How to hire a vocational rehabilitation supervisor

How to hire a vocational rehabilitation supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step vocational rehabilitation supervisor hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a vocational rehabilitation supervisor, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a vocational rehabilitation supervisor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a vocational rehabilitation supervisor that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of vocational rehabilitation supervisor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor	Rehabilitation counselors help people with physical, mental, developmental, and emotional disabilities live independently. They work with clients to overcome or manage the personal, social, or psychological effects of disabilities on employment or independent living.	$15-26
   Work Counselor	A work counselor's responsibility is to know the employee's problems including stress, workplace depression, declining productivity, and anxiety, and help solve them by resolving negative patterns, rehabilitation, and prevention to improve quality of life. Such purpose is to reduce sickness absence and pressure... Show more	$22-31
   Rehabilitation Counselor	Rehabilitation counselors are professional counselors who are responsible for helping individuals cope with their disabilities to live independently. These counselors are required to consult other professionals, family members, and individuals when developing a treatment plan based on the goals, strengths, limitations, and personal values of their clients... Show more	$14-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Rehabilitation
   • Mental Health
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • Direct Supervision
   • Vocational Rehabilitation
   • Independent Living
   • Vocational Training
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Competitive Employment
   • Eligibility Determination
   • Guidance
   • Intellectual Disabilities
   • Community Employment
   • Dorm

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist individuals with disabilities to develop viable career plans and coordinate the delivery of rehabilitation services necessary to achieving success.
   • Develop and implement rehabilitation activities to enhance and develop program participant's skills and abilities.
   • Develop vocational and educational goals with participants with physical and mental disabilities both general and veterans pursuing employment and/or self sufficient.
   • Maintain accurate records in accordance with HUD regulatory requirements for housing services.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, vocational rehabilitation supervisors' average salary in oklahoma is 48% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level vocational rehabilitation supervisors 41% less than senior-level vocational rehabilitation supervisors.
   • Certifications. A vocational rehabilitation supervisor 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 vocational rehabilitation supervisor's salary.

   Average vocational rehabilitation supervisor salary

   $43,258yearly

   $20.80 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level vocational rehabilitation supervisor salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 28, 2026

4. Writing a vocational rehabilitation supervisor job description

   A vocational rehabilitation supervisor 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 vocational rehabilitation supervisor job description:

   Vocational rehabilitation supervisor job description example

   About Us:

   • NBH conducts its business and provides client care in an honest and proper manner. The purpose of this policy is to assist in enabling Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare (NBH) and the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (ODMHAS) to carry out its mission in respecting all whom we serve and all individuals with whom we work and collaborate with to promote recovery.

   NBH Mission, Vision, and Values

   • Mission: Making Recovery Reality
     
     Vision: Providing quality care and professional services dedicated to making a positive impact in our community.
     
     Values: Communication, Compassion, Empowerment, Safety and Responsibility

   What You'll Do:
   
   Responsible for the administrative direction, development, planning & coordination for patients of Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare (NBH); serving individuals with severe & persistent mental illness (consumers); services include Vocational Rehabilitation & Work Services, Activity Therapy, Recreation Therapy, Religious Services, Patient Education, Music & Art Therapist, Occupational Therapy, Deaf & Interpretive Services, Hair Care Services, Volunteer Services & Recovery Education; develops, plans & directs community Vocational Rehabilitation & Job Placement services in Northeast Ohio for current & former NBH consumers on the threshold of hospital discharge.
   
   Supervises assigned department staff & assigned contract personnel; completes annual evaluations for staff who are directly supervised; completes contract reviews for contracts supervised; coordinates student interns & volunteer involvement; works closely with the department supervisors to achieve & maintain accreditation.
   
   Solicits cooperation & interest of public & private health service agencies (i.e.; Area BVR offices, Mental Health Boards, Mental Health Agencies, etc.), Labor & Management organizations, Employer/Employment groups & professional rehabilitation groups to expand & enhance services; supports community boards & committees committed to enhancing employment opportunities & recovery approach services for individuals with severe & persistent mental illness (i.e., state & county mental health recovery initiatives, state & county employment initiatives, state & county rehabilitation initiative); develops, implements & supervises NBH's Community Employment Project.
   
   Assist with the administrative, development, planning & coordination of services; monitor performance improvement goals, develop, implement & maintain program standards; analyze report statistics identifying trends, problems & related solutions & service adjustments; monitor rehabilitation staff performance & develop & implement a plan of correction when needed; plans budget, projects revenues & monitors expenditures for assigned area; utilize OhioMHAS approved office productivity software, approved intra & inter-net resources & information systems in an appropriate work related manner as specified in the Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare Personal Computer Usage Guidelines for Employees.
   
   Works closely with other NBH disciplines to provide integrated consumer valued clinical services; works closely with Nursing Services to identify processes to monitor, assess & improve recovery approach services; assist in the implementation of the recovery approach programs; performs miscellaneous Recovery Rehabilitation Services duties to facilitate total, integrated psychosocial rehabilitation recover approach; involved in development & implementation of recovery approach programs at NBH; attends required hospital & department management meetings.
   
   What's in it for you:
   
   At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website ! Our benefits package includes:
   
   Medical Coverage

   • Quality, affordable, and competitive medical benefits are offered through the Ohio Med PPO plan.

   Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance

   • Dental, vision, and basic life insurance premiums are free after completed eligibility period . Length of eligibility period is dependent on union representation.

   Time Away From Work and Work/Life Balance

   • Paid time off, including vacation, personal, and sick leave
   • 11 paid holidays per year
   • Childbirth/Adoption leave

   Ohio Public Employees Retirement System

   • OPERS is the retirement system for State of Ohio employees. The employee contributes 10% of their salary towards their retirement. The employer contributes an amount equal to 14% of the employee's salary. Visit the OPERS website for more information.

   Deferred Compensation

   • The Ohio Deferred Compensation program is a 457(b) voluntary retirement savings plan. Visit the Ohio Deferred Compensation website for more information.

   Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a Model Employer of Individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.
   
   Employee Development Funds

   • The State of Ohio offers a variety of educational and professional development funding that varies based on whether you are a union-exempt employee or a union-represented employee.

   
   
   Qualifications
   Completion of graduate core program in human services area; 4 yrs. exp. in private/governmental agency in a position providing direct counseling services.
   
   -Or completion of undergraduate core program in human services area; 5 yrs. exp. in private/governmental agency in position providing direct counseling services.
   
   -Or 3 yrs. exp. as vocational rehabilitation counselor or vocational rehabilitation program specialist with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities.
   
   -Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find vocational rehabilitation supervisors 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 vocational rehabilitation supervisor job on Zippia to find and recruit vocational rehabilitation supervisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit vocational rehabilitation supervisors, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 vocational rehabilitation supervisor

   Once you've decided on a perfect vocational rehabilitation supervisor 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new vocational rehabilitation supervisor. 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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