How to hire a support worker

How to hire a support worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step support worker hiring guide:

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

What does a support worker do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your support worker 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 support worker 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 support worker 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 support worker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Support Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Support Worker		$10-28
   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 Support Professional	Direct support professionals are responsible for taking care of patients with physical or mental limitations. They do a variety of tasks for their patients, such as doing household chores, running errands for them, cooking for them, feeding them, bathing and dressing them, and helping them with their medication, among others... Show more	$8-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Social Work
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Treatment Plan
   • Social Services
   • Substance Abuse
   • Foster Care
   • Mental Illness
   • Support Services
   • Direct Care
   • CPR
   • Medical Care
   • Residential Facility
   • Community Resources
   • Family Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead support groups with an emphasis on recovery and strength base techniques, DBT, CBT, self-care and coping skills.
   • Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.
   • Develop and implement work plans for TANF customers according to federal requirements.
   • Recognize risk factors quickly, collaborate with interdisciplinary team, nurture positive relationships with patients through consistency and modeling healthy boundaries.
   • Shop for groceries and assist consumer with preparing meals.
   • Compile and update medical information for each individual serve while following HIPPA protocol.

   More support worker duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the support worker job description is a good way to get more applicants. A support worker salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a support worker in Wyoming may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level support worker. Additionally, a support worker with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average support worker salary

   $37,039yearly

   $17.81 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level support worker salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average support worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$46,569	$22
   2	Texas	$46,084	$22
   3	California	$45,499	$22
   4	District of Columbia	$44,890	$22
   5	Arizona	$40,093	$19
   6	Virginia	$39,960	$19
   7	Florida	$39,326	$19
   8	New Jersey	$39,067	$19
   9	Massachusetts	$38,150	$18
   10	Pennsylvania	$37,974	$18
   11	Wisconsin	$34,754	$17
   12	North Carolina	$33,724	$16
   13	Colorado	$33,616	$16
   14	Iowa	$33,413	$16
   15	Nebraska	$33,243	$16
   16	Connecticut	$32,685	$16
   17	Ohio	$32,049	$15
   18	Utah	$31,318	$15
   19	Georgia	$30,611	$15
   20	Oregon	$30,117	$14

   Average support worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Dolby Laboratories	$68,989	$33.17
   2	New Jersey Institute of Technology	$54,527	$26.21	15
   3	Arcimoto	$54,293	$26.10
   4	Columbia University in the City of New York	$52,352	$25.17
   5	University of California-Berkeley	$48,544	$23.34
   6	Cooper Tire & Rubber	$47,136	$22.66
   7	Sierra Nevada	$46,204	$22.21	5
   8	Messiah College	$45,136	$21.70
   9	UC Santa Barbara	$43,818	$21.07
   10	Suburban Propane	$43,583	$20.95	6
   11	Little Flower Catholic Church and School	$43,086	$20.71
   12	INX International Ink Co.	$42,648	$20.50
   13	Catholic Medical Center	$40,785	$19.61
   14	Westcare Health Corporation	$40,020	$19.24
   15	Penquis Community Action Progr	$39,878	$19.17
   16	Saint Francis Community Services Inc	$39,702	$19.09
   17	Apis	$39,436	$18.96	73
   18	National Beverage	$39,153	$18.82	2
   19	Practice Builders	$38,323	$18.42
   20	Nilfisk-advance Us	$38,022	$18.28	2

4. Writing a support worker job description

   A support worker 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 support worker job description:

   Support worker job description example

   We are looking for individuals who are eager to develop and apply their skills in ways that make a positive impact to communities. Here, you'll be proud to be a part of a company known for putting safety and people first, combined with uncompromising integrity.
   Job Description
   As a Work Order Support Specialist, you will be involved in a variety of administrative tasks related to processing work orders and reporting in a timely and efficient manner. You must have a great attitude and work ethic as you will be communicating with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, receive order requests, and address complaints.
   
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
   • Complete all work orders according to company policies.
   • Review all work orders, files, records, and other documents to obtain information to respond to requests.
   • Enter and finalize customer quotes in Oracle.
   • Responsible for Order Management activities (includes production reporting, sales reporting, order entry and shipping.).
   • Enter/Key material and labor usage for carry-over jobs, adjustments/exceptions.
   • Schedule and dispatch work tickets.
   • Run reports.
   • Set up printer profiles and print pick tickets.
   • Answer telephones, direct calls and take messages.
   • Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, business transactions, and other activities.
   • Compute, record, and proofread data and other information, such as records or reports.
   • Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, using a computer.
   • Open, sort and route incoming mail, answer correspondence, and prepare outgoing mail.
   
   EXPERIENCE:
   • Minimum Degree: High School Diploma or GED
   • Special Requirements: Prior experience with work orders a plus.
   • Must be detail oriented, excellent communicator, highly organized and able to follow detailed instructions.
   • Construction experience preferred
   
   BENEFITS:
   • Paid Holidays and Paid Time Off.
   • Medical, Dental and Vision.
   • 401K Matching.
   • Life & Disability Insurance.
   • Referral Programs.
   • Employee Purchase and Assistance Plans.
   
   TopBuild Corp. is an equal opportunity employer. EOE Protected Veterans/Disability. TopBuild Corp. (NYSE: BLD) is the leading installer and distributor of insulation and building material services nationwide. With over 220+ TruTeam and 75+ Service Partners locations across the United States, there are a variety of career opportunities awaiting you!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find support workers 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 support workers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level support workers 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 support worker job on Zippia to find and recruit support worker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting support workers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 support worker

   Once you have selected a candidate for the support worker position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize 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 support worker 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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How much does it cost to hire a support worker?