How to hire a unit secretary

How to hire a unit secretary, step by step

Here's a step-by-step unit secretary hiring guide:

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

What does a unit secretary do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a unit secretary, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A unit secretary's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, unit secretaries from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of unit secretary salaries for various roles:

   Type of Unit Secretary	Description	Hourly rate
   Unit Secretary	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$12-19
   Medical Receptionist	Medical receptionists are responsible for manning the front desk at a medical facility such as a clinic or a hospital. They manage schedules and appointments in the clinic or hospital... Show more	$12-18
   Referral Coordinator	A referral coordinator works with insurance companies and care providers to share essential patient information and assists primarily in scheduling appointments and managing health insurance issues. As a referral coordinator, you will work directly with the patient, patient families, or even social workers, depending on the job and patient needs... Show more	$12-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Patient Care
   • Medical Terminology
   • Customer Service
   • Patient Charts
   • Physician Orders
   • Data Entry
   • Phone Calls
   • Rehabilitation
   • Clerical Support
   • Vital Signs
   • CPR
   • Transcription
   • EMR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management.
   • Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
   • Manage the medical unit by supervising its activities, accurately transcribing physician orders, and prioritizing tasks.
   • Conduct 6 mass vaccination campaigns, manage protein-calorie malnutrition, coordinate epidemiological surveillance, and direct health facility rehabilitation
   • Assist patients with their daily routine, including feeding, cleanliness and basic needs.
   • Post anesthesia recovery care for ophthalmology, ENT and plastic surgery patients

   More unit secretary duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, unit secretaries' average salary in mississippi is 54% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level unit secretaries 38% less than senior-level unit secretaries.
   • Certifications. A unit secretary 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 unit secretary's salary.

   Average unit secretary salary

   $15.46hourly

   $32,153 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level unit secretary salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average unit secretary salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maine	$41,418	$20
   2	Washington	$41,216	$20
   3	Nevada	$39,024	$19
   4	Oregon	$38,462	$18
   5	Minnesota	$37,059	$18
   6	Massachusetts	$36,662	$18
   7	Arizona	$33,603	$16
   8	Rhode Island	$33,281	$16
   9	New Mexico	$33,109	$16
   10	Connecticut	$32,829	$16
   11	New Jersey	$32,151	$15
   12	Colorado	$32,114	$15
   13	New York	$31,971	$15
   14	Utah	$31,453	$15
   15	North Dakota	$31,346	$15
   16	Wisconsin	$31,231	$15
   17	New Hampshire	$30,853	$15
   18	Missouri	$29,860	$14
   19	Ohio	$29,809	$14
   20	Maryland	$29,726	$14

   Average unit secretary salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$44,299	$21.30	1
   2	And Partners	$42,686	$20.52
   3	Boulder County	$40,637	$19.54	1
   4	State Bar of Michigan	$40,238	$19.35	11
   5	New York State Restaurant Association	$39,620	$19.05
   6	Kettering Health Network	$38,584	$18.55	18
   7	White County	$38,564	$18.54
   8	Brigham and Women's Hospital	$38,122	$18.33	19
   9	Lawrence General Hospital	$38,011	$18.27
   10	Heritage Operations Group	$37,939	$18.24	3
   11	Avalon Health Care Group	$37,891	$18.22	9
   12	Lifespan	$37,867	$18.21
   13	The Osborn	$37,652	$18.10
   14	Episcopal Homes of Minnesota	$37,569	$18.06	1
   15	Cook Children's Medical Center	$37,414	$17.99	8
   16	Oregon Health & Science University	$37,318	$17.94	2
   17	Syracuse University	$37,283	$17.92
   18	Highland General Hospital	$37,201	$17.89
   19	UMass Memorial Health	$37,009	$17.79	21
   20	Brattleboro Retreat	$36,979	$17.78

4. Writing a unit secretary job description

   A good unit secretary job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a unit secretary job description:

   Unit secretary job description example

   Status: Full-Time
   
   University Hospitals Rehabilitation Hospital is proud to be recognized by Newsweek as one of America's Best Rehabilitation Hospitals in 2021 and 2022!
   
   UH Rehabilitation Hospital is a joint venture between University Hospitals and Kindred Healthcare, bringing together the expertise of both world-class organizations. Our goal is to restore lives, helping patients regain their independence so they can return home. Our 50-bed, state-of-the-art acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital is dedicated to the treatment and recovery of individuals who have experienced a variety of conditions.
   
   Supports nursing department operations by assisting with administrative duties such as greeting visitors, scheduling appointments, transferring phone calls, admitting and discharging patients, communicating and coordinating between physicians, nursing staff and other hospital staff. May transcribe physician orders and file paperwork. May assist with patient care as trained.
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
   
   
   Ensures visitors are acknowledged quickly and helps direct them and answer any questions.
   Initiates medical record upon admission. Maintains said record during patient stay, and closes the record upon patient discharge within the electronic medical record.
   Initiates follow-up regarding doctors' orders.
   Ensures that all patient and special charges are processed.
   Serves as unit receptionist for incoming and outgoing calls and visitor information.
   Interacts frequently with unit personnel, physicians, visitors, patients' families and other ancillary hospital personnel for the purpose of giving and receiving information.
   Has contact with patients. Duties may include answering patient lights, and fulfilling patient request for non-care items, attend appointments with patients, working in the café. Requires professional, courteous, and helpful manner in all contacts with customers.
   Position involves multi-tasking in a high stress environment. Requires constant mental alertness and the ability to calmly and accurately perform duties when subjected to frequent and varied interruptions.
   Must have the ability to exercise judgment and initiative in the resolution of problems encountered.
   Ensures that all patient and unit equipment, supplies and procedures are ordered and received,
   Other duties as assigned.
   
   
   Qualifications
   
   
   High school diploma required, with two years of college level education preferred.
   Computer experience required.
   Prior experience in a hospital setting is preferred.
   Must have the ability to work with all levels of medical personnel, patients and families,
   Ability to speak and write concisely with knowledge of medical terminology desirable.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with unit secretary 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.

   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 unit secretary

   Once you've decided on a perfect unit secretary candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new unit secretary 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 unit secretary?