financial Institutions
   • Inbound Calls
   • Credit Card
   • Past Due Accounts
   • TLO
   • Student Loans
   • Auto Loans
   • Bank Accounts

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Prevent impeding loss and increasing profitability through negotiation and enforcement of schedule collection campaigns, consistently achieving high success standards.
   • Prevent impeding loss and increasing profitability through negotiation and enforcement of schedule collection campaigns, consistently achieving high success standards.
   • Utilize various skip-tracing services such as Accurint and TheWorkNumber in order to locate consumers and verify employment for account recovery purposes.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, skip tracers' average salary in oklahoma is 62% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level skip tracers earn 70% less than senior-level skip tracers.
   • Certifications. A skip tracer 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 skip tracer's salary.

   Average skip tracer salary

   $36,545yearly

   $17.57 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level skip tracer salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

4. Writing a skip tracer job description

   A skip tracer 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 skip tracer job description:

   Skip tracer job description example

   Motorola Solutions is there for our customers when everything is on the line. In extreme moments - when a hurricane lands or when a fire breaks out. And in everyday moments - when a package arrives just in time for the holiday or when a child doesn't miss the school bus home.
   
   We unify voice, data, video and analytics in one integrated ecosystem to enable individuals, businesses and communities to work together in more powerful ways. To help people make better decisions, act confidently and be their best in the moments that matter. Bring your passion, potential and talents to Motorola Solutions and connect with a career that matters.
   
   MVRecovery is the Skip Tracing division of MVTrac/MVConnect, a Motorola Solutions Company. We are a full service recovery operation connecting lenders and repossession agents to facilitate quicker and more compliance recoveries. Our technology is nothing without the people behind it. We are seeking an experienced Skip Tracer who is assigned to accounts to actively work with the field agent and conduct a thorough and comprehensive search for our clients/lenders.
   Job Description
   This position involves skip tracing to locate assets that are assigned as accounts by client/lenders. In all cases the asset being located involves a defaulted loan associated with the client/lender who places the account with MVConnect.
   Work within MVConnect's system of record (SOR) Utilize approved databases, and internet searches, to locate collateralized asset.Assign collateral for recovery, utilizing an approved vendor on MVConnect approved client vendor listing.Process updates to client/lenders according to each individual clients requirements schedule.Track and ensure collateral recovery is performed with vendor utilized in the field, hired to recover the asset.Make phone calls as necessary to speak to locations that have possession of collateralized asset, or to speak to the client customer, if permitted, to ascertain collateral location.
   
   Additional Qualified Skills:
   Microsoft Office & Google Suite basic experience Automotive Industry, or Collection/Repossession experience preferred Typing 40 wpm or higher
   
   This position is a remote position and candidates can be located anywhere in the US.
   
   #LI-TW1
   Basic Requirements
   High School Diploma or equivalent2+ years of related experience Legal authorization to work in the U.S. indefinitely is required. Employer work permit sponsorship is not available for this position.
   
   Vaccine Requirement
   Motorola Solutions has implemented a voluntary COVID-19 vaccination policy. We strongly encourage all employees to be fully vaccinated. Additionally, certain local governments or Motorola Solutions' customers may have vaccine requirements that apply to some of our employees. These employees are required to submit proof of vaccination to Motorola Solutions and maintain compliance with these requirements.
   
   Travel Requirements
   None
   Relocation Provided
   None
   Position Type
   Experienced
   Referral Payment Plan
   No
   
   Our U.S. Benefits include:
   Incentive Bonus PlansMedical, Dental, Vision benefits effective Day 1401K with Company Match and Day 1 vesting9 Paid HolidaysGenerous Paid Time Off PackagesEmployee Stock Purchase PlanPaid Parental & Family Leaveand more!
   EEO Statement
   Motorola Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran's status, or, any other protected characteristic.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find skip tracers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit skip tracers, 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. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 skip tracer

   Once you've found the skip tracer 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new skip tracer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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